How to use a laptop screen as just a screen?

How to use my desktop monitor and laptop screen?

• I don't know if I can do this but I want to be able to use my laptop and my desktop monitor with the same mouse. I just bought a new laptop and if I plug my vga cable into the laptop from the monitor I can choose extend desktop so my mouse goes from my laptop to the desktop monitor. This is what I want, however my desktop monitor stays blank, there are no icons or anything on it and I can't figure out if I can change it or not. If I plug in my vga cable from my monitor to my laptop can I keep my desktop showing what it was before or does it have to show what my laptop shows?

• Answer:

  You will need some software... what OS do you have? You can go to graphic option and choose what mode to output to but that isn't going to cut it. You need to either get a docking station (don't do it) or find a program that will allow you to do this. Make sure you laptop video card supports this though. ati and nvidia chips usually do but intel video card usually don't. I am not talking about the cpu mind you.