W500 Docking Station and Dual Monitors

[larrybg]

 I had to re-image my laptop (W500) and install same Windows7 64 bit. There is no difference in the configuration with previous Windows7 64 bit installation. In both cases I used docking station and two attached monitors - one with VGA and second with DVI cables. Everything worked just fine before re-imaging. After completing OS installation it cannot recognize DVI port, and I'm stuck with one monitor.

Wondering if anybody had the same issue?

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

are you using the laptop in the intel graphics mode or the ati graphics mode?

[larrybg]

In Device Manager Display Adapter shown: Mobile Intel(R)4 Series Express Chipset Family.

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

switch to discrete ati gpu, if you don't know how, follow this instruction set.

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/W-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/w500-switching-graphics-card/m-p/343073

[larrybg]

Is this is the only way to switch to ati mode using ThinkVantage Power Manager? I re-install Win7 from Microsoft installation CD, and don't have ThinkVantage Power Manager installed. Just wondering if there is any other ways to do the same without putting additional drivers... interesting to know how it worked before, since I'm using the same CD to install it and din't have ThinkVantage Power Manager before either...

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

you can do it in your bios menu under display, choose the discrete graphics mode.

[larrybg]

When I select this option in the BIOS my screen going black.

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

take the laptop out of docking station and select that option in the bios, then boot it up into windows without docking it. The windows should reinstall softwares related to the ATI GPU, after when that is all done, you should redock and configure accordingly.

[larrybg]

Ok, here is what I did - took laptop out of the docking station, reboot, changed option in the BIOS. Screen is going black that I cannot do anything with my computer. So let it boot into windows and connected remotely from another computer. Scanned for hardware changes and still nothing. Mobile Intel is shown in the Display Adapters. At this point I'm in the corner...

When I reboot laptop display started to work, so I open BIOS and Switchable option was selected again. I'm wondering if "OS Detection for Switchable Grphics" option that is "Enabled" now has something to do with it?

Update: I disable OS Detection and still nothing...

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

in the bios make sure you select the internal lcd as the booting display device when you select the discrete gpu option.