cazmn01

Q: HDMI display issues after 10.8.2

Hi,

 

I just updated my Macbook Pro Retina to OSX 10.8.2.  I often use my hdtv as an external display, that is, until after updating.  Now whenever I connect my mbp to the tv via hdmi, the screen goes black and nothing but a cursor appears.  The cable is fine, tried multiple cables, multple comps, none of the system preferences have been changed.  Literally happened just after restarting with the update.  Help?

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Sep 19, 2012 4:54 PM

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Q: HDMI display issues after 10.8.2

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  • by jbcortes,

    jbcortes jbcortes Sep 24, 2012 11:08 PM in response to KenV54
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 24, 2012 11:08 PM in response to KenV54

    YES!

    Brilliant, worked for me too. The files had to be found manually though as the search engine wasn't working for some reason.

    Thanks for sharing this brilliant tip!

    JB

  • by willviles,

    willviles willviles Sep 25, 2012 9:22 AM in response to KenV54
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 9:22 AM in response to KenV54

    You're a wonderful man KenV54. This has sorted out the problem.

     

    I don't really understand what preferences I just deleted and whether it could have any side effects for the functionality of anything else on the system, but I suggest if anyone finds any issues - post them here!

  • by Juhaz,

    Juhaz Juhaz Sep 25, 2012 10:12 AM in response to KenV54
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 10:12 AM in response to KenV54

    Hi KenV54

    I have MBP 17-inch mid 2010. I did what you told but with no luck. There are similar name of files which ends .lockfile (com.apple.windowserver.plis.lockfile). should I delete also those?

  • by willviles,

    willviles willviles Sep 25, 2012 10:21 AM in response to Juhaz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 10:21 AM in response to Juhaz

    I did - it's working on mine.

  • by qazokm1,

    qazokm1 qazokm1 Sep 25, 2012 10:26 AM in response to cazmn01
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 10:26 AM in response to cazmn01

    Mine is working now...

     

    I just hope that deleting those files didn't create other issues!

  • by KenV54,

    KenV54 KenV54 Sep 25, 2012 10:45 AM in response to qazokm1
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 10:45 AM in response to qazokm1

    This is a composite reply.

     

    Juhaz and qazokm1, a disclaimer: I don't know anything more than what I have posted, and all of that came from the Apple Support people. I am just an end user like you, with a few years experience with Macs.

     

    Juhaz--are you sure you got all the com.apple.windowserver.xxxx.plist.xxx files out, including from the ByHost directory under /youruser/library/preferences/ByHost? You have to go to all these directories and can't just do a search in Finder or Spotlight. But maybe there's something else going on with your MBP 17-inch 2010. If you still have AppleCare, you might have to call them. They should have something about this issue in their database by now.

     

    Again, my understanding is that you can delete any plist file you want and nothing bad will happen. These files are created every time a new process is run, and changed as necessary, and don't even exist before that process is run for the first time. They are sort of like a cache memory for processes, and deleting them may mean, at most, that you will be asked to set up preferences in some processes the next time they are run. For example, if you deletd the plist files for your wi-fi, your wifi would still work, but you might not have a list of the various previously used wifi networks and would have to set them up again. It would cost you some time but nothing else. In any case, you can hold onto the plist files in Trash and put them back again if you want to do so.

  • by Juhaz,

    Juhaz Juhaz Sep 25, 2012 11:11 AM in response to KenV54
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 11:11 AM in response to KenV54

    Hi,

    I just deleted also those .lock files. With no luck. I might have some other problem.

  • by Ba55Man,

    Ba55Man Ba55Man Sep 25, 2012 12:12 PM in response to Juhaz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 12:12 PM in response to Juhaz

    I deleted those files on my mid-2010 MBP and where before it would at least attempt to switch graphics modes (and fail), now the machine won't even attempt to switch graphics modes when I plug in the external monitor adapter. 

     

    Fail. 

     

    C'mon, Apple, this is nuts.

  • by KenV54,

    KenV54 KenV54 Sep 25, 2012 12:31 PM in response to Ba55Man
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 12:31 PM in response to Ba55Man

    Ba55Man, since you don't have a Retina MBP, things must be different. I'll pass your experience along to the tech guy who's been in contact ith the engineers.

     

    It /is/ nuts that Apple didn't pick up this bug beforehand.

  • by Eddienet,

    Eddienet Eddienet Sep 25, 2012 1:25 PM in response to KenV54
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 1:25 PM in response to KenV54

    ByHost directory, find com.apple.windowserver.OE35739etc,etcxxxxxxxxxxx.plist

     

    I have an differant number but it says windowserver... should I delete this Ken, I dont see that number u have posted, letter and number

  • by KenV54,

    KenV54 KenV54 Sep 25, 2012 1:36 PM in response to Eddienet
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 1:36 PM in response to Eddienet

    Sorry--the windowserver plist file(s) in the ByHost directory have all sorts of different numbers--not important--just delete them all. That applies to these plist files wherever you find them.

  • by Eddienet,

    Eddienet Eddienet Sep 25, 2012 3:03 PM in response to KenV54
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 25, 2012 3:03 PM in response to KenV54

    Ty alot Ken for posting this, it works now, tumbs up for u and thumbs down for apple who havent noticed such a big issue

  • by Lucas84,

    Lucas84 Lucas84 Sep 26, 2012 10:48 AM in response to cazmn01
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 26, 2012 10:48 AM in response to cazmn01

    I have a MBP 13', Mid 2009, 10.8.2, that I connect to a Samsung 27', S27B350 via a DVI-to-HDMI-adaptor. Same problem.

     

    My setup worked fine until last week, then the Samsung went black. The symptoms are exactly like described here. Neither PRAM-Reset nor deleting the plist-files worked.

     

    The monitor works if I connect it via VGA-Cable, so I can rule out a hardware issue with either my Mac or the Samsung.

     

    Strangely, the issue occured before I updated to 10.8.2 and persisted after I did the update (hoping that it woluld solve the problem).

     

    Any help would be much appreciated – hopefully Apple finds a fix for this quickly, also for the older models that are non-retina...

  • by KenV54,

    KenV54 KenV54 Sep 26, 2012 11:25 AM in response to Lucas84
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 26, 2012 11:25 AM in response to Lucas84

    Lucas 84 and anyone else following this thread:

     

    I have no further suggestions to offer, and I don't think Apple is going to be looking for fixes to problems of which they are unaware.

     

    Even if Apple silently follows these threads, remember that the original Retina issue was solved only by my working with their higher level tech support, sending them several data capture files from my Retina MacBook Pro, and having Apple find in those files that the windowserver plist file was being called up when the HDMI cable was attached. That was the answer for my computer and my problem, and for a few other users, as well, but it isn't necessarily a universal solution.

     

    In other words, problems like these cannot be solved in a vacuum. You will have to call Apple support, perhaps pay for it if you don't have AppleCare, unfair as that may be considering that it's their problem, get the support escalated if necessary, and work with Apple until the problem is solved.

  • by leo92,

    leo92 leo92 Sep 26, 2012 10:27 PM in response to cazmn01
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 26, 2012 10:27 PM in response to cazmn01

    Excuse me- I'm an absolute beginner on Mac.

    I have the MacBook with Retina Display and my HDMI doesn't work since the update.

     

    I put com.apple.windowserver.plist into the trash but I can't find the other file.

    Can you explain it to a real beginner?

     

    That would be really fine

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