Last week, I tried to clean up some of the Toshiba-supplied junque on my M200. For example, at boot the system loads a half-dozen or so programs that have no discernible value for me (like the Panasonic DVD-RAM driver). I started uninstalling things and quickly found that I’d broken the ability to switch between the external and internal display ports. I was able to fix that (about an hour before I went on stage on Tuesday), but I also noticed that the “rotate” button wasn’t working: when I flipped the screen, it would automatically rotate, but pressing the button that’s supposed to rotate the screen in 90-degree increments didn’t work. The button itself worked physically (e.g. I could make other things happen with it), but it wouldn’t do what I wanted. I fiddled, and reinstalled drivers, and finally yelled for help on an internal Microsoft email list for tablet users. (Of course, I can’t actually join the list because it’s only for employees, not contractors… bah.) Anyway, the response I got included a forwarded note from a Toshiba support engineer, and it unveiled the mystery:
When in tablet mode and the unit is rotated, the system will NOT automatically reorient the display. This requires that the Tablet Rotation Button be utilized (see graphic). By first orienting the display as desired, then pressing and holding the Display Rotation Button for 1-2 seconds, the display will change to match the new orientation.
So, the trick is to turn the computer to the orientation you want, and then press the button. Works every time. I was pressing the button and then turning the unit. I was expecting to be able to mash the button repeatedly to change to the desired orientation. This is poorly documented at best, especially since it’s contrary (but superior) to the way the rotate button works on other devices, like the Acer C1xx series.
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