Random Black Screens

[iamsen47]

wrong post

[Carl%R]

I logged a case with Apple, just to add to the number of reports on the issue. The support guy advised me to create a new user account and use that for a couple of days, to see whether the blackout issue happens there as well. He said it's one way to possibly rule out corrupted system files.

With the new user account I'm at least not seeing the artifacts on black background with the DP-DVI connection. I will try the HDMI adapter next for a couple of days.

[jollino]

Originally Posted by Carl%R

I logged a case with Apple, just to add to the number of reports on the issue. The support guy advised me to create a new user account and use that for a couple of days, to see whether the blackout issue happens there as well. He said it's one way to possibly rule out corrupted system files.

With the new user account I'm at least not seeing the artifacts on black background with the DP-DVI connection. I will try the HDMI adapter next for a couple of days.

Did they have you delete any preferences? On Monday, when I called Apple, the woman I spoke to had me reset the SMC, the PRAM and had me delete the com.apple.windowserver.plist files from both the system's and my user's library. So far so good, but then again my last black screen was over a week ago...

[cmeisenzahl]

I called last night and registered my Mini as having the proble. They pretty quickly confirmed that the problem is widely reported.

I really hope they can fix this with a patch or firmware change. swapping out a new machine will be a pain in the @ss after I'ved added RAM and swapped the HD.

[lamerica80]

I seems pretty much everyone has this issue and those who doesnt, will soon.

I expect a statement from Apple any day now.

[Carl%R]

Originally Posted by jollino

Did they have you delete any preferences? On Monday, when I called Apple, the woman I spoke to had me reset the SMC, the PRAM and had me delete the com.apple.windowserver.plist files from both the system's and my user's library. So far so good, but then again my last black screen was over a week ago...

No, he said I should just try the new user account for a day or two.

[Sean869]

I have an i7 2.3 mac mini connected to an HDMI monitor via an HDMI cable. I get regular black screens which last a few seconds. I have ordered a mini displayport to HDMI cable from amazon to see if that solves the problem. One other issue is that the display quality isn't as good as I expected it to be using the HDMI. The white tones seem very harsh even with the brightness turned right down. Im using a AOC 23" 1080P monitor which I bought at the same time as my mac.

There is no logic as to when it happens, it seems completely random.

This is my first mac having made the switch from windows and i'm not happy

[koyeung]

This is what i thought few days before...

Originally Posted by lamerica80

I seems pretty much everyone has this issue and those who doesnt, will soon.

I expect a statement from Apple any day now.

[Armeniandave]

I bought the DP to DVI cable from Monoprice and so far the issue has gone away. In the time I've been on the Mini I played some Portal 2 and did some web surfing and I had no snowy or black screens. I'll report back if I do get any from the DP adapter.

[sno1man]

Originally Posted by lamerica80

I seems pretty much everyone has this issue and those who doesnt, will soon.

I expect a statement from Apple any day now.

I took mine in to the genius bar a few days ago for this issue (and posted about it here).

I have an open incident and Apple asked me to send any log that gets created in the library/logs/diagnostic reports directory whenever I have the issue occur.

So far I have had three issues and all 3 times i have a file called com.apple.qtkitserver 2012 11-6. The last part changes with the date

[rshock]

Originally Posted by dogmusic

Have you tried just turning your monitor power button off and on? That works for me with the snow screen.

Yeah, that works too. I had thought about trying that earlier, but the problem hasn't happened in a couple of days. It happened last night while I was playing D3, so I did try power cycling the monitor, and that did fix it (though not before I could run away from all baddies who summarily squashed me like a bug).

I definitely don't seem to have the issue when just web browsing or e-mail etc. However, it happens pretty much every time I play D3 and often with iMovie, though even then only once or twice an evening.

[sno1man]

Originally Posted by dogmusic

Have you tried just turning your monitor power button off and on? That works for me with the snow screen.

I think it does for most of us (me included) but that is far from a fix and more of a minimal workaround which is still problematic

Apple needs to address this soon.

[dogmusic]

Originally Posted by sno1man

I think it does for most of us (me included) but that is far from a fix and more of a minimal workaround which is still problematic

Apple needs to address this soon.

Definitely a workaround but better than power cycling his Mini as the poster had been doing.

[iCaleb]

How many pages do you think this thread will get before Apple does something about it?

My guess is 23.

[sean barry]

I've had the stock mid mini for about a week running HDMI to HDMI with no issues until yesterday. I have now experienced 2 or 3 black screens. They last about 1 second on then all is well.

