Random Black Screens

harvester32 · Oct 29, 2012

I posted on another users thread regarding displays and the issues I have had with the new Mini's. Apparently I am not alone as Apple is aware and I have a case number now. For those of you with the new mini's, the symptoms manifest for me with the following:

Mac mini - base & QC mid Mini
2 Monitors 0 Acer P236H and Samsung 930B both with DVI
Used two different DVI cables and 2 different DVI adapters (took back the base mini and while there I upgraded to mid mini. It does the same.

System will randomly go to a black screen for 1-3 seconds.
Sometimes it will turn the display to snow (like it switches the monitor to a resolution it can't handle)

Happens about 4-6 times per day.

Power settings and the screen saver were turned off.
Nathan at applecare had me do a reset of the system, sleep, shutdown, (CMD-OPTION-P-R) and it still does it.

Hopefully they will get this solved soon!!!

If you are experiencing this, post your symptoms and maybe we can find a common denominator.

Thank you!

fa8362 · Oct 29, 2012

Did you upgrade to 10.8.2? If not, try it.

harvester32 · Oct 29, 2012

fa8362 said:
Did you upgrade to 10.8.2? If not, try it.

Yes I upgraded. No effect on the black screens on either Mini. Very random in occurrence. So far, I can't find anything in particular that will replicate it.

philipma1957 · Oct 29, 2012

harvester32 said:
Yes I upgraded. No effect on the black screens on either Mini. Very random in occurrence. So far, I can't find anything in particular that will replicate it.

I get them. 2012 mini 2.3 quad mid price.

stock ram. stock hdd.

other

boot drives used

external ssd via usb3

external ssd via t-bolt seagate

hdd via usb3

hdd via t-bolt seagate

raid0 ssd via t-bolt lacie

I am using hdmi to dvi connector.

I thought the 10.8.2 stopped it it does not.

This is not the same as the problem 10.6.4 osx had with the 2010 mini but it is close.

what ram are you using? stock 4gb? I have 8gb ram coming in maybe that will stop the problem

harvester32 · Oct 29, 2012

philipma1957 said:
I get them. 2012 mini 2.3 quad mid price.

stock ram. stock hdd.

other

boot drives used

external ssd via usb3

external ssd via t-bolt seagate

hdd via usb3

hdd via t-bolt seagate

raid0 ssd via t-bolt lacie

I am using hdmi to dvi connector.

I thought the 10.8.2 stopped it it does not.

This is not the same as the problem 10.6.4 osx had with the 2010 mini but it is close.

what ram are you using? stock 4gb? I have 8gb ram coming in maybe that will stop the problem

I'm running the stock store model mini. I initially had the base mini but while I was returning that for the black screen, I thought I could upgrade as I knew the HDD was not going to be big enough and what the heck, a couple cores more wouldn't hurt. No help though as the random screens keep coming.

I'm fairly new to macs, but I have used them before as my kids have them. Seems like a driver issue but who knows. I just hope they fix it quickly!

Thanks for the information!

kaibob · Oct 29, 2012

I have the same issue on my stock 2012 base Mini--it happens two to three times a day. I get the black screen for a second or so but no snow. I disabled the screen saver and turned off all peripheral equipment but that didn't help. I was using a DVI cable with the Apple-supplied adapter; I tried a DVI-to-HDMI cable but that didn't help either.

I'm using a 7-year-old Dell monitor and assumed that was the issue but perhaps not.

mikeboss · Oct 30, 2012

same issue: during install/restore I connected the mini to an old LCDisplay using the HDMI port and I saw the screen going blank several times. for everyday use I have a 30" HP display which needs to be connected to the Mini DisplayPort and I've never expirienced the issue since...

regards,
michael

krogalon · Oct 30, 2012

*****, I have the same problem with the i7 mac mini (middle model). So far, I have seen 3 of those blackouts, while using the mini for about 6 hours. I use the HDMI-DVI Adapter to connect it to my HP LP2475w 24" display.

dadudeness · Oct 30, 2012

Same issue here.

I've got the i7 model. I've experienced the blackout before as well as after the upgrade to 16gb RAM.
I'm using the HDMI2DVI-Adapter, that was shipped with the mini to connect my old 19" Samsung @ 1440x900px.

I suspect the HDMI-adapter to be responsible.

philipma1957 · Oct 30, 2012

this reminds me of the 10.6.4 install that came with 2010 minis. I think a patch will come out soon.

btw I am running a lot of pc's doing bitcoin mining and when I under volt the gpu I get the same blackout and a note that the gpu driver failed.

since this is an integrated gnu we are not undervolting it is almost certainly a driver issue affecting the hdmi port. I use hdmi to dvi but some are using hdmi to hdmi.

