You could, theoretically use the system|preferences|display tool to set the screens to clone with a large (matching the larger screen) desktop and just disable the laptop screen when the external monitor is connected, that would allow you to fully utilize the larger screen, but you'd only have the one screen.


That about clears it up for me, thanks. If I understand you correct
mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf_backup

$ xrandr

shows the same info (1024x768)
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 1536
VGA-0 connected 1024x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 473mm x 296mm
   1024x768       75.0*    60.0 
   800x600        75.0     60.3 
   640x480        75.0     59.9 
   720x400        70.1 
LVDS connected 1024x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768       60.0*+   60.0 
   800x600        60.3     59.9 
   640x480        59.9     59.4 
S-video disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

And I did disable the laptop's screen, because there is no point in over taxing the video card. Thanks for that, didn't realize I could do that.