MacBook Pro display doesn't turn on when HDMI is plugged in on cold boot

[zambz]

Hey guys

I bought a shiny new MacBook Pro about 6 weeks ago with 16 GB of RAM, i7 processor, 512 GB flash storage and the dedicated ATI graphics. I absolutely love the thing to bits but one particular issue has been bugging me.

I have my BenQ 27" display plugged in via HDMI and leave it connected as I don't tend to disconnect the MacBook Pro from my desk at the moment. When I cold boot into OS X, my MacBook Pro display stays off and the BenQ display turns on. The only way to get the MacBook Pro display to turn on is to either use "Detect Displays" or close and re-open the lid. If I reboot the machine while it's on, everything works perfectly fine. But as soon as I power it down again and then turn it on, the same issue occurs.

Here's a video demonstration:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJLgLsrE1H-NXBfLXoyYXkxSnc/view?usp=sharing

I've rang Apple support multiple times on this and it's currently escalated to engineering and I've been waiting for over a week for a reply. I've chased it up around 3 times so far and getting a little frustrated with it all as I'm told that this is not expected behaviour and that they have never heard of this problem.

I would really appreciate any ideas or advice, do you think my MacBook Pro is faulty?

Thanks so much in advance!
zambz

 

[snaky69]

That is indeed odd behaviour.

I'd put it on sleep and stop shutting it off (why do you power it off anyway?) to circumvent your problem.

 

[zambz]

That is indeed odd behaviour.

I'd put it on sleep and stop shutting it off (why do you power it off anyway?) to circumvent your problem.

Thanks so much for your reply. I tend to shut it down out of habit (ex-PC user, hehe) and the fact that the SSD boots up in less than 5 seconds anyway. However, I did try using Sleep and that did seem to wake up both displays so it's not a bad workaround.

Can anyone replicate this same problem though? Should I be asking for a replacement or is it perhaps a hardware flaw?

Thanks again guys!
zambz

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Thanks so much for your reply. I tend to shut it down out of habit (ex-PC user, hehe) and the fact that the SSD boots up in less than 5 seconds anyway. However, I did try using Sleep and that did seem to wake up both displays so it's not a bad workaround.

Can anyone replicate this same problem though? Should I be asking for a replacement or is it perhaps a hardware flaw?

Thanks again guys!
zambz

Just remove the hdmi from your laptop when booting from cold then plug it in after it's booted. It's hardly going to ruin your life. You may also want to take a look at the settings for screens etc you may have something ticked that causes this.

 

[zambz]

Just remove the hdmi from your laptop when booting from cold then plug it in after it's booted. It's hardly going to ruin your life. You may also want to take a look at the settings for screens etc you may have something ticked that causes this.

Thanks, and agreed, it's not a huge deal per se, but I want to ensure that it's not a hardware fault which is why I posted here Has anyone experienced the same issue? Is this considered "normal" behaviour on the current MacBook Pros? Will a Mini DisplayPort adaptor overcome this problem?

I can unplug and re-plug the HDMI cable upon powering on the machine as a workaround too and that will indeed work, but I shouldn't really have to do that on a $3500 (AU) machine just to have both displays working

Has anyone experienced this problem? Can anyone replicate it with their system?

 

[snaky69]

Thanks, and agreed, it's not a huge deal per se, but I want to ensure that it's not a hardware fault which is why I posted here Has anyone experienced the same issue? Is this considered "normal" behaviour on the current MacBook Pros? Will a Mini DisplayPort adaptor overcome this problem?

I can unplug and re-plug the HDMI cable upon powering on the machine as a workaround too and that will indeed work, but I shouldn't really have to do that on a $3500 (AU) machine just to have both displays working

Has anyone experienced this problem? Can anyone replicate it with their system?

My 2012 machine does not do this, if that is any help.

I don't think it's necessarily a hardware fault. Could just be a checkbox somewhere in either device's setup that's not right.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

My 2012 machine does not do this, if that is any help.

I don't think it's necessarily a hardware fault. Could just be a checkbox somewhere in either device's setup that's not right.

Yep that would be my guess too. It is almost certainly nothing hardware related, it could also just be a certain incompatability between OSX and the monitor firmware.

