errm, did you try reading this thread before you posted, a few posts back? question has been answered throughout this thread, and is summarised there.
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Anyone interested in a Hi-def (1920 x 1200) mod for PB/MBP?
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errm, did you try reading this thread before you posted, a few posts back? question has been answered throughout this thread, and is summarised there.
i believe this question has already been answered. read the thread before posting!
Move along...
Well obviously you have much more time than I do to post meaningless comments like this. If the thread were say, 4-5 pages yeah the comment has merrit but no there's many more pages. So, move along and have a nice life!
Well obviously you have much more time than I do to post meaningless comments like this. If the thread were say, 4-5 pages yeah the comment has merrit but no there's many more pages. So, move along and have a nice life!
Search is your friend. We spent months upon months working together and discussing the ins and outs of this mod. If you can't take a half hour searching this thread... well then you're out of luck. We don't owe you an answer, so don't treat us like we do. Take some initiative and stop holding onto the entitlement attitude of today's society.
momma boys mount up!
Good Lord what is this revenge of the nerds? If you have nothing nice to say about my original request then keep your baby banter to yourselves. If I wanted your opinion I would ask you to pull a pen from your trusty pocket protectors, nudge up your thick black framed glasses and provide it. Till then cry to your momma and not me.
Good Lord what is this revenge of the nerds? If you have nothing nice to say about my original request then keep your baby banter to yourselves. If I wanted your opinion I would ask you to pull a pen from your trusty pocket protectors, nudge up your thick black framed glasses and provide it. Till then cry to your momma and not me.
I think it's a tough call. I went for the Samsung from ebay/Ztronics. It seems stable more or less now. I am using SwitchRes and the override it created, along with the ATIinject from Thomas. I also use Shades to control the brightness, since it's always at 100%.
I have had the screen start up dark only 2 times since I wiped my whole system and reinstalled everything from scratch as I also installed a new drive at the time. When it goes dark, I found that rebooting into XP first (using BootCamp), and then rebooting into OSX brings the screen back. Well, at least it has worked once for me, so I'm hoping this is a workaround so I don't need to connect an external like I was before.
IMO, the 1920 is a bit small. A 1680 would be the sweetspot, but no one has tried the 1680 yet.
I have had the screen start up dark only 2 times since I wiped my whole system and reinstalled everything from scratch as I also installed a new drive at the time. When it goes dark, I found that rebooting into XP first (using BootCamp), and then rebooting into OSX brings the screen back. Well, at least it has worked once for me, so I'm hoping this is a workaround so I don't need to connect an external like I was before.
IMO, the 1920 is a bit small. A 1680 would be the sweetspot, but no one has tried the 1680 yet.
Trouble... no screen at all, won't go past 'bong'
So I replace the screen (with a Toshiba one) and now I'm in trouble... I didn't take Faye's earlier advice and try the new screen with the old one in place. Instead reassembled the laptop (before disassembly I had earlier replaced the overrides file with Faye's override), attach external (analog) monitor to DVI, and press power button.
I get the 'bong' sound and then nothing. Nothing on the internal or external display. The white power light is on. The disk is running.
I try a PRAM reset (option-command-P-R right after power on), but nothing happens. I'm supposed to get a second bong, but there's nothing. This led me to suspect the keyboard connection, but I double checked it, and the connector seems properly seated. And the power button is working. I tried inserting a Windows boot disk in the optical drive and it whirs for a bit, then nothing. Now I can't get the disc back - pressing the eject button does nothing. After a short time the fans start getting louder and louder.
I can switch power on, get the bong, some HDD activity, see the white light, but nothing more. I tried the power reset (SMC reset) but it makes no difference.
For a different kind of reset, if I press the ctrl, option and power button from an off state and hold all three together, I see the white power light flash a few times and then there's the bong immediately followed by a loud extended beep, then as before - HDD spins up, but nothing else happens. White power light remains on.
I've obviously screwed something up, but what? And is there anything I can do? I'm puzzled as to why I get nothing on either monitor.
[Edit] I've just made a further discovery. If I unplug the display data cable from the motherboard, the computer boots up without a problem on the internal display (Windows or OS X). However, there is no change (it's as before, just bong, nothing on either display) if I have the inverter cable unplugged (with the display data cable plugged in). I was able to perform a PRAM reset with the display cable unplugged, but got the same symptoms again when I plugged the cable back in again.
