Hot Docking Does Not Switch the Screen Resolution of Your Monitor in Windows XP (305174)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
This article was previously published under Q305174
For a Microsoft Windows 2000 version of this article, see 315455.

SYMPTOMS

When you hot or warm dock a laptop computer into a docking station, the screen resolution or the frame rate may not change to the settings that you previously selected. For example, if you set up the laptop to have an 800x600 resolution when it is undocked and a 1024x768 resolution when it is docked, the resolution remains at 800x600 when you hot dock the laptop in a docking station. Additionally, when you undock the system at this point, the resolution may change to the docked setting, which is 1024x768 in this example.

If you start the system in the docking station and then undock the laptop, the display resolution may not change. For example, if you use the same settings that are listed earlier, the system restarts into Windows at 1024x768 and does not change when you undock the laptop.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the information that is stored in the hardware profile is not processed during a hot or a warm docking and undocking procedure.

RESOLUTION

To effectively switch video modes, use one of the following methods:
  • Method 1:
    Use the Fn + (function key) combination to toggle the display between the internal laptop screen and external monitor. The referenced (function key) varies, depending on the manufacturer of the laptop.

    -or-
  • Method 2:
    Use Display Properties in Control Panel to set the screen resolution or the frame rate.

    -or-
  • Method 3:
    Restart the computer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/1/2002
Keywords:kbprb KB305174
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.