[sapata]

Hello,

My Desktop's monitor went dead and I'm considering buying a whole new desktop. I still have files I want to transfer to my external hard drive and then to my new PC but without a monitor is obviously impossible...

I haven't got anyone I could borrow a monitor to do that so I was wondering if I could connect my laptop to my PC and use as a monitor to do the job.

The laptop is a 1 year old Toshiba

Thanks !

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I doubt it. That would require a graphics input on your Toshiba and most notebooks only have graphics outputs. You neglected to tell us your notebook model number so we cannot verify, but I know my Toshiba notebook does not have a graphics input. Note, however, that most TVs made in the last several years support a graphics input. So you might want to check your TV manuals as you may be able to hook your PC up there.

[Digerati]

I doubt it. That would require a graphics input on your Toshiba and most notebooks only have graphics outputs. You neglected to tell us your notebook model number so we cannot verify, but I know my Toshiba notebook does not have a graphics input. Note, however, that most TVs made in the last several years support a graphics input. So you might want to check your TV manuals as you may be able to hook your PC up there.

[sapata]

thanks for your quick response...
it's a toshiba satellite pro L300.

I likie the TV idea, but my TV is about 6 years old, not sure if that can be done either...

[dsenette]

do you have a network in your house? if you do you could use VNC or some other remote connection software to connect to the other computer and do the transfer from there.

of course, if you're already planning on buying a new computer, you could just use the monitor from the new computer, or take the hard drive directly out of the old one and hook it up in the new one (via usb or internally, whatever works)

also, if you weren't thinking of buying a new computer before the monitor died, then just buy a new monitor. they're pretty cheap these days

[Digerati]

I likie the TV idea, but my TV is about 6 years old, not sure if that can be done either...

You would have to look at the manual, or at least all the connections. If it has a regular D-sub (15-pin VGA) input connection, you should be able to use it. Otherwise, as dsenette suggested, if you are going to buy a new PC, buy your monitor now and use it.

Of course, this assumes you PC's graphics works. Are you sure it is your monitor that died, and not PC's graphics solution, or something else? I would try another monitor to make sure. Or at least try your monitor on another computer, such as the Toshiba, to make sure it is really the monitor that is dead.

According to the specs of the L300, as expected, it does not support any video inputs.

[sapata]

Thanks a lot guys for the ideas...

I guess my TV will sort the problem for now, the reason I didn't buy another monitor is because my PC is about 7 years old so I guess I need a new combo, and this can be a Mac so I have to think and decide...