This is the same model no. of display that Faye has. It looks like I've done something wrong in wiring it back up, or the display is faulty in some weird way. Having the display cable plugged in prevents anything from happening after the bong. I kept the inverter from the original display (the one that came with the Toshiba display would not fit in the space, and the connectors are the same).
Any ideas?
So I replace the screen (with a Toshiba one) and now I'm in trouble... I didn't take Faye's earlier advice and try the new screen with the old one in place. Instead reassembled the laptop (before disassembly I had earlier replaced the overrides file with Faye's override), attach external (analog) monitor to DVI, and press power button.
I get the 'bong' sound and then nothing. Nothing on the internal or external display. The white power light is on. The disk is running.
I try a PRAM reset (option-command-P-R right after power on), but nothing happens. I'm supposed to get a second bong, but there's nothing. This led me to suspect the keyboard connection, but I double checked it, and the connector seems properly seated. And the power button is working. I tried inserting a Windows boot disk in the optical drive and it whirs for a bit, then nothing. Now I can't get the disc back - pressing the eject button does nothing. After a short time the fans start getting louder and louder.
I can switch power on, get the bong, some HDD activity, see the white light, but nothing more. I tried the power reset (SMC reset) but it makes no difference.
For a different kind of reset, if I press the ctrl, option and power button from an off state and hold all three together, I see the white power light flash a few times and then there's the bong immediately followed by a loud extended beep, then as before - HDD spins up, but nothing else happens. White power light remains on.
I've obviously screwed something up, but what? And is there anything I can do? I'm puzzled as to why I get nothing on either monitor.
[Edit] I've just made a further discovery. If I unplug the display data cable from the motherboard, the computer boots up without a problem on the internal display (Windows or OS X). However, there is no change (it's as before, just bong, nothing on either display) if I have the inverter cable unplugged (with the display data cable plugged in). I was able to perform a PRAM reset with the display cable unplugged, but got the same symptoms again when I plugged the cable back in again.
This is the same model no. of display that Faye has. It looks like I've done something wrong in wiring it back up, or the display is faulty in some weird way. Having the display cable plugged in prevents anything from happening after the bong. I kept the inverter from the original display (the one that came with the Toshiba display would not fit in the space, and the connectors are the same).
Any ideas?
It sounds like you're discovering some of the weird issues I was (and am) having with the computer starting up after a PRAM reset.
I am also only able to get the first bong, never the second. After that, the computer doesn't start. It never finds the OS on the drive it seems. Screen stays dark.
Only if I plug in an external display will the computer actually make it to boot.
To get your install disk out, press and hold the trackpad button during startup until it comes out.
I still haven't found a way around the PRAM-fail-to-reboot issue, but since I have never had to use a PRAM reset on this laptop prior to this mod, I just avoid it as much as possible unless I know I will have access to an external display.
My screen has booted dark 2 more times since my last post. But I found what seems to be a workaround. Boot into XP via BootCamp, then restart, So far, both times this worked to get the screen back. Sometimes it will be about half as bright, but another restart and it will be full brightness again.
I bet you connected it all just fine, but you are having the same issues that I am. Did you have any problems removing the old panel? Was yours glued as crazy as mine was?
Faye! I'm so glad you're back! ;-)
Would you mind explaining how you were able to mod your override file so that the brightness was working natively? I assume you merged the original file with one made by SR? I don't know where to start.
I am also only able to get the first bong, never the second. After that, the computer doesn't start. It never finds the OS on the drive it seems. Screen stays dark.
Only if I plug in an external display will the computer actually make it to boot.
To get your install disk out, press and hold the trackpad button during startup until it comes out.
I still haven't found a way around the PRAM-fail-to-reboot issue, but since I have never had to use a PRAM reset on this laptop prior to this mod, I just avoid it as much as possible unless I know I will have access to an external display.
My screen has booted dark 2 more times since my last post. But I found what seems to be a workaround. Boot into XP via BootCamp, then restart, So far, both times this worked to get the screen back. Sometimes it will be about half as bright, but another restart and it will be full brightness again.
I bet you connected it all just fine, but you are having the same issues that I am. Did you have any problems removing the old panel? Was yours glued as crazy as mine was?
Faye! I'm so glad you're back! ;-)
Would you mind explaining how you were able to mod your override file so that the brightness was working natively? I assume you merged the original file with one made by SR? I don't know where to start.
Faye, I too am glad to see you on the forum again!!! Welcome back!
First things first - I cannot get ANYTHING. Even if I plug in an external display. NOTHING. The only way to get past the first bong at all is to physically unplug the LCD display from the motherboard, and use the external.
So I can't boot into Windows either, as pressing option while turning on does nothing. Unless I UNPLUG the new panel (on the motherboard, I am talking about - I have the case open) and plug in an external. But then of course I am not using the LCD at all, so I can't test anything.
As for the physical replacement, it went without a hitch - slowly, because this was my first time, but without major issues. The display glue, at the very last stage, was not difficult. (You did remove all the screws, right? There are 8, four down each side.) This is a pretty new MBP of the pre-LED era, manufactured in June 2007 apparently. The one issue I did have was with the tabs on the replacement LCD panel. They were just as Faye described them in a post way back (I have the very same panel no. as well). One long tab on the top, two shorter tabs on the bottom - actually 4 on the bottom, but two are very small - where the inverter is. I hacksawed them all off, slowly and carefully. However, when I opened up the display on the MBP I noticed that it is a very snug fit in there, and I wondered about the remnants of the tabs I had sawed off - would the poke out too much? (There's not much you can do about the bracket itself, so if you go with the hacksaw route, you will always have about 1-2mm left over.) In the end the display did go in, but I noticed that it was very tight and pushed out the plastic housing slightly both top and bottom. I was concerned that would affect the rest of the reassembly, but it didn't seem to - the outer shell went on - though it was a very tight fit too and really had to be persuaded on the last few 'clicks' - and the rest of the reassembly was very smooth (so much quicker than taking it apart the first time!). Well, there was one tiny thing. There seems to be a very slight gap on each SIDE of the panel now, as you look straight on at the screen, where the thin grey plastic strip is between the grey surround around the LCD and the grey plastic shell. Perhaps this is caused by the remnants of the tabs pushing at the top, I don't know. Anyway, it's hardly noticeable.
Incidentally, I had a look at the MBP LCD removal instructions here (the fixit site only goes so far) which were helpful, but not 100% accurate for the model I have (it's not necessary to remove the frame screws along the bottom of the LCD to remove the panel, I think). These pictures will give those contemplating this upgrade a good idea of the work that's involved. It's not necessary to disassemble the case first, as documented on the fixit site, but it does make things easier, I think, though a bit more involved.
I am not sure what to do about my display issue - I am in the process of plugging in the old display (have to take the thing apart again) to make sure it still works. At that point, though, if it does still work, I don't know what I will do.
Does anyone know why the ctrl-command-on combination produces the blinking white power light and long beep? What is that doing?
First things first - I cannot get ANYTHING. Even if I plug in an external display. NOTHING. The only way to get past the first bong at all is to physically unplug the LCD display from the motherboard, and use the external.
So I can't boot into Windows either, as pressing option while turning on does nothing. Unless I UNPLUG the new panel (on the motherboard, I am talking about - I have the case open) and plug in an external. But then of course I am not using the LCD at all, so I can't test anything.
As for the physical replacement, it went without a hitch - slowly, because this was my first time, but without major issues. The display glue, at the very last stage, was not difficult. (You did remove all the screws, right? There are 8, four down each side.) This is a pretty new MBP of the pre-LED era, manufactured in June 2007 apparently. The one issue I did have was with the tabs on the replacement LCD panel. They were just as Faye described them in a post way back (I have the very same panel no. as well). One long tab on the top, two shorter tabs on the bottom - actually 4 on the bottom, but two are very small - where the inverter is. I hacksawed them all off, slowly and carefully. However, when I opened up the display on the MBP I noticed that it is a very snug fit in there, and I wondered about the remnants of the tabs I had sawed off - would the poke out too much? (There's not much you can do about the bracket itself, so if you go with the hacksaw route, you will always have about 1-2mm left over.) In the end the display did go in, but I noticed that it was very tight and pushed out the plastic housing slightly both top and bottom. I was concerned that would affect the rest of the reassembly, but it didn't seem to - the outer shell went on - though it was a very tight fit too and really had to be persuaded on the last few 'clicks' - and the rest of the reassembly was very smooth (so much quicker than taking it apart the first time!). Well, there was one tiny thing. There seems to be a very slight gap on each SIDE of the panel now, as you look straight on at the screen, where the thin grey plastic strip is between the grey surround around the LCD and the grey plastic shell. Perhaps this is caused by the remnants of the tabs pushing at the top, I don't know. Anyway, it's hardly noticeable.
