Using second display as main display

After installing mountain lion I can not figure out how to use my second display as the default, or what use to be #1 monitor. Meaning the second display would have the dock and toolbar on the top.

I haven't tried this myself on ML, but usually under older operating systems, you can in the Arrange mode in Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Displays, just drag the white bar on the top of the representative rectangle of the one display to the other, and that adjusts which display is the primary.

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Using second screen as main display? (I have no main screen)

Hi,
I have a 15" PowerBook 1.25 which has no screen (my mate dropped it, off it came), its out of warrenty and replacing the screen's gonna cost £800... I have a proview 15" screen which is plugged in to the 2nd screen output. How do I get the powerbook to default to this screen as its still going to the (non-existent) 1st screen? Is there a key command? All im getting is a blue screen! I need to know as I'm trying to upgrade it to 10.4. (currently 10.3)
Many thanks..
Ben Collier

This can be rather tricky without a functioning PowerBook display given you cannot actually tell Mac OS X to ignore the display. It very much assumes you have a functioning primary display.
Now, if you have another PowerBook with which to boot your PowerBook from (via FireWire Target Disk mode) then I think it is possible to get it to default to the external display. If you connect your display to the other PowerBook, connect and start your PowerBook in FW target Disk mode. Then boot the other PowerBook from your hard drive by holding down the Option key and selecting your drive.
Once started, open the Displays System Preference and set the external display as the primary display by dragging the Menu Bar to it in the Arrangement tab.
Shutdown, disconnect your PowerBook and connect the external display back to your PowerBook and see what happens. Hopefully it will default to the external display.

External display as main display possible?

im trying to figure this out.. driving me nuts..
how can i make my external display my main display??
is this possible?? im connecting via VGA
thanks..

Your welcome. Thanks for the it is appreciated.
Here is more locations for help.
MacBook
Mac 101: All Work and Play
Switch 101: Migrate to Mac
PC Magazine: Switching from Windows to Mac, Part I
PC Magazine: Switching from Windows to Mac, Part II

Using external display as main display-how?

My subject line says it all. I want to use an external LCD display as my main display while keeping my MacBook Pro closed w/o powering down to sleep. I know this can be done because I've seen posts where other users do it, but I've never learned how it's done. Please let me know what needs to be done in order to use an external display as the main display with the MacBook Pro closed and still running. Thanks so much!
Stoneman

I know you can do it, but do you really want to do it... the heat from the lack of ventilation will ruin the macbook's display... or so I'm told.

View contents of external display on main display (PIP-style)

I occasionally connect a TV to my MacBook Pro to watch movies and TV shows. The problem is that I cannot see the TV from where the computer is located. The computer must stay in this location in order to remain connected to the external HD and A/V receiver. I'm looking for a way to monitor what's on the external display from the main display so I can more easily drag and position windows onto it. Sort of like having a small picture-in-picture style window in the corner. I don't believe this is possible natively, but are there any third-party products that could achieve this?
Thanks in advance.

None that I have ever heard of.

Using hanns-g display as main display instead of macbook

I just recently recieved a 19" Hanns-G monitor for Christmas and since it is way bigger than my 13" macbook screen I was wondering if I could make it the main monitor and the macbooks built in one secondary. Post if you know how to do this thanks

Hey,
Sorry for the misunderstanding. Give this a try:
Go to System Preferences> Display> and then follow the instuctions below:
"Choose the Primary Display
You can make the second display into your primary display if you want. Your primary display is the one on which your menu bar, Dock, Desktop icons, and any dialog boxes or messages appear. To select which display is the primary one, drag the white bar at the top of the rectangle representing the current primary display onto the other display. When you release the mouse button, the displays rearrange themselves accordingly."
-Tom

Using LCD Tv as main display

I am running my macbook in lid closed mode and have it connected to a 22" LCD tv via a VGA cable, I am using the maximum resolution (1680x1050) and the display is very clear and sharp but is offset to the left. There is a 1" black strip down the right hand side of the display and the far left side is not visible. I have used the horizontal positioning setting on the tv but it does not let me move the image enough. I was wondering if there is anyway to get around this so that my screen is central on the tv ?
Thanks

Inverting the polarity of horizontal sync might work, but that requires a program like SwtichResX.

ACD as main display under Windows/BootCamp while in clamshell possible?

Is there any way to run a BootCamp Windows XP Pro installation on an MBP using the ACD as main display while in clamshell mode? Currently the system refuses to wake up after I close the lid. I use a BT mouse/KB, but even with a USB mouse connected it wouldn't wake up. It seems like it would be possible, but I'm not sure how to go about it.

Correct, there was no Gather Windows button.
I do have multiple adapters, but one is an Apple adapter which is, apparently, "passive" whilst the other is active. The passive adapter never works at all under MacOS X, but I haven't tried it under Windows. The "active" adapter works under Windows, but only shows the apple bootup logo under MacOS X, and then turns the display off.
I don't think that the mini displayport is faulty, because the second display plugged into it works perfectly through BootCamp.
I'll try thoroughly testing out all adapters tonight, and then try a different brand of display. I've seen a lot of posts about ViewSonics being flakey under MacOS X, so it's possible it could be on the display driver side of things. Maybe ViewSonic does something screwy signal-wise in their displays, and Windows is willing to deal with it but MacOS X isn't.
Oddly enough, the ViewSonic display I have was shipped with a single-link DVI cable, and it's always worked without a problem, even when plugged into the dual-link DVI port on the Mac Pro. So I don't believe that the display *itself* requires a complete dual-link connection to the computer.
I have much appreciation for all the help and suggestions. Thanks again.

