Q: 10.9 (Mavericks) External Display Problem

I updated to Mavericks after which my second monitor, an HP, started acting weirdly: it would show an okay image, but after a while it breaks into unintelligible rectangles, like a Cubist painting on acid. Sometimes if I turn it off and on the regular image comes back; sometimes not. My primary monitor is connected through the regular output; the secondary through the Mac Mini output. I'm using a Mac Pro. Everything worked pefectly in the previous version. I tried shifting cables: inputting from the Mini to the secondary's HDMI rather than VMS input, but that seems to have made no difference. Anyone have a fix?

Months ago I wrote a post about my second monitor losing the right resolution many times a day.

I recently noticed that it only happens when the monitor restarts after Energy Saver off.

If I disable the Energy Saver the issue never happens.

I will write to the Apple feedback.

Thanks. I just turned ES off. We'll see what happens.

I have where my monitor connected via HDMI port boots to a black screen randomly on reboot and startup, it's as if it's not receiving signal although the monitor is powered on.

The only pain in the *** workaround I've found was powercycling the monitor (unplugging/re-plugging) as the power button is locked and doesn't function when it's in this state.

Anyone else come across this or have a fix?

After many days I confirm that, in my case, the second monitor issue is solved if I turn OFF the Energy Saver in the System Preferences, but also if I set the same time for computer and monitor stop (default settings).

Previously I had the monitors stop at 5 minutes and the computer stop at 15 minutes, and many times a day the second monitor (connected with an Apