IMAC screen dead.. Switch to external monitor?

Mu son's iMac has a dead screen. Black after startup... The computer is running, but he needs to switch the startup screen to the external monitor so he can make any additional backups he needs before chucking it into the garbage. Actually, it is under warranty, but he has files that need to come off it.
SOOOO, is the a keyboard shortcut to switch the monitors???
Help.

HI Mike,
you could try command command + f1 (the key next to escape)
if that dose not work try fn + command + f1.
Alternatively if you have another mac and a firewire cable. you could plug the imac into your other mac, and boot the iMac into Firewire target disk mode; and copy the files to the other computer. Firewire disk mode makes your imac act like it's an external hard drive.
-tt

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I was trying to extent monitor, I get black screen on laptop and external monitor :/

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so I got this resolved. the guy at the computer store hit f10 and then enter. he did this while the screen was black
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/thread

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Idea ideas on what's wrong?

Found the solution here: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/152203/osx-10-10-yosmite-turn-off-macbo ok-pros-display-while-connect-to-external-moni
In terminal:
Enable: sudo nvram boot-args="niog=1"
To undo: sudo nvram -d boot-args
This works brilliantly!
Steps I use:
1) After putting in the terminal command, reboot and close the lid immediately
2) Keep the lid closed during boot up and once logged in, open the lid
3) The MacBook Pro's screen is off

Yosemite: Turning off Macbook Pro screen (lid open) with external monitor connected

Here we go again, this worked pre-Yosemite. Now it seems this trick no longer works. After following these steps again the screen on my Macbook Pro now turns on after logging in and opening the clam shell.
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http://gizmodo.com/5938452/a-trick-to-make-using-an-external-monitor-with-your-m acbook-way-better
To execute in Terminal:
sudo nvram boot-args="iog=0x0"
To undo in Terminal:
sudo nvram -d boot-args
Once you type it into terminal I believe you need to enter your password. I then restart my machine. Now the TRICK is to either restart your machine with the lid already closed (hit restart then slam the lid!) OR turn the machine on for the first time (then quickly slam the lid!) once you are past the login screen you can open the lid.

Has anyone experimented with tip 2 (active corners)? Perhaps it still works.
http://www.cultofmac.com/176329/turn-off-internal-lcd-display-of-your-macbook-ai r-os-x-tips/
Κοσμά τι λες; Τα έχεις μπερδέψει. Άλλο συζητάμε εδώ. Το ότι δεν μπορείς πια να δουλεύεις μόνο με την εξωτερική οθόνη (να έχεις σβηστή την ενσωματωμένη οθόνη όταν έχεις συνδεμένη εξωτερική).

IMAC screen dead.. Switch to external monitor?

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