Dell monitor screen blank?

Why is my Dell monitor creating a split screen when I connect it to my Macbook?

• So my dog stepped on my macbook screen and the lighting has been going out periodically. I had been hooking it up to my projector so I know the mac isn't broken, just the screen. Obviously I didn't want to keep using my projector every time i use the internet, so I found a Dell monitor and hooked it up to the mac as well (using the same adapter that the projector uses). The dell monitor however is treating itself as a split screen, unlike the projector which just showed me my desktop. The dell just uses the standard Mac purple-space wallpaper but with no icons. Instead, I have to pull everything over to it from my mac desktop, like word, or safari. This isn't really a problem solver because it just creates more hassle. My question is: How do I get my dell monitor to display my mac's desktop, and only the desktop? I don't want to have to pull windows over to it each time I turn on my mac. ALSO: spaces is disabled...I thought that might be the solution, but it is not. Thanks.

• Answer:

  1. Connect your Dell monitor using to vga port on your mac. 2. Read the Dell Monitor specifications for recommended native resolution. 3. Install proper drivers on your mac book for your graphics card & set the resolution to the same as Dell's native resolution. 4. In your mac book preferences setup dell monitor as the default monitor & disable dual monitor Display option. This should be able to resolve your issue.