NO External monitor output until login to Windows

I have a situation...
I have 2 identical VAIO laptops. Sorry don't remember the model. If important
I will check when come home. But they are last year model core 2 duo.
Silver ones

One of laptops fall down. The screen is not functionning (just all kind of lines).
It goes to windows prompt( I can see background of login box.

When I connect external screen, there is no output signal.
First, I thought that something is really wrong with the board. FN F7 make no changes.
But I decided to connect external screen to my second identical laptop.
And it not gives any external signal. But when I login to windows I can switch to external with FN F7.
Looks like F7 is managed by software inside the Windows.
Logically output from the laptop should be during the boot.

What are my options? Don't want to put a nice hardware in the garbage.

Thx.
Michael.

 

I think one of the tasks called TMM has been removed from the Task Scheduler. the TMM task is needed for the computer to check for external monitor while booting up.

Check the Vista tweaks thread to find out about this TMM task. see if your laptop has it in the Scheduler or not.

 

If that's the problem, and if you can get to it through your screen problems, you'll it at Start > Administrative Tools > Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > MobilePC.

Cheers...

 

What if I don't have that task?

When I go into Task Scheduler, I get the error: "the task image is corrupt or has been tampered with.TMM". When I check MobilePC, the task is not even there and I never went into Task Scheduler before.

How can I get this task back?

 

Do you connect the screen before booting it up?

 

Actually yes I do. I just keep the laptop connected overnight when it's in standby / shut down.

 

I am sorry. I guess wolf04 just took over my thread...
From the answers above I understand that there is a possibility to unable
external monitor detection before Windows will came up.
I will try to access the windows on the laptop from remote machine and see...
Thanks,
Michael.

 

Sorry, that wasn't my intention. I figured we both had a problem with the TMM scheduled task, which is why I also posted here.

 

Guys,
I checked TMM on my good one laptop.
TMM is running.
But as I mentioned in initial post the problem with this VAIO is that there is no output on the external screen during POST.
When I will solve the problem on good functioning laptop it will be easy to to something with the laptop with a broken screen.
I guess nothing to do with Windows TMM.
I need output on external before it will try to load OS.
Imagine there is no OS. The question is still there HOW to enable external screen on VAIO VGN NG 385.
May be somebody can confirm that when connecting external screen you can see boot process output.
I have two VAIO. Non of them not shows anything.
Other laptops are doing well.
Thx.

 

I checked now external screen on my high end HP laptop and it does the same story now output until login to windows and after FN F4

If I am not mistaken old days laptops show output right after computer starts.
Probably I have to forget about my vaio with broken screen.
NO access to it. To repaire the LCD will cost more than halph laptop price.

May be somebody have an idea...

 

i was looking the web today with the same problem for my brothers laptop but could not find an answer but heres what i did. He told me everytime it boots up it shows illegal shutdown or something before the display was bad so i plug it to external monitor turn on the puter waited a few second then hit enter just as you would if it ask you what to do after illegal shut down. since he has a password on one account the other is guest no password i hit tab hoping i hit the right account and type password and heard the boot up sound and then waited a minute or so hit the fn and f7 and it works. Since you have two laptop you might turn it on the same time,the other one probably says illegal shutdown since you dont see anything. Hope this help...

FYI it cost $400 to replace the display for a $600 worth sony vgn-ns110e laptop excluding shipping.