Connecting Macbook to External Screen

My Macbook screen is severely cracked and unusable. I keep trying to connect it to my HP LCD monitor and when I do (using that little extra wire..I don't know what its called), only my desktop background shows up on the HP. None of my toolbars or icons show up even though I can see them through the cracks. I cannot figure out why! Can anyone help?

Thanks-

Candice

System Preferences - Displays

Uncheck the mirroring mode box - should be toward the bottom of the window

Then in the box with the pic of two monitors - one has a white bar on the top of it - that represents your Menu Bar - drag the white bar to the other monitor - this will make your HP the primary display when it's connected.

Thanks so much for your help! I am still a bit confused. When you say this mirroring mode box...will it be on my mac book screen or my HP screen? Because my problem is that I can't see anything on my Macbook screen...so if its there...I'm stuck.

Unfortunately, the mirroring mode box option will appear on your MacBook screen only.

Have you thought about replacing the screen on your MacBook? You may be able to do it yourself or have someone who is handy with that sort of thing do it for you. The folks at "ifixit.com" stock screens for most MacBook and MacBook Pro machines plus they have on line step by step instructions on how to do it yourself. The screen is not that costly.

Here's the link.

Regards.

Thought you said you could see your toolbars and icons through the cracks.

If so, you're going to have to make a go of it. You know how to open System Preferences?



$120 for the LCD - they want $240 for the bottom case only for my MBP??????

I can see a few things-system preferences is one of the things I can see usually. What I can see is vague...its more just having a sense of where things are. Can you get me through it using system preferences?

And I can't have the screen replaced AGAIN. Its the second time it happened and I already paid $400 to have it fixed the first time. Its not worth it. Its the most delicate lap top ever and I am not putting any more money into it.

Thanks though-

Actually---

When I was at the Mac Store...the guy that helped me out was able to do it...SOOO...he must have used the keyboard. Does anyone know the keys I need to press to do what is described above?

Thanks-

Candice

Then open System Preferences and then Displays

Move the window around so you can find stuff in it through the cracks - then follow what I outlined above.

If you can't manage it, you may need to take it in and let someone else do it for you.

Hey Everyone Who was Gracious Enough to Offer Help-

I finally found out how to fix the problem and I wanted to share it with you. Normally, the F7 key would do the trick. However, for some reason, the model I have doesn't accept that. SOOO, the helpful tech. at the Mac Store suggested this, and it worked:

Hook up the lap top to the monitor...

Once its loaded, shut the lap top but leave it on...

Plug in any USB device (keyboard or mouse)...

Miraculously, the contents of the entire laptop then showed up on the monitor.

Go figure...

In case any of you run into this problem..now you know.

Thanks again for the help.

Candice