Defective brand new Mini

[steve333]

Bought a Mini from Amazon.
Got a HDMI to DVI cable since my old monitor doesn't have an HDMI port.
Turned on Mini and got a flash, then a black picture on and off. Unplugged and re-plugged in the cable at the Mini HDMI port and it worked.
Figured-bad cable. Ordered a different brand (cable matters) on Amazon plugged it in and same exact thing.
Never had issues with Apple products when new, very frustrating

 

[ruslan120]

Sorry to hear.

I've seen a few reviews where people get the completely wrong product. Here's one.

Completely unacceptable and yet, unavoidable.

 

[Dolphins_Fan]

Sorry to hear.

I've seen a few reviews where people get the completely wrong product. Here's one.

Completely unacceptable and yet, unavoidable.

Actually it is totally avoidable. The reviews you posted were from 3rd party sellers who scammed the buyer. The OP purchased his/her Mac Mini directly from Amazon so they’ll quickly correct the problem.

This is EXACTLY the reason why 3rd party sellers are no longer allowed to sell new Apple products unless they are an Authorized Apple reseller.

The OP has nothing to worry about other than an inconvenience.

 

[LeeW]

I have had similar issues. In my case it is USB-C to HDMI. Sometimes the only way to get one monitor to work is to unplug from the USB-C port and plug back in, then it works. Not sure if this is entirely down to the cable.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

If you mean in your original post that the display "goes off" during the boot (progress bar), and then comes back on... well... "they [just about] all do that".

The "black screen at boot" is a common and as-yet-unresolved problem on many Minis (perhaps all of them?). The Mini disconnects from the display momentarily, and then it's up-in-the-air as to whether it will automatically reconnect, or -- you'll have to physically disconnect the display cable, and then plug it back in.

The problem can be dealt with by using the right connecting cable.
BUT... there's no way to ascertain which cable is "right" except by trying them.

I was having the "black boot problem" using an [older] HDMI-HDMI cable.
When I tried an HDMI (Mini) to DVI (display) cable, it "half-fixed" the problem.
Now, at boot, the screen will ALWAYS "go black" for a moment, but then it will ALWAYS come back.
I just accept that.
(I'm wondering if using a "4k, high speed" HDMI cable would do better, but haven't tried one)

However, a friend could not. He tried it, got frustrated, and sent it back (he went back to his 2012 Mini for now).

 

[steve333]

It just comes on and off, black, nothing, black , nothing. If I unplug the HDMI cable from the Mini and plug it back in it works.
I've searched google and seems the latest update from Mojave caused this to happen to some people but I see this happening going back to 2018. So, is it a software issue? Compatibility issue with Mojave?
The question is why didn't Apple fix it if it's a software thing. Also, some said they switched from a DVI to HDMI cable to a DVI to USB-C cable and it now works. So I'd have to order yet another cable and would lose one USB-C port
Not sure if I should buy a Mini from Apple and see if it goes away but if it's a software issue that would do nothing and I would have wasted $100 buying it from Apple.
Ugh

 

[MacUser2525]

Not sure if I should buy a Mini from Apple and see if it goes away but if it's a software issue that would do nothing and I would have wasted $100 buying it from Apple.
Ugh

I would think some of the people reporting the problem you mention have bought from apple directly. Apple does not give defective hardware to their partners to sell off and keep the good for themselves to sell. You will get the machine as manufactured from any retailer that sells it with all the problems they have, if any, no matter the source of purchase.

 

[steve333]

I called Apple support and they tried a few things then had me re-install the OS. problem still exists, he told me to return the Mini.
Out of curiosity I checked the RAM usage and with nothing open it said I was using 4.35Gb RAM. With only Safari open it said I was using 5Gb RAM. Is this normal? I mentioned it to the Support guy and he said it didn't sound right and that the re-install may fix this. It didn't.
So, is 8Gb RAM really enough or should I get 16Gb after I return this one?

 

[MacUser2525]

I called Apple support and they tried a few things then had me re-install the OS. problem still exists, he told me to return the Mini.
Out of curiosity I checked the RAM usage and with nothing open it said I was using 4.35Gb RAM. With only Safari open it said I was using 5Gb RAM. Is this normal? I mentioned it to the Support guy and he said it didn't sound right and that the re-install may fix this. It didn't.
So, is 8Gb RAM really enough or should I get 16Gb after I return this one?

Sounds reasonable mine is 1.56GB with many tabs open running about 5 days since last rebooted. More ram is always better with a low amount starting. The way Apple does it with their machines is just plain disgusting. 8gb is better than the 4 they used to do but the upgrade pricing is a total theft of your money. No other way to put it when they are one of the largest corporation on the planet, but cannot have a market normal price for upgrades that anyone can get anywhere else for it when buying singles. Apple buys hundreds of thousands of units and can be price competitive but do not do that.