Hi I was using whatsapp on my iPhone5.I was not able go to the main menu by pressing the center button so I hold on to the button for 2 seconds.Then the whole display turned out to be black

I was not able go to the main menu from whatsapp by pressing the center button so I hold on to the button for 2 seconds.Then the whole display turned out to be black & white. how can i fix it?

Hello monicaa003,
Thanks for participating in the Apple Support Communities.
If your iPhone display turned black and white after holding down the Home button for 2 seconds, first try pressing the Home button again to go to the main menu (Home screen.)
For reference, holding down the Home button for 2 seconds will trigger Siri if that feature is enabled:
About Siri - Apple Support
If pressing the Home button doesn't return you to the main menu, try restarting or resetting your iPhone:
Restart or reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
Additionally, if Whatsapp is not responding or working as expected, see the troubleshooting steps at this link:
If an app you installed unexpectedly quits, stops responding, or won’t open - Apple Support
Best Regards,
Jeremy

Viewer on second display, but also on main display?

Hi!
I use a MacBook Pro as second display for my iMac.
I know that it's possible to show the viewer on a second display but
I was asking myself if it is possible to show the viewer on my second display,
but also keep the viewer on my main display?
So I have a normal window with viewer, event, timeline etc. and, on the second display just a viewer.
I searched for that but I didn't find anything about that on the internet.
Would be nice if someone had that problem to and knows how to solve it!
Thank you!

I asked this same question on here a while ago and never got a response: https://discussions.apple.com/message/20987858#20987858
So it looks like nobody on here knows a way to have it set up this way, and it may not be possible until more updates come out, but I would like to know if there's a way to ask Apple/Final Cut developers or technicians themselves instead of on a public forum. Then maybe we might get an answer.

HT4293 i am trying to use dual monitors when editing with FCPX. I have a macbook pro and an apple cinema display monitor. I have connected them and opened Fcpx but the option to use second monitor is not active! what do i do ? please help going bonkers!

i am trying to use dual monitors when editing with FCPX. I have a macbook pro and an apple cinema display monitor. I have connected them and opened Fcpx but the option to use second monitor is not active! what do i do ? please help going bonkers!

<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5891>
You can use USB for the Apple trackpad.
<http://www.mobeetechnology.com/the-power-bar.html>

Using my iMac as a main display for a MacBook

I'm thinking about getting myself a MacBook Pro to replace my iMac, which I got in 2008.
My question is, would it be possible to keep my current iMac and connect a MacBook to it, so that the screen of the iMac can be used as a main display for the MacBook?
Thanks for your time

Hi and welcome to Discussions,
only the latest 27" iMacs have a video-in port.
All iMacs prior the these, as your own iMac, only have a video-out port and therefor cannot be used for what you have in mind.
However you might wanna have a look at ScreenRecycler http://www.screenrecycler.com/ScreenRecycler.html which, depending on your useage, may be sufficient.
Regards
Stefan

I recently bought mbp retina haswell 13. When i use it today suddenly my display went black....i dnt have any idea i try to press the power button then it gave beep sound. Then i press it for few seconds then it shutdown.plz help anyone

I recently bought mbp retina haswell 13. When i use it today suddenly my display went black....i dnt have any idea i try to press the power button then it gave beep sound. Then i press it for few seconds then it shutdown. I try to turn on again same result...plz anyone have solution for this ...help me

See Ogelthorpe's link:
Note: Portable computers that have a battery you should not remove on your own include MacBook Pro (Early 2009) and later, all models of MacBook Air, and MacBook (Late 2009).
Shut down the computer.
Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if its not already connected.
On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time.
Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.
Press the power button to turn on the computer.
Note: The LED on the MagSafe power adapter may change states or temporarily turn off when you reset the SMC.

Connecting two iMacs using second one as display

I have two iMacs 8,1(2210) 20", I would like to setup it up as dual display (using one of them as a display only). Is it possible? Can't seem to find the right cable (mini dvi to mini dvi). Any suggestion? I saw a video with something about "command+f2" to extent the displays, is that right?

Your iMacs don't support Target Display Mode Target Display Mode: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You may or may not be satisfied with software solutions such as mentioned above.

I have two monitors on my Mac. Running FF3.6.16 new windows now want to open on the wrong monitor. How do I get FF to open on the main display?

I have an eMac with a second display. I am running OS X 10.4.11 (Tiger) and Firefox 3.6.16. Everything was working fine until the other day I opened a second window in Firefox and dragged it to my secnd monitor. I later closed it. Since then all New Window requests, including when starting Firefox always open on the second monitor. How do I tell Firefox I want my main monitor has the primary monitor?

It has nothing to do with the Mac, but more with the software exporting the displays on the PC. A typical VNC server will generally only export the primary monitor.
What PC software are you using to export the display(s), and what Mac software are you using to view the PC displays? That may help someone come up with a workable solution for you (or not ).

Using second display as main display

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