I can't see.

[walker69]

I have an acer aspire v5 with a cracked screen. I have been using an HDTV for a monitor via hdmi. After trying a factory restore, I lost video and am mid process. I don't want to just trash this computer. Any suggestions?

 

[Mr Soup]

most likely when you reset to factory settings you lost your setting for video out to the secondary monitor as that is not usually a default setting

Somebody may have a better option, but I have had to do this kind of thing blind before and you just need to be able to navigate without looking. If you have Windows 7 at least you can try this:

windows key + R (brings up "run")
type control panel and hit enter (brings up the control panel)
tab 4 times and hit enter (chooses display)
tab 4 more times and hit enter (chooses adjust resolution)
tab 4 more times (this highlights the multiple display field)
Type D (this selects duplicate display)
tab 8 more times (this highlights apply)
hit enter

This will turn on duplicate display which should show the same picture on the laptop monitor and the TV (obviously the laptop will show nothing since it is broken but you should hopefully get video on the TV. If so you can then make any other adjustments you need to. If the HDTV doesn't show a picture just do nothing else and the computer will revert to whatever settings it was in prior to you going through these steps. Beyond this I don't know of any ways to do it. Hope it works, good luck

 

[walker69]

Have let the computer sit idle for hours. I can see through a flicker on the comp screen that it appears to have gone to screen saver mode. Unfortunately I have windows 8. I have tried hdmi as well as vga with the adapter included. No data to the tv.

 

[Somasundaram Sathiyathasan]

Have let the computer sit idle for hours. I can see through a flicker on the comp screen that it appears to have gone to screen saver mode. Unfortunately I have windows 8. I have tried hdmi as well as vga with the adapter included. No data to the tv.

MR Soup is spot-on. His method should work on Windows 8 as well.

 

[walker69]

It appears that the keyboard is not responding either. Which would explain why the process isn't working for me. Help. I bought this new and only got about 7 total hours of use from it. Don't want to throw away a $1000.

 

[Mr Soup]

if you have an extra external USB keyboard around you might be able to reboot the laptop with it connected and use the external keyboard.

Beyond that, however, it sounds like your best option at this point is to take the laptop into a service center. If you bought it new and now with only 7 hours of use it has a cracked non-functioning monitor, and the keyboard doesn't work you might have other damage as well. I assume the broken monitor is due to a drop/fall? Software and settings issues are one thing but hardware (especially when multiple systems may be affected) really needs hands on repair. Sorry I can't offer more than that. Good luck

 

[walker69]

if you have an extra external USB keyboard around you might be able to reboot the laptop with it connected and use the external keyboard.

Beyond that, however, it sounds like your best option at this point is to take the laptop into a service center. If you bought it new and now with only 7 hours of use it has a cracked non-functioning monitor, and the keyboard doesn't work you might have other damage as well. I assume the broken monitor is due to a drop/fall? Software and settings issues are one thing but hardware (especially when multiple systems may be affected) really needs hands on repair. Sorry I can't offer more than that. Good luck

 

[LucoTF]

windows key + P

^ this is the shorctut for swapping between displays. Hold the windows key and press P once or twice. Also, if your laptop is new it's in warranty, no? Just get it RMA'd?