The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Gaming and Dual Computer Screens

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by xTank Jones16x, Apr 25, 2009.

  1. xTank Jones16x

    xTank Jones16x PC Elitist

    Reputations:
    848
    Messages:
    1,276
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    I just have a simple question. I like to use 2 Computer screens on my Laptop, because it's easy to use the Internet while gaming, and my desktop needs more RAM and I'm to cheap to buy some.

    However, when I click on the Internet, the game ofcourse minimizes itself.

    Is there a way to avoid this? I would like to move over to the other screen and use the Internet without the game minimizing itself.

    Any way I can change this?
     
    xTank Jones16x, Apr 25, 2009
    #1
  2. Snowm0bile

    Snowm0bile Starcraftologist

    Reputations:
    265
    Messages:
    1,142
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    It depends on the game, but Im pretty sure the only way to do it is to run your game in a window big enough to cover your screen.

    Not positive this is the only way, just what I did to stop it from minimizing. :p
     
    Snowm0bile, Apr 25, 2009
    #2
  3. unknown555525

    unknown555525 rawr

    Reputations:
    451
    Messages:
    1,630
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I've tried numerous things to stop this but nothing seems to work aside from running the game windowed. You can right click the taskbar, unlock it, and make it hide, then make your game windowed and just move it to covor the whole screen. At least that way it looks pretty much the same and it won't minimize when you click on something on the other screen. Not sure if you can hide the taskbar on vista though since I use XP, but you should be able to..
     
    unknown555525, Apr 25, 2009
    #3
  4. xTank Jones16x

    xTank Jones16x PC Elitist

    Reputations:
    848
    Messages:
    1,276
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Ya, thats what I was thinking. Was not sure if there was a way around it though.

    Guess I will have to open up the ole' Wallet, and break out a few bucks for some RAM in the 8+ Year Old Desktop.

    256MB of RAM just don't cut it. 3 Minutes to open Firefox. LOL
     
    xTank Jones16x, Apr 25, 2009
    #4
  5. a7x2thedeath

    a7x2thedeath Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    21
    Messages:
    187
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    What game are you running? I know in Battlefield 2, after the target of "C:\ProgramFiles\EA\BF2\BF2.exe" you can type "+menu +1 +fullscreen +0" and it will run in windowed mode at the resolution you set it at. I haven't tried this with dual screens, but it allows me to alt+tab into other things while gaming like Ventrilo or AIM.
     
    a7x2thedeath, Apr 25, 2009
    #5
  6. xTank Jones16x

    xTank Jones16x PC Elitist

    Reputations:
    848
    Messages:
    1,276
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Multiple games, but Left 4 Dead is the main one I use the internet with.

    Love messing around with console commands. :D
     
    xTank Jones16x, Apr 25, 2009
    #6
  7. Snowm0bile

    Snowm0bile Starcraftologist

    Reputations:
    265
    Messages:
    1,142
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    lol 256mb... 3 minutes!! holy what! :p
     
    Snowm0bile, Apr 25, 2009
    #7
  8. xTank Jones16x

    xTank Jones16x PC Elitist

    Reputations:
    848
    Messages:
    1,276
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Well, maybe a little less. When i resurrected the old computer, it was full of viruses, and completely filled to the rim with dust.

    Unfortunatley I don't have the installation CD that the computer came with, otherwise I would run that, and start from scratch.
     
    xTank Jones16x, Apr 25, 2009
    #8