Incidentally, I had a look at the MBP LCD removal instructions here (the fixit site only goes so far) which were helpful, but not 100% accurate for the model I have (it's not necessary to remove the frame screws along the bottom of the LCD to remove the panel, I think). These pictures will give those contemplating this upgrade a good idea of the work that's involved. It's not necessary to disassemble the case first, as documented on the fixit site, but it does make things easier, I think, though a bit more involved.
I am not sure what to do about my display issue - I am in the process of plugging in the old display (have to take the thing apart again) to make sure it still works. At that point, though, if it does still work, I don't know what I will do.
Does anyone know why the ctrl-command-on combination produces the blinking white power light and long beep? What is that doing?
Followup
So my MCB is completely in pieces, but with all the right bits connected including my old display and it boots up fine (as I had suspected and hoped).
So why can't I get it to boot with the new display plugged in AND the external monitor plugged in?
So my MCB is completely in pieces, but with all the right bits connected including my old display and it boots up fine (as I had suspected and hoped).
So why can't I get it to boot with the new display plugged in AND the external monitor plugged in?
Also - I've just tested this - pressing and holding the trackpad button while powering on does not eject the disk if the internal display is plugged in, either. It looks like the display is causing the computer to lock up, essentially, at a fairly early stage before it can check for external monitor, eject the disk, etc (caps lock button doesn't change the caps lock light either). Would a faulty display cause this? (I would have thought that a faulty display would cause the machine to use the external one.) Is there anything else I can try?
The screen I got was advertised as new (from an ebay seller) but when it arrived it pretty clearly wasn't new. It was undamaged externally, but you could see where it had been mounted in a computer before, from surface abrasions at mount points. I thought 'working pull' but now I'm just thinking 'pull'. On the other hand, the symptoms are so close to the expected symptoms when there's trouble I just don't know...
The screen I got was advertised as new (from an ebay seller) but when it arrived it pretty clearly wasn't new. It was undamaged externally, but you could see where it had been mounted in a computer before, from surface abrasions at mount points. I thought 'working pull' but now I'm just thinking 'pull'. On the other hand, the symptoms are so close to the expected symptoms when there's trouble I just don't know...
Sorry to keep posting one message after the other, but I keep trying new things. I just tried something impulsive and potentially destructive. With the new LCD unplugged, I booted into Mac OS X on the external display, and with that display at 1920x1200 I put the machine into sleep mode. I then plugged the internal monitor in on the motherboard, and brought it out of sleep mode. Yes, I know, bad! What happened is this. The external display came up, but at a lower resolution. The mouse was unresponsive - I guess what I did caused a major crash. And then, slowly, I saw some life from the new LCD. It started to glow (came on like those old CRT televisions in the 70s - as if it had to warm up) but came up all vertical colored lines. It got brighter and brighter, with the colored lines turning to straightforward white. At this point I powered off the machine for fear of damaging something.
I'm back to where I was now - will boot, but only with external display and internal LCD unplugged at motherboard.
I'm back to where I was now - will boot, but only with external display and internal LCD unplugged at motherboard.
The vertical coloured lines getting brighter and brighter until the display goes white is basically it being asked to sync to a mode it doesn't support.
Are you sure that you're not getting some sort of short, or that the inverter and panel are happy?
Faye
Mine was incredibly strongly glued. I'm glad I didn't want to keep the old panel, since I quite severely damaged it pulling it out. Yes, we removed all 8 screws
Basically, I made a note of the old values for my panel for manufacturer ID and product ID.
