Hi, I connected my Acer Aspire 1700 notebook to the TV using an S-Video cable, went into display settings and switched output from LCD to TV (for some reason the option of Simultaneous display was not offered). The notebook's LCD screen went blank, and I started punching the AV button on the TV remote to find the computer display output - to no avail.

I double checked the cable but it was connected ok. I hard rebooted but no joy. I tried Fn-F5 and Fn-[left arrow] but both the screen and the TV stayed blank. (According to the Acer's manual, Fn-[left arrow] toggles the display setting). I've rebooted several times, waiting for the machine to boot up in Safe Mode, but it hasn't happened yet. The Acer screen is displayed briefly (like 1.5 seconds!) with the F2 and F12 options at the bottom, then the Windows XP screen is displayed while it boots up, then as Windows starts properly, the screen goes blank.

I've tried connecting an external monitor (with a normal PC connector, the monitor does not have an S-Video connection unfortunately) but this has not helped, the ext monitor's screen goes blank at the same point as the notebook's own LCD.

I have a feeling I will have to make a trip to my local PC shop tomorrow morning, but if anyone has any suggestions for retrieving my original display settings, I would be very grateful. Preferably one that doesn't involve reinstalling Windows, of course.

Many thanks in advance,

Jim in Spain

Hi there jiminspain.

What do you mean exactly with this?

You have to hit f8 when booting up to get to the safemode selection menu ("f8" might be diffentent on an acer , check youre manuall)
Once in safemode you can restore youre settings or if that doesn't work , re-installyoure driver.

Thanks, I hadn't realised this about hitting F8. Now I've started it in Safe Mode and done a System Restore, which has resolved the issue. Another idiot helped, thanks Joe!