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DinoAdventure

macrumors member
Original poster
May 13, 2005
84
0
Having some trouble using my Acer 22" LCD with my 1.67GHz low-res Powerbook. It had always worked fine until I installed the Leopard graphics update, after which the LCD stop receiving a signal through the DVI connection. The OS will detect that a monitor is connected (blue screen) but it will not send a signal to the monitor. I read on the Apple discussion board that a lot of people with MBP's were having the same issue. Last night I reformatted the HD and went back to Tiger, updated to 10.4.11, and to my surprise the exact same problem persists. I know it's not an issue with the monitor itself, as my PC works fine with it.

So any ideas? I REALLY need to start using my monitor again.

Thanks!
 

merl1n

macrumors 65816
Mar 30, 2008
1,095
0
New Jersey, USA
Having some trouble using my Acer 22" LCD with my 1.67GHz low-res Powerbook. It had always worked fine until I installed the Leopard graphics update, after which the LCD stop receiving a signal through the DVI connection. The OS will detect that a monitor is connected (blue screen) but it will not send a signal to the monitor. I read on the Apple discussion board that a lot of people with MBP's were having the same issue. Last night I reformatted the HD and went back to Tiger, updated to 10.4.11, and to my surprise the exact same problem persists. I know it's not an issue with the monitor itself, as my PC works fine with it.

So any ideas? I REALLY need to start using my monitor again.

Thanks!

Try resetting your PMU and PRAM. If that works, when you upgrade to Leopard, DON'T install the Graphics update. It has caused havoc with some graphics cards and chips, NVidea for example.
 

merl1n

macrumors 65816
Mar 30, 2008
1,095
0
New Jersey, USA
Try resetting your PMU and PRAM. If that works, when you upgrade to Leopard, DON'T install the Graphics update. It has caused havoc with some graphics cards and chips, NVidea for example.

One thing I forgot...

You said you have a blue screen on the monitor? Did you go to System Preferences -> Displays Pane?

In there you can specify mirroring, extended desktop etc, or specify your external display as your primary display. These settings may have been reset after the upgrade. Also check your display settings for the proper resolution.
 

DinoAdventure

macrumors member
Original poster
May 13, 2005
84
0
No dice on the PRAM reset, that was the first thing I tried. And the blue screen I get is on the internal display when I first connect the DVI cable, but it goes back to normal and the external display remains with no signal.

The external monitor doesn't show up in system prefs, and detect displays does nothing.
 

merl1n

macrumors 65816
Mar 30, 2008
1,095
0
New Jersey, USA
No dice on the PRAM reset, that was the first thing I tried. And the blue screen I get is on the internal display when I first connect the DVI cable, but it goes back to normal and the external display remains with no signal.

The external monitor doesn't show up in system prefs, and detect displays does nothing.

What about the PMU reset?
 

DinoAdventure

macrumors member
Original poster
May 13, 2005
84
0
Just tried the PMU reset, no luck.

Thanks for the ideas though, keep em coming!
 

merl1n

macrumors 65816
Mar 30, 2008
1,095
0
New Jersey, USA
Just tried the PMU reset, no luck.

Thanks for the ideas though, keep em coming!

OK, last idea...

Disconnect your external monitor and reboot your mac.

Download OnyX (a free maintenance utility). Run it and clear all of your caches (System, User, etc.). Make sure for System and User all boxes are checked. Then reboot.

Now shutdown.

Make sure you are running on A/C power, not battery.

Connect your monitor.

Make sure the monitor is powered on.

Now on the PB hit the power button and immediately close the lid.

If it works, you should see the grey screen with the apple logo on your external monitor soon (after the PB completes its hardware tests).

Let me know.
 

DinoAdventure

macrumors member
Original poster
May 13, 2005
84
0
Tried the above, didn't work unfortunately. I'm starting to think I might have a hardware issue on my hands here.
 

nep61

macrumors 6502
May 17, 2007
318
2
Having some trouble using my Acer 22" LCD with my 1.67GHz low-res Powerbook. It had always worked fine until I installed the Leopard graphics update, after which the LCD stop receiving a signal through the DVI connection. The OS will detect that a monitor is connected (blue screen) but it will not send a signal to the monitor. I read on the Apple discussion board that a lot of people with MBP's were having the same issue. Last night I reformatted the HD and went back to Tiger, updated to 10.4.11, and to my surprise the exact same problem persists. I know it's not an issue with the monitor itself, as my PC works fine with it.

So any ideas? I REALLY need to start using my monitor again.

Thanks!

Do you have a DVI to VGA cable?

I remember having a similar issue last year. Blank external monitor thru the DVI cable on my Powerbook... used the DVI to VGA cable that came with the Powerbook... hooked it up and it worked... next day, just for laughs I hooked the monitor up using DVI only, and viola... it worked...

Been working fine ever since.. I know this isn't the TECHNICAL answer most people assume would work, but sometimes the odd-ball simpler way just might.:)
 

DinoAdventure

macrumors member
Original poster
May 13, 2005
84
0
Do you have a DVI to VGA cable?

I remember having a similar issue last year. Blank external monitor thru the DVI cable on my Powerbook... used the DVI to VGA cable that came with the Powerbook... hooked it up and it worked... next day, just for laughs I hooked the monitor up using DVI only, and viola... it worked...

Been working fine ever since.. I know this isn't the TECHNICAL answer most people assume would work, but sometimes the odd-ball simpler way just might.:)

That worked, to an extent. I can get a display on the external monitor through the VGA adapter, but the native resolution of 1680x1050 is not on the list in the display prefs, so I can only run it in low res.

A step in the right direction though, anyone have the trick to get me the rest of the way? At least I know it's not a hardware failure.
 

owenthomas

macrumors newbie
Feb 5, 2009
1
0
Apple Display DVI fine - all others undetected

No solution here, just a twist in the tail. I have the same DVI problem - external Samsung monitor (1920x1200) undetected, ditto a Sharp (1280x1024) but weirdly and thankfully my 23inch Apple Display works fine (1920x1200)

I get the same blue fadout screen when a DVI monitor is plugged in but nothing detected. No problem with the VGA output although the Mac won't drive it at it's native resolution.

I wonder why the Apple monitor is working?

Only "event" that I can coincide with the problem is plugging in the Samsung monitor to the Powerbook without a power cord.

Have zapped PRAM to no avail.

15" Powerbook G4, 1.67 GHz, 1GB RAM, OS X 10.5.6
 
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