I created an EDID using Phoenix EDID designer in Windows and values I'd tested to work in SRX.
In AppleBacklight.kext v10.4.11 they fixed the hole where it would test the values inside the override file to see whether to make the backlight work or not, so you need the old version to regain backlight control.
Faye
Thanks, Faye. Well, I don't know. I can't test the Tosh panel independently, but since the old one still works, I assume all the Apple hardware is fine. The panel is the exact same model no. as yours, so the panel and inverter should be happy. I don't have the technical knowledge or equipment to go much further with this, I think - I'll just have to try a different panel. There's nothing obviously wrong that I'm doing - the correct inference, I think, is that the panel is doing something it shouldn't (or not doing something it should).
Is there any sense in looking in any log files to see if the system reports anything when I try to fire it up with the panel attached at the MB?
I'd say there's a good chance your panel is broken. I've never had my computer fail to start up with any of the various non-working 1920x1200 panels I tried in attempting this mod early on.
Welcome back, Faye :] Glad you reminded everyone of the 10.4.10 Backlight fix -- I'd totally forgotten about that... I should have known, considering I had to fix it myself before I sold my old WUXGA MBP! Hah.
Actually I don't think it's broken. I've had that same "glow" effect on my panel many, many times while trying to find a working sync with SRX. The fact that you got that at all means that the panel, or at least the backlight is working. What i find weird about yours is that you can't get an image on either the external or the internal when one is attached.
Do you even see the gray apple logo? I always saw that, but right after that screen it would go black until I got everything else right.
If you can do this, I would try an OS resintall from scratch. Boot from the CD, then close the MBP. Then wake it with an external kb/mouse and display, and install that way. This assumes you can get an image on the external though.
Do you even see the gray apple logo? I always saw that, but right after that screen it would go black until I got everything else right.
If you can do this, I would try an OS resintall from scratch. Boot from the CD, then close the MBP. Then wake it with an external kb/mouse and display, and install that way. This assumes you can get an image on the external though.
I agree that the backlight must be working, but perhaps there's a logical problem with the panel that prevents the OS from starting, or even the initial boot process from completing, when the panel is physically connected to the MB.
No, I get no indication that there is any video out whatsovever to the external display. What I do get is (1) 'Bong' ; (2) Spin up and brief read/write activity to/from HDD ; (3) Spin up and read activity from optical drive, if there's a disk in there (4) Nothing more; no video at all, not even a flash or anything to suggest that any video has been put out either to the external or the LCD, and zero response to anything at all I do at the keyboard. The fans do speed up to max fairly quickly, indicating the CPU is doing something, though. (5) If I press <ctrl-option-on> instead of <on> to fire up the machine, I get a series of flashes of the white power light and a long loud BEEP. No-one has explained that to me, yet. That's the only other sort of response the machine has to anything I do to the keyboard.
I haven't attempted starting up with the OS install disk in there (it's packed away somewhere) but having a Windows install disk in there made no difference. If I have the Windows disk in there when I start up with the internal display unplugged, I get a Windows-like message on the external screen that says something like "Press any key to boot from the CD Rom....". So I doubt that putting the Mac OS install disk in there will make any difference, since I don't get that very basic message from the bootloader when the Windows disk is in there and the internal display is plugged in.
The machine is basically as good as dead if the LCD is as much as plugged in. It seems to me that all the fixes discussed on the forum require (1) the internal LCD to be plugged in, (2) an external monitor to be plugged in, and (3) the machine must boot into EITHER windows or mac OS when (1) and (2) are satisfied. Since the machine won't do (3), I don't see how I can fix this.
But perhaps this is wrong? Is there any sense to unplugging the panel, booting up on external, messing with settings/overrides files, then restarting with panel plugged in? I have tried with (1) original overrides file for original panel; (2) Fayes overides file replacing it, and (3) no overrides file for original panel. Maybe I should try some more fiddling like this, I don't know. The thing is, the machine should boot with both displays plugged in (though perhaps displaying only on external) whatever I do with overrides files (including nothing), correct?
Hmm, you should at least be able to get to the gray logo. Regardless of what was going on after that stage, I was always able to get the logo part.
