One laptop, one monitor, two unrelated issues...

[kitepilot at kitepilot.com]

Good morning Universe: 

I have a trusty Toshiba Satellite A35-S159 (P4) which has ran different 
Linux incarnations over the eons since LFS 5.1. 

 

Mysterious issue #1 -> Booting/Shutting down the laptop: 

I decided to reinstall some Linux for the Nth time and I noticed that the 
laptop sometimes would boot, sometimes would not, and when it did, it would 
not shutdown consistently. 

In total frustration, I somehow accidentally stumbled upon this ODD 
behavior: 

As soon as Grub releases the system to the processor, or as soon as the 
shutdown sequence initiates, I *HAVE* to tap a key (any key except 
Shift/Alt/Ctrl/Caps/Num lock) or the sequence hangs. 

 

You can see the different kernel messages sitting there on the screen, tap a 
key, get another message, tap another key... 

I had never seen such a thing... 

 

Trying to isolate whether I had a hardware problem or a karma problem, I 
began digging old LFS boot CDs until I found one old enough to consistently 
boot and shutdown the laptop uneventfully. 

Karma problem... 

 

I don't have a definite cutoff number, but at some kernel in time, the 
laptop began demanding me to type a key while booting/shutting down or it 
would just blatantly refuse to behave. 

I wrapped up the issue by booting Debian 5.0/lxde which was the only thing I 
could find to boot/shutdown consistently. 

As a byproduct, I have found that Debian has reached an usability that 
borderline matches *Ubuntu, and even thought it is still geeky, it has 
become a mom-and-pap Linux if that's what you want it to be.
Debian never ceases to amaze me...   :) 

And, then the question: What the Heck is going on here? 


Now the purpose of this post:
Annoying issue #2 -> Using "native" screen and external monitor with 
different resolutions.
This one has annoyed the bejesus out of me for years now.
Simple issue: the resolution of the laptop sucks.  I want a second monitor 
to expand it using the laptop screen AND an external monitor.
Impossible...
I believe I have tried every WEB page under the Sun to no avail.
I just CAN'T get the 2 *&%$ monitors to coexist at different resolutions...  
:( 

I pretty much gave this one up, but I am working off a little monitor 
attached to the laptop now (and no options) and I get butterflies in my 
stomach (and I hate Linux and the World for a second or 2) when I see the 
cover down and I realize how wonderful life would be if I could pop the %&!# 
thing open and USE IT! 

To summarize the REAL question of this post:
How do I attach a second monitor to this laptop and have both screens 
working at its own native resolution?
I gave it up...    :(
ET 

PS: lspci at http://kitepilot.com/lspci.txt