Installing on a laptop with no display?
 

I have an old laptop.
The display has gone. A long time ago I cracked it by leaning on the lid.

It works fine. I attach an external monitor and use.
I haven't used it in a few years - it's got XP on.

Would it be possible to install Linux and have the output ALWAYS be to monitor?

Thanks.

It depends on the laptop, but it should work.

On some laptops like desktops you have a bios setting to select the default monitor or video choice. I've had to access bios blind using a second computer to know when to press buttons and how to click.

If the thing normally boots to xp on this extra monitor then it should work.

I'd go though the bios with a camera phone in case you have to adjust bios blind.

Anti-X is a lightweight Linux distro for older pc's. If you'd like to give it a spin.

http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

I'm with AwesomeMachine and jefro.....it should work.

The only way you will know is try booting up to a Live Linux CD/DVD or usb.

If you have trouble getting the headless laptop to display on the monitor, look for a Fn key to manage display output. Many laptops I've used have had such keys.

Commonly they have images that look like little tiny monitors on them.

Been there. Done that.

I have since replaced the back LCD cable, and inverter, on that Panasonic CF-48 which is now a test bed for the AntiX team. That Panasonic still has a floppy drive on it and was built in 2001.

Still runs.

" Fn key to manage display output"
Dang, forgot about that.

Thanks for all replies above.

I dug the laptop out... it's an old Toshiba Satellite Pro L20.
When I used a few years ago it turned on and I could use with an external monitor.
NOW: doesn't output.

The key to get display to send to external is Fn + F5.
I do this many times and can't get it to work.

Any advice?

How do I do this?

Thanks

Which operating system are you booting off before you try the F5 key?

original was windows XP. should still be that.
i was guessing that the screen output maybe didn't work for the bootup part?
maybe something wrong with hard disc... so i had a bootable disc to boot mint linux

not sure what i can do now?

it would have already if it was going to be easy !!

THROW IT AWAY QUICKLY

you already spent more than the top is worth in your time wondering if it will work. it's worth no more than $50 on ebay. you didn't say it was a 64bit machine and that'll be a huge issue these days.

put it in the trash, please buy a (used) updated machine. or run XP (yikes xp? trash)

To get into the BIOS of your laptop it's most likely one of the F1 through F12 keys.
The splash screen should show which key it is to get into the BIOS.

While the laptop is booting up press down several times the F key and it should go into the BIOS.

It's been a while since going into my BIOS. I think it's either F2 or F11.

After a quick google search revealed that entering the BIOS on a Toshibia laptop is the F2 key.

Once you are in the BIOS set your machine to boot to the CDROM drive or the usb <which ever> medium you have Linux Mint on.
*****Make sure that the Mint disk or the Mint usb stick is already plugged in before you go into the BIOS.*****

Don't forget to save the changes before you reboot.

Looking at the specs of your laptop enginestar Linux Mint may be too heavy for your machine.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Toshib...20.1776.0.html
http://www.toshiba.eu/discontinued-p...e-pro-l20-102/

Mint needs at least 512 MB RAM (1GB recommended for a comfortable usage).....and an
x86 processor (Linux Mint 64-bit requires a 64-bit processor.....

If Mint doesn't work out than you could have a look at Anti-X. It's designed for older machines.
http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

Lubuntu is another light weight distribution that needs at least a Pentium II or Celeron.
https://lubuntu.net/

What version of Mint do you have?
XFCE? Mate? Gnome?

Xfce would be lighter DE:-:)

thanks for the replies guys. i know i've made loads of posts - i've been learning so much from your replies. :)

i have a few laptops.
linux mint was running fine - that was on a hp pavillion with 8GB ram.

i was trying to run on an old toshiba laptop i had lying around. the problem with that is that the screen is broken, when connected to a monitor, the monitor doesn't get any output. so am a bit lost with that one.

@Ztcoracat - many thanks for the replies - problem is that i can't get output to the external monitor to make the changes mentioned. :(

i'll sell on ebay if i have no luck.

You're Welcome:-:) Glad to hear that you are learning new things.

Sorry to hear you aren't able to get any output on that monitor.