On Tue, May 17, 2011 at 9:48 PM, Valmor de Almeida <val.gentoo@gmail.com>wrote:

>
> Hello,
>
> What controls the screen output to an external monitor connected to a
> laptop during boot or when just using a plain console without an X
> server running? Before a recent update the output would just
> automatically go to an external monitor when one is connected. Now it
> does not; not sure it has anything to do with the openrc migration.
>
> I do get output onto the external monitor after startx runs; also the X
> server/clients work fine.
>
> Thanks for inputs.
>
> --
> Valmor
>
> PS: fn+F8 for switching displays does not work either; but it never did
> before.
>
>
What's the make/model of your laptop?

Does the F8 key you mention have a monitor/screen icon on it?

The hardware key to switch monitors is independent of software on most
(all?) laptops.  Also, most laptops will output on both (clone) by default.