 

[RedOctober]

Hi OP, I happened to find your thread, I'm encountering the same issue as well with my wife's 2015 15" MBPr, same specs as yours. Only difference is that I'm using a miniDP to DVI adaptor to connect to the external monitor.

I'm going to do a PRAM and SMC reset later tonight and see how it goes, but I have a suspicion it could be that the macbook thinks it's in clamshell mode even when the LCD is open, so it only fires up the external monitor.

Hope you get a response from Apple, I would love to hear what the geniuses have to say about this.

BTW, did you set the primary display to be the LCD or external monitor? I think you can set it by moving the white bar as per this instruction:

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT202351

The white bar at the top of the left blue box represents the menu bar you see at the top of your display. Menu bar placement determines which display is treated as the primary display in OS X. To change your primary display, click and drag the white bar from one blue box to another.

 

[SkimMilk168]

I know this doesn't sound right, but can you test with a different hdmi cable?

 

[RedOctober]

No joy with PRAM and SMC reset. Will wait to see Apple's response if any.

 

[zambz]

Hi OP, I happened to find your thread, I'm encountering the same issue as well with my wife's 2015 15" MBPr, same specs as yours. Only difference is that I'm using a miniDP to DVI adaptor to connect to the external monitor.

I'm going to do a PRAM and SMC reset later tonight and see how it goes, but I have a suspicion it could be that the macbook thinks it's in clamshell mode even when the LCD is open, so it only fires up the external monitor.

Hope you get a response from Apple, I would love to hear what the geniuses have to say about this.

BTW, did you set the primary display to be the LCD or external monitor? I think you can set it by moving the white bar as per this instruction:

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT202351

The white bar at the top of the left blue box represents the menu bar you see at the top of your display. Menu bar placement determines which display is treated as the primary display in OS X. To change your primary display, click and drag the white bar from one blue box to another.

Really sorry for the late reply. I'm sorry to hear you're having the same drama. I had hope that Mini DP would fix the problem but it seems that it's a video card thing or similar.

The issue occurs way before OS X loads and also occurs in boot camp on Windows so I highly doubt it's an OS X setting.

But for what it's worth, yep, I've tried changing primary displays, did it several times on my own and with Apple too.

 

[zambz]

I know this doesn't sound right, but can you test with a different hdmi cable?

Appreciate your reply. Yeah, I've tried multiple cables and even multiple external displays with the same result unfortunately.

No joy with PRAM and SMC reset. Will wait to see Apple's response if any.

Yeah, Apple have made me do this many times and it never helps.

The best solution I've found so far is putting the laptop to sleep instead of shutting it down completely which seems to work correctly. Can you try that also and let me know how it goes?

 

[RedOctober]

The best solution I've found so far is putting the laptop to sleep instead of shutting it down completely which seems to work correctly. Can you try that also and let me know how it goes?

Yep, putting it to sleep will fire up both monitors. Looks like we both have the same issue. FWIW, I purchased mine in June, hope it's not a dodgy batch :-(

 

[zambz]

Yep, putting it to sleep will fire up both monitors. Looks like we both have the same issue. FWIW, I purchased mine in June, hope it's not a dodgy batch :-(

Yeah, I'm glad to at least have found one person who shares the problem Do you have any ability to test your HDMI port also? Sadly I don't have a Mini DP cable to try that myself.

Oh and yep, I bought mine around the same time as you, I think it was late July.

 

[RedOctober]

Yeah, I'm glad to at least have found one person who shares the problem Do you have any ability to test your HDMI port also? Sadly I don't have a Mini DP cable to try that myself.

Oh and yep, I bought mine around the same time as you, I think it was late July.

I'll give it a go tonight with a HDMI cable, will report back.

 

[zambz]

I'll give it a go tonight with a HDMI cable, will report back.

Thanks a lot, I'm going to chase up Apple again now. I'll keep you posted on any progress I make

 

[RedOctober]

Ok, tested it with the HDMI, no joy, still the same issue

Hope you have better news from Apple, zambz

 

[zambz]

Ok, tested it with the HDMI, no joy, still the same issue

Hope you have better news from Apple, zambz

Thanks so much for confirming. I bugged Apple today and was told they are still "waiting on engineering" I'll post any updates I get here. If you could do the same, that would be fantastic.

Pretty nasty product flaw right there.

