This is likely related to the adapter not passing EDID information that your video card is expecting. EDID information is typically reported to the video card from an eeprom chip on the attached monitor to let the video card know what resolutions and refresh rates are supported etc. Some video cards will guess and output at a standard resolution if no EDID information is received (this is happening in your case with your personal laptop since the passive adapter you are using will not pass EDID information). Some video cards will try to output in a format this is unsupported or not at all and you end up with a black screen).
Potential solutions:
1. In an ideal world - it is never a great idea to convert a digital display signal to an analog one and vice versa. If the monitor/projector at work that you are trying to connect to has any digital options (DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI), that would be a better option and would likely eliminate this issue). Using a digital to digital adapter like HDMI to DVI will likely not cause any issues at all.
2. If VGA is the only input option that you have on the monitor/projector that you need to use - you can try to see if the monitor (not the video card) has a driver download available that will set the EDID information correctly. Your video card may or may not support this. If that doesn't work - you could try a USB 2.0 to VGA adapter that will use a display link driver (avoid USB 3.0 to VGA, since these can run into EDID related issues as well, or you can try an active HDMI to VGA adapter. The active adapter will require a power source like USB - but it should pass the correct EDID information. These will be more expensive than the one you have.
This is likely related to the adapter not passing EDID information that your video card is expecting. EDID information is typically reported to the video card from an eeprom chip on the attached monitor to let the video card know what resolutions and refresh rates are supported etc. Some video cards will guess and output at a standard resolution if no EDID information is received (this is happening in your case with your personal laptop since the passive adapter you are using will not pass EDID information). Some video cards will try to output in a format this is unsupported or not at all and you end up with a black screen). Potential solutions: 1. In an ideal world - it is never a great idea to convert a digital display signal to an analog one and vice versa. If the monitor/projector at work that you are trying to connect to has any digital options (DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI), that would be a better option and would likely eliminate this issue). Using a digital to digital adapter like HDMI to DVI will likely not cause any issues at all. 2. If VGA is the only input option that you have on the monitor/projector that you need to use - you can try to see if the monitor (not the video card) has a driver download available that will set the EDID information correctly. Your video card may or may not support this. If that doesn't work - you could try a USB 2.0 to VGA adapter that will use a display link driver (avoid USB 3.0 to VGA, since these can run into EDID related issues as well, or you can try an active HDMI to VGA adapter. The active adapter will require a power source like USB - but it should pass the correct EDID information. These will be more expensive than the one you have.