Blank screen on lid close nomatter what i do
 

so obviously i want to use an external display while the laptop lid is closed. My laptop is Vostro 1400 connected through VGA. i did the tweak in the configuration editor that should make the screen do nothing when closed, doesnt work even if the laptop display is already off, still i get a blank screen on the external display. i don't know maybe the laptop is wired that way.

I have never tried playing with this, but the answer may be dependent on your graphics driver. Google suggests that your laptop uses the nVidia GeForce 8400M GS. The nouveau kernel module accepts a parameter "ignorelid" that may do what you want. I do not know of any equivalent setting for the nVidia proprietary driver.

hmm
 

hmm ok, and how/where can i edit the nouveau kernel module?

As root, 'echo "options nouveau ignorelid=1" > /etc/modprobe.d/nouveau.conf' and reboot.

This will create file that configures the nouveau module when it is loaded by the kernel.

Actually, this option is really only meant to be used on machines with a broken ACPI. The nouveau kernel module has the ability to sense that the lid is closed and disconnect the LVDS while still allowing external video outputs to work. http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.comp...g.nouveau/5025