I just attached an external monitor to my Inspiron notebook, using Windows XP. The problem is that when I get an image on both screens, the image on the external monitor is truncated - i.e., there are margins of black space about two inches on the top and bottom. I went to display properties-->troubleshooting-->graphic properties--multiple display and the setting is for Intel(R) Dual display clone. When I 'identified' both monitors, both were indicated by a large '1'. So next I tried clicking 'extended desktop' under 'multiple display' and designated my external monitor as the primary device. With that configuration, I get a full image on the external monitor, but no image on the notebook screen--only a blue empty screen--'identify' results in the monitor with a big '1' and the notebook with a big '2'. When I reverse this - i.e., I designate the notebook as the primary device, this is reversed - I get a blue empty screen on the external monitor. Question: how can I get a full image on both screens at the same time?

Try read through some of the Dell documentations available for your model at the link below for resolution. http://support.dell.com/support/edo... i_Xp/VistaUser

Dell manuals ...now I have a headache along with the display problem.

Are you asking us to read them for you? i_Xp/VistaUser

No, I'm asking for some assistance. I obviously check Dell's help and support before I post on forums. I guess it wasn't obvious enough.