 

[steve333]

Yours is less than 2Gb being used so why is mine so high? Almost 6Gb with 3 tabs open

 

[MacUser2525]

Yours is less than 2Gb being used so why is mine so high? Almost 6Gb with 3 tabs open

Because you only use .65gb a matter of simple math. You use 4.35 at startup then when safari is in use 5, 5-4.35=.65 when I went to school. My total usage at this moment is ~27.6gb with 4.5gb of that for a cache. Firefox holding the lead a 7gb and chrome a distant second at 5gb safari in fifth.

Edit: Now I think about it the need for more ram can be easily determined. If you are using iStat menus the in the memory section you will see a page in, page outs. Use your computer for the normal amount of time you do without a reboot and check these. Mine right now says 8+ million in, 50 thousand out. This gives you the amount of times that memory has been swapped to the disk in the out count. The in is the amount of times it has been loaded in, when you have a high ratio of outs to in, then you need more memory. When you have the huge advantage like I have then I have more than enough memory and could probably gone with 16gb instead of the 32gb I did.

 

[steve333]

I don't see that stat in activity monitor. The big question is why is it using so much RAM with just the OS? And if adding safari and a couple of tabs makes it close to 6Gb what if Firefox, apple works or whatever they call it is open plus a video?
Will the 8Bg RAM be tapped out? It really shouldn't be, should it?

It says app memory 3.32 Gb, wired memory 1.58Gb, compressed 814 Mb.
OK, I was able to access the stats and it doesn't say anything next to match message in and match messages out. pages in is 687
Real memory size 51Mb, virtual memory size 4.23Gb, shared memory size 31Mb, private memory size 11Mb

 

[MacUser2525]

I don't see that stat in activity monitor. The big question is why is it using so much RAM with just the OS? And if adding safari and a couple of tabs makes it close to 6Gb what if Firefox, apple works or whatever they call it is open plus a video?
Will the 8Bg RAM be tapped out? It really shouldn't be, should it?

It says app memory 3.32 Gb, wired memory 1.58Gb, compressed 814 Mb.
OK, I was able to access the stats and it doesn't say anything next to match message in and match messages out. pages in is 687
Real memory size 51Mb, virtual memory size 4.23Gb, shared memory size 31Mb, private memory size 11Mb

You can get it from the Terminal program on the command line, it is located in the Utilities folder. Once opened use these commands.

MacUser2525:~$ vm_stat | grep Pageins

Pageins:                                8858969.

MacUser2525:~$ vm_stat | grep Pageouts

Pageouts:                                 51741.

The amount of ram you have should be sufficient as you say but todays operating system are very bloated with unnecessary junk everywhere. Apple is no exception to this trend you probably do need the 16gb to have it run better and not swap to disk. You will never know if you do not check first.

 

[steve333]

Yeah, I figure since I have to return this Mini to Amazon I may as well order another one with 16Gb RAM just to be safe. That was my original idea until Amazon took $100 off the Mini with the i5 chip and I read an article that said 8Gb RAM should be enough. Glad I checked before returning it.
I have until September 20th to return it so I'll order the new one tonight, wonder how long it will take since I will request the added RAM.
If the new machine does it as well than I will have to assume there is a software issue. My monitor should be HDCP compliant since it has a DVI port. Then perhaps a DVI to USB-C Cable will solve the issue and bypass the HDMI port all together.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"The big question is why is it using so much RAM with just the OS?"

This may be because of a change (which started with Mavericks) in "how memory is handled" by the Mac OS.

PRIOR TO Mavericks (Mountain Lion and earlier), the OS "loaded" ONLY as much RAM as it needed to handle all the open apps and processes. Unused RAM was "left free".

WITH Mavericks AND LATER, the OS now loads ALL the available memory into RAM, and then manages things that way. The RAM is "in use" by the OS whether you have only a few or many apps running. This is also why (with Mavericks and later) platter-based drives are sluggish -- because VM can be more active, as well.

I welcome correction from others with more knowledge as to just how Apple's "new paradigm" in regard to RAM handling works.

AGAIN -- re the black screen -- the "key" here to having a Mini that gets booted without much trouble (vis-a-vis one that HAS problems getting to the login screen) seems to have a lot to do with THE CONNECTING CABLE you have. Two cables -- that would otherwise appear to be "the same" -- may produce different results.

What inputs does your display have?
If it has DVI, you could try an HDMI to DVI cable.
You could try a "high speed" HDMI 2.0 cable (if you're not already using one).
If the display has displayport or minidisplayport, you could try a USBc to displayport cable.