I do have a potential workaround if you're interested which will automatically run Detect Displays when you first login. You can find an Applescript for it http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12640643/applescript-to-run-detect-displays and I guess we could set it up to run on login to avoid this problem.

Not the greatest solution though

 

[RedOctober]

I do have a potential workaround if you're interested which will automatically run Detect Displays when you first login. You can find an Applescript for it http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12640643/applescript-to-run-detect-displays and I guess we could set it up to run on login to avoid this problem.

Not the greatest solution though

Thanks mate.

I'm going to try one more thing one day when I'm free - go into the Apple store with the macbook and plug it into one of their apple displays and see if that happens

 

[zambz]

Thanks mate.

I'm going to try one more thing one day when I'm free - go into the Apple store with the macbook and plug it into one of their apple displays and see if that happens

I was thinking that too, but sadly all the Apple stores are at least 30 mins away and I don't drive.

If you pop into an Apple store, it would also be great to try another MacBook Pro (off the shelf) with a HDMI or Midi DP cable plugged into a regular screen (if they have one). Are all MBPs of this generation plagued with this problem or is it just one bad batch. If we can confirm that this is "by design", then personally I'll live with it and just continue to use Sleep instead of Shut Down.

P.S.: I'm an Aussie also

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I was thinking that too, but sadly all the Apple stores are at least 30 mins away and I don't drive.

If you pop into an Apple store, it would also be great to try another MacBook Pro (off the shelf) with a HDMI or Midi DP cable plugged into a regular screen (if they have one). Are all MBPs of this generation plagued with this problem or is it just one bad batch. If we can confirm that this is "by design", then personally I'll live with it and just continue to use Sleep instead of Shut Down.

P.S.: I'm an Aussie also

It's a software/Firmware compatability issue between the computer and the specific monitor you have bought(and may even be a setting issue on the monitor). You can't expect Apple to provide perfect compatability for whatever rubbish chinese monitor you decide to buy, this is not a design flaw....

More importantly is it really that much of an issue to close and open the lid after booting up, really??? If it is then your life must be an enviously easy one....

Sorry for the rant but the entitlement and pedantry on these forums is irritating me today and yours is the most trivial thing erroneously attributed to apple I have ever seen...

 

[zambz]

It's a software/Firmware compatability issue between the computer and the specific monitor you have bought(and may even be a setting issue on the monitor). You can't expect Apple to provide perfect compatability for whatever rubbish chinese monitor you decide to buy, this is not a design flaw....

More importantly is it really that much of an issue to close and open the lid after booting up, really??? If it is then your life must be an enviously easy one....

Sorry for the rant but the entitlement and pedantry on these forums is irritating me today and yours is the most trivial thing erroneously attributed to apple I have ever seen...

Clearly you have your own bone to pick in life, but please don't direct your anger at us. I think your post comes off unnecessarily rude, and worst of all, it's not helpful either.

I have tested this with two different monitors (a BenQ and Samusng) which work perfectly with my PC, this has nothing to do with compatibility between the MacBook Pro and my particular (rubbish chinese) monitors.

Secondly, no, it's not such an important issue in my life. But, I simply want to know if this is a hardware issue that warrants a replacement of the entire MacBook Pro or is a flaw of the current model's design. I worked hard to earn the many thousands of dollars I spent to buy my MacBook Pro and have every right to expect it to work as well as the cheap Toshiba laptop I use at work.

 

[zambz]

Hey guys, got some good and bad news. I got a call back from Apple today. Their engineers have been able to successfully reproduce this problem and it affects the current generation of MacBook Pros. It's apparently likely related to the graphics card.

I've been advised that a fix may be made available in a software update in the future that repairs it.

 

[RedOctober]

Hey guys, got some good and bad news. I got a call back from Apple today. Their engineers have been able to successfully reproduce this problem and it affects the current generation of MacBook Pros. It's apparently likely related to the graphics card.

I've been advised that a fix may be made available in a software update in the future that repairs it.

Good job, thanks, mate! Looks like the fix will be in 10.11 El Capitan then.

 

[zambz]

Good job, thanks, mate! Looks like the fix will be in 10.11 El Capitan then.

Hopefully mate, I'm hoping they can fix this with a software update as it seems like more of a hardware thing. It would more likely be a workaround or a firmware update I presume as this affects Windows on boot camp too