Cracked laptop screen--need help with external monitor

I know there are threads relating to this topic, but none offer all of the information I need.

I have a Lenovo Ideabook with a permanently trashed LCD screen (don't ask). Two issues I am unsure of how to address:

1) How do I attach an external monitor in the first place? (There is probably a basic port for this, but I am at work without the laptop and want to look into this ASAP.

2) Since when I reboot the laptop I will see nothing onscreen, what keystrokes do I need to execute in order to move my desktop display to the external monitor?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Your laptop should have a (usually) blue VGA port to the back or sides.

They look like this, http://www.tvone.com/images/1t-vga-cattx-rear.jpg

It should automatically show up on the monitor, no key strokes needed.

 

Wait, I believe it's not that simple. He needs to tell Windows to extend the desktop to that external monitor, right? How can he do that if he can't see anything on the laptop screen?

 

I'm with Burrell on this one. I'm reasonably sure that when you hook up a second monitor to a windows system, its a clone of the first one until you make it an extended desktop.

 

Yes, as Stenmin says i'm pretty sure too that the laptop will not extend the display, but will make it a duplicate or "clone" of the original.

 

My HP laptop has a key to toggle if I want internal, external or both to display.
Hook up the external and if is black, study the symbols on top of the function keys. One of those might be the key that toggles between displays.
My eeepc immediately displays the same desktop on internal and external monitor with me not having to change anything.

So, look over your documentation to see which category your notebook falls into: toggle or automatic display on an external monitor.