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Originally Posted by iCaleb

How many pages do you think this thread will get before Apple does something about it?

My guess is 23.

We're much better going and talking about this on the Apple support forums. At least there they see it and follow up on things. Here we're just talking amongst ourselves.

[Armeniandave]

Called Apple and talked to a senior support person. After going over the problem in detail he said he is going to send me a new HDMI cable to see if that corrects it. I am pretty sure it won't but hey it's a free cable!

He did say they are aware of the issue though so calling is definitely the best action to get something done.

[lamerica80]

Originally Posted by Armeniandave

Called Apple and talked to a senior support person. After going over the problem in detail he said he is going to send me a new HDMI cable to see if that corrects it. I am pretty sure it won't but hey it's a free cable!

He did say they are aware of the issue though so calling is definitely the best action to get something done.

Haha, im claiming my free cable too! In fact, im using my PS3 cable at the moment and havent had a chance to buy one for my mini yet so thats perfect.

However, i would bet my mini that wont solve ****.

[Armeniandave]

Originally Posted by lamerica80

Haha, im claiming my free cable too! In fact, im using my PS3 cable at the moment and havent had a chance to buy one for my mini yet so thats perfect.

However, i would bet my mini that wont solve ****.

I'm 99.99% sure it won't either but hey it's a free cable!

[iCaleb]

Using a different hdmi cable will solve nothing.

Speaking of hdmi cables is the official apple one 1.3 or 1.4?

[sno1man]

Originally Posted by iCaleb

Using a different hdmi cable will solve nothing.

Speaking of hdmi cables is the official apple one 1.3 or 1.4?

+ 1 to that statement, I have tried 3 different cables with exactly the same results.

According to Apple, the HDMI jack on the mini (and the new retinas) is 1.4

Lastly, and the main reason I'm posting again. I forgot that I had access to a fairly expensive HDMI video switcher made by oppo that we used to use for video production.

What's unique about it is that it also has a USB port and monitoring/control software (windows only) that gives all kinds of info about each HDMI port such as data rate, status, encryption, handshake, status and so on.

Connected my mini, the switch and my monitor together to see what I'd get.

I got the black screen after about an hour, and the oppo reported loss of sync on the mini end of the connection. Our video guru says that indicates a hardware issue on the mini end.

One caveat, the output of the oppo may not be 100% accurate since it only supports up to 1.3 spec.

so long story short, looks like a hardware issue on the mini

[calvol]

Just to reiterate, this is an Intel issue with the HD4000, specifically the Memory Resource Code (MRC), and occurs on Macs and PCs. There won't be a fix until Intel resolves it, and rolls out a fix (hopefully) to the OEMs, which will then distribute an updated BIOS/EFI. Changing cables, monitors, and whatnot is not going to fix the problem.
http://communities.intel.com/message/171244

[sno1man]

Originally Posted by calvol

Just to reiterate, this is an Intel issue with the HD4000, specifically the Memory Resource Code (MRC), and occurs on Macs and PCs. There won't be a fix until Intel resolves it, and rolls out a fix (hopefully) to the OEMs, which will then distribute an updated BIOS/EFI. Changing cables, monitors, and whatnot is not going to fix the problem.
http://communities.intel.com/message/171244

Not to put too fine a point on it and after reading whole linked thread, but all the PC guys are seeing is flicker (and maybe static) but not total screen black.

I agree that it is likely they are the same issue, but we are talking about Macs here which have things that PC's usually don't have such as EFI and thunderbolt

[calvol]

Originally Posted by sno1man

Not to put too fine a point on it and after reading whole linked thread, but all the PC guys are seeing is flicker (and maybe static) but not total screen black.

I agree that it is likely they are the same issue, but we are talking about Macs here which have things that PC's usually don't have such as EFI and thunderbolt

If the root cause is Intel's MFC code, it doesn't matter because it's imbedded in both BIOS and EFI. It's just the O/S response to it may be different - flicker, static, or blackout-- or whatever.

[sno1man]

Originally Posted by calvol

If the root cause is Intel's MFC code, it doesn't matter because it's imbedded in both BIOS and EFI. It's just the O/S response to it may be different - flicker, static, or blackout-- or whatever.

Spoken like a programmer..... who always remind me of the character in "The Princess Bride" Vizzini who frequently stated "inconceivable " when presented with information that did not fit his world view

Seriously though, I hope you are right because it's getting annoying and I think intel might produce a fix faster than Apple otherwise might