Since I use my t-bolt port as a boot drive I do not want to get a t-bolt to dvi cable. I will look for some links for dvi hdmi vga to display/t-bolt pretty sure mono price has them.

okay here is a code for mono price MPTREAT12 15% OFF

THUNDERBOLT TO VGA

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024609&p_id=6002&seq=1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024609&p_id=6003&seq=1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024609&p_id=6004&seq=1&format=2

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024609&p_id=6005&seq=1&format=2

THUNDERBOLT TO DVI

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5106&seq=1&format=2

THUNDERBOLT TO HDMI

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5311&seq=1&format=2

datdat · Oct 30, 2012

I too have this problem and are using the apple hdmi to dvi adapter

Anyone here is using only hdmi to Hdmi and are having this same problem?

mikeboss · Oct 30, 2012

I did not use the HDMI2DVI adapter delivered with the new mini but a known-good one I already had so we can rule out the adapter. it's OS X (driver) or the HDMI port itself.

DocBru · Oct 30, 2012

I am having the same issue on my base 2012 mini using HDMI to HDMI without any adapters.

harvester32 · Oct 30, 2012

DocBru said:
I am having the same issue on my base 2012 mini using HDMI to HDMI without any adapters.

Well it sounds like this is a driver/HDMI port issue so I would think Apple will have to address it at this point. It also sounds if we get the MDP adapter it might solve the problem but I'm not keen on giving up the thunderbolt port to solve this issue.

If you all can call apple support and start your own case numbers it would probably expedite the issue.

Thanks!

philipma1957 · Oct 30, 2012

this is certainly a 4000 graphics driver issue.

it is very close to driver symptoms on pc's I use if I undervolt while overclocking.

and it is very close to the 2010 mac mini that came with the 10.6.4 install disks.

For me I will wait for a patch as i use the t-bolt for my boot drive. for those that do not want to wait they can try a display/thunderbolt port to vga or hdmi or dvi I have the links above at monoprice.

They fixed this in the 2010 minis with 10.6.5 or maybe 10.6.6.

humblpirate · Oct 30, 2012

HDMI-to-HDMI, base mini

Yep, same problem.

I have the base mini connected to an HDTV via HDMI. I thought it was because of the TV, but I guess not ...

Foster0524 · Oct 30, 2012

Same problem here, have noticed it happen about twice a day. I've seen it while using the HDMI to DVI adapter to an Apple display and also HDMI straight to a Samsung TV. I have the mid range Mac Mini.

Treq · Oct 30, 2012

I dont know if this is the same problem, but I had the same thing happen to me on my late 2011 MBP 15" 2.2ghz quad core. I was playing bioshock 2 output to my 1080p 40" sony tv. Every once in a while, black screen for just a second or two, then it would come back to normal. I don't really use the MBP with the sony tv very often, so I don't know if this would happen at any other time or while running any other programs, but it does look a lot like the problem all of you are having.

philipma1957 · Oct 30, 2012

Treq said:
I dont know if this is the same problem, but I had the same thing happen to me on my late 2011 MBP 15" 2.2ghz quad core. I was playing bioshock 2 output to my 1080p 40" sony tv. Every once in a while, black screen for just a second or two, then it would come back to normal. I don't really use the MBP with the sony tv very often, so I don't know if this would happen at any other time or while running any other programs, but it does look a lot like the problem all of you are having.

yeah the gpu driver fails the screen goes black for about 1 second and recovers. if you are running windows on a pc it tells you with a pop up.

apple has a log somewhere that most likely tells you if the gpu driver failed.

Treq · Oct 30, 2012

philipma1957 said:
yeah the gpu driver fails the screen goes black for about 1 second and recovers. if you are running windows on a pc it tells you with a pop up.

apple has a log somewhere that most likely tells you if the gpu driver failed.

I wasn't using windows, so I didn't see a popup. Any idea where I can find that log in osx 10.8.2?

jollino · Oct 31, 2012

Quad i7 Mini here, everything else stock, just noticed it for the first time in two days on a Dell U2212HM that I purchased yesterday. I'm using a brandless HDMI-DVI cable, no adapter.
Unless it's a hardware problem (I hope not!) I'm pretty sure we'll see an update soon...

Paulywauly · Oct 31, 2012

Same here on the base model (stock except for an 8GB RAM stick)

Using HDMI to DVI adapter (+ DVI to S-DVI????) plus monitor i've used for 3 years without issue. Its defo not a cable issue.

humblpirate · Oct 31, 2012

Apple Support

I just called Apple support.

The guy had me turn off the computer. Unplug the computer. Press the power button. Replug the computer. Then hit keys Command+Option+R+P and hold while turning on the computer. Hit the power button and hold the keys until the computer chimes a second time.

I will monitor and see if I have the black screen again.

Vinculum · Nov 2, 2012

I get this black screen too. Once or twice a day. Its starting to be annoying. I really hope this is a software issue and not a hardware issue.

Base 2012 i7 mini, HDMI to perfectly good Dell 23" monitor.

kaibob · Nov 2, 2012

I posted earlier that my 2012 base-model Mac Mini had the black-screen issue. I had to return the Mini due to a different problem, and the new one has the exact same problem with black screens. So, I'm hoping for a software fix. BTW, I looked in the console immediately after a black screen but saw nothing related to a video issue.

Random Black Screens

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