I think the control-option-power sequence is a sort of self-test you discovered. The white LED flashes are an indicator of good/bad RAM or perhaps a logicboard self test (speaking from past experience).
I think you are having essentially the same issue I am, after I do a PRAM rest. Without an external, it never starts up; not even into bootcamp if I hold the option key down. I avoid the PRAM resets like the plague...
I can't figure out why it doesn't boot with both the internal and external attached. I was always able to at least boot with the internal, although seeing something on the screen was a different story...
I would try to avoid the hot-plugging of the internal if you can. That could definitely short something.
I think the control-option-power sequence is a sort of self-test you discovered. The white LED flashes are an indicator of good/bad RAM or perhaps a logicboard self test (speaking from past experience).
I think you are having essentially the same issue I am, after I do a PRAM rest. Without an external, it never starts up; not even into bootcamp if I hold the option key down. I avoid the PRAM resets like the plague...
I can't figure out why it doesn't boot with both the internal and external attached. I was always able to at least boot with the internal, although seeing something on the screen was a different story...
I would try to avoid the hot-plugging of the internal if you can. That could definitely short something.
WSXGA and WUXGA LCD
I just ordered two LCD's one each off Ebay, the UXGA from ztronics (Samsung -04) model and the other was from a Dell 8600. I will have the MBP tomorrow and the LCD's by this weekend. I will install the WSXGA model as I know the Sammy WUXGA works already. I agree the 1680x1050 is a much more reasonable resolution for 15" LCD's but I'd love to watch 1080p videos so I will try both and see which one I like more. I'll post my findings and I'll make a bunch of pictures from the experience.
MP
I just ordered two LCD's one each off Ebay, the UXGA from ztronics (Samsung -04) model and the other was from a Dell 8600. I will have the MBP tomorrow and the LCD's by this weekend. I will install the WSXGA model as I know the Sammy WUXGA works already. I agree the 1680x1050 is a much more reasonable resolution for 15" LCD's but I'd love to watch 1080p videos so I will try both and see which one I like more. I'll post my findings and I'll make a bunch of pictures from the experience.
MP
That would be great! A lot of people have enquired about the possibility of WSXGA over the months on this thread, so your pioneering efforts will be well appreciated. Incidentally, did you cut a deal with ztronics or wait and bid on one of the auctions? I am thinking about doing one or the other...
Bah, not sure what happened, but now my screen is very unstable. Every other time it starts up, it's dark and I have to reboot into XP and then back again to get the screen back. Only thing, that doesn't always work.
I've found that the reboot thing isn't a foolproof procedure. But I found another way which seems to sort of work just as successfully. Once the laptop has boted, I hit my SRX hotkeys to change the resolution timings to one of m other working settings. The screen stays dark, but on reboot, I usually get the screen back. All of this is done without being able to see anything on screen mind you; I'm just pushing the Power Button, which I know brings up the shutdown dialog, then I hit the R key for restart.
I also think the success of the screen lighting up has to do with whether or not I have a USB mouse plugged in or not. Or if the AC adapter is connected. I know that sounds weird, but I've restarted maybe 30 tiomes last night alone, and twice this morning, and I swear when I disconnect the mouse (or sometimes the AC), it is more successful in lighting up.
Guh. I have to bring this out of town for the weekend tomorrow. NOT looking forward to it!
I've found that the reboot thing isn't a foolproof procedure. But I found another way which seems to sort of work just as successfully. Once the laptop has boted, I hit my SRX hotkeys to change the resolution timings to one of m other working settings. The screen stays dark, but on reboot, I usually get the screen back. All of this is done without being able to see anything on screen mind you; I'm just pushing the Power Button, which I know brings up the shutdown dialog, then I hit the R key for restart.
I also think the success of the screen lighting up has to do with whether or not I have a USB mouse plugged in or not. Or if the AC adapter is connected. I know that sounds weird, but I've restarted maybe 30 tiomes last night alone, and twice this morning, and I swear when I disconnect the mouse (or sometimes the AC), it is more successful in lighting up.
Guh. I have to bring this out of town for the weekend tomorrow. NOT looking forward to it!
Have you tried installed the 10.4.10 kexts for the Backlight? That may help you with the screen going dark.