choose independant/stretched from OS boot

[VJ]

Hello,

I have a strange question... We all know you have to reboot to move from stretched modes to independant modes.
Is there a way of offering a choice at boot ?
i.e. before the OS (XP in my case) boots, have a menu appear (a bit like a dos-menu in ye ol' days) which offers a choice between independant or stretched.

It would require 2 things:
1. a menu (does something like that exist, I'm wondering if a bootmanager could be used for this)
2. a way to change the PowerDesk configuration (this would be easier if it were stored in a config file, it would be near impossible if this is stored in the registry)


Jörg

[Maggi]

I don't think it's possible from the boot menu (except for having a 2nd installation on a different paertition, obviously), but why not simply setup another user that has the alternative configuration ?

I never tried this for myself, but I figure it could be working, so that you'd only have to logout and log back in as the other user.

About the boot menu, it is always there, but as long as it only carries one single entry to choose, it'll never show up, so you'd only have to open the c:\boot.ini with eg. Notepad and duplicate that entry and you should be seeing a boot menu upon each reboot ...

[VJ]

Originally posted by Maggi
I don't think it's possible from the boot menu (except for having a 2nd installation on a different paertition, obviously), but why not simply setup another user that has the alternative configuration ?

I never tried this for myself, but I figure it could be working, so that you'd only have to logout and log back in as the other user.

Yes, that is well worth a try... Still, when you change it, it does ask for a reboot. Logging out and back in is then not an option. But your idea is worth a try...


I was thinking along the lines of 2 boot-options, which would switch configuration files (i.e. copy both a stretched and an independant configuration file, and then at boot replace the current one with the appropriate copy). But for this to work, to config would have to be stored in a configuration file...


Jörg

[VJ]

Originally posted by Maggi
I never tried this for myself, but I figure it could be working, so that you'd only have to logout and log back in as the other user.

I just tried it: it doesn't work...
The mode (dual independant or stretched) is already shown at the login screen (dual independant: monitor 2=blank; stretched: both monitors in use).


Jörg

[Amiga Blitter]

Try to create different profiles including your personal setting.

[VJ]

I thought this is what I did...? I added a new user, changed his desktopsetting, and lo and behold: it also changed for the other user...


Jörg

[Kurt]

Are the settings stored in the registry?

[Maggi]

I think AB is talking about setting up a new Hardware profile, which could be selected during boot proccess ...

[Rakido]

[edit: deleted link to Microsoft because of]

maybe Ultramon is the solution for you:
http://www.realti
mesoft.com/ultramon/tour/display_profiles.asp

Display profiles make it easy to switch between different desktop configurations. A profile stores the display mode, position and state (enabled/disabled) of each monitor, as well as which monitor is primary (changing the primary is only supported on Windows 2000/XP and later).

Rakido