I think if Apple actually knew "what the problem is", they would have issued a fix for it by now.

I'm thinking that it has something to do with the integrated "Intel UHD 630 graphics" and something "deep down" as to how that interacts with the Mac OS video drivers. But I could be wrong.

 

[steve333]

My monitor has a DVI and RGB input, no display port.
I originally bought a DVI to HDMI cable from Best Buy.
Then I ordered the same type of cable from Amazon (Cable Matters). Same issue.
The only other option would be the DVI to USB-C Cable.
Strange that Apple couldn't find a fix since this is going back to when Mojave came out. Also strange is that Catalina beta testers said it fixed the issue. So why isn't Apple sending out a fix to Mojave users?
Never had an issue like this with a brand new Mac so it's a little frustrating, OK a lot frustrating. The only good thing is that now I know I probably need to upgrade to 16Mg. RAM and the current computer is still useable, I just have to unplug and plug back in the cable.

 

[steve333]

Tried an Apple DVI to HDMI adapter with my DVI cable and same issue.
DVI to USB-C cable only other option but not a happy camper right now

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Also strange is that Catalina beta testers said it fixed the issue. So why isn't Apple sending out a fix to Mojave users?"

My 2018 Mini behaves exactly the same running the Catalina beta as it does running Mojave.

That is:
The screen ALWAYS "goes black" during bootup.
But on mine, it ALWAYS "comes back alive".

I'm using an HDMI (Mini) to DVI (display) connecting cable.

Actually, I recall that I was getting a "black screen at boot" with my OLD (2012) Mini, running both High Sierra and Mojave, as well. Seemed odd at the time, but again ... it always "came back", so I accepted it as part of [what seemed to be] a "new bootup process".

I'm beginning to think that THE DISPLAY itself (the particular make & model) has something to do with this.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried turning on the Mac Mini first then waiting 10-15 secs for the Mini to arrive at the desktop, then turn on the display? I have an HDMI handshake issue with my Lenovo ThinkCentre where I have to turn on the PC first followed by the HDTV or else I get no video 50% of the time. My handshake routine on startup gets me video 100% of the time.

 

[steve333]

The monitor works fine with the older Mini, if it has a DVI port there is no reason why it shouldn't work.
I tried turning on the Mini first then the monitor but same issue, have to unplug then plug back in the HDMI port plug.
I wouldn't mind if it went black then worked, problem is it just flashes as if it's trying to find the signal and the picture never comes on unless I unplug and re-plug it.
My question is if I use a DVI to USB-C cable does something get lost in the connection? I always thought the HDMI or VGA or whatever port on the computer is where the graphics card is so does using the USB-C port work as well as the HDMI port?

 

[MacUser2525]

I'm beginning to think that THE DISPLAY itself (the particular make & model) has something to do with this.

Certainly possible the computer I write this on when I built it early this year and was testing my three monitor setup, the monitor I have beside me if I had it connected to the machine with a display port cable, I think it was, the computer would not boot. Never seen anything like it, a monitor connected to a computer prevents it from booting...
[doublepost=1567206027][/doublepost]

My question is if I use a DVI to USB-C cable does something get lost in the connection? I always thought the HDMI or VGA or whatever port on the computer is where the graphics card is so does using the USB-C port work as well as the HDMI port?

You mean the thunderbolt port, it does video over the cable, it is like a mini display port if my memory serves me well.

 

[steve333]

Certainly possible the computer I write this on when I built it early this year and was testing my three monitor setup, the monitor I have beside me if I had it connected to the machine with a display port cable, I think it was, the computer would not boot. Never seen anything like it, a monitor connected to a computer prevents it from booting...
[doublepost=1567206027][/doublepost]

You mean the thunderbolt port, it does video over the cable, it is like a mini display port if my memory serves me well.

OK, then that's good. Interesting how there are 2 ports you can connect the monitor to, maybe that's why Apple wasn't too concerned about the HDMI port being wonky.
Still going to return the Mini without even trying that cable. Going to go for the 16Mb RAM, then get a DVI to USB-C cable and just forget about the freaking HDMI.
I wonder if Apple ever has Labor Day sales

 

[steve333]

Bought a DVI to USB-C cable. It works if I turn the computer on first then the monitor.
Waiting for my new Mini to arrive. Bought the i3 model with 16Mb RAM.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

No issues with a brand new i5 base Mini via HDMI. I have it connected to a Samsung 40" HDTV. It booted up fine, the screen stayed on and I did not have to disconnect the HDMI cable.

 

[steve333]

Is it hooked up to an HDMI port on the TV? The issue is when it's hooked up to a DVI port on the monitor