cant see dock or top menu bar on start up

[bclvr123]

I just fired up an older mac g4 for the first time in over a year with a different monitor then I had before. The problem is that when booted up I cant see the dock or the menu bar at the top on the monitor. my finder window opens but I cant open any apps. Or if I do they don't show in the monitor. I have tried several diff monitors, same story. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[surflordca]

I just fired up an older mac g4 for the first time in over a year with a different monitor then I had before. The problem is that when booted up I cant see the dock or the menu bar at the top on the monitor. my finder window opens but I cant open any apps. Or if I do they don't show in the monitor. I have tried several diff monitors, same story. Any help would be appreciated.

What about changing screen resolution

 

[bclvr123]

Screen resolution

I would love to but I cant get to the menu to do that, there in lies my problem.
I didn't know if there was something I could do at start up? If I open an app, it opens but I cant find it on the desktop.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

This sounds like a monitor detection problem. If you can get to System Preferences somehow, go into Displays and tell it to detect displays. That should fix it.

 

[bclvr123]

Screen resolution

Thanks for the suggestions. There is just no way for me to get to any apps right now. I will try restarting or turn off turn on monitor again. On start up it says auto detecting monitor.

 

[Consultant]

You can access apple menu with keyboard short cut, then hit down arrow 4 times, hit enter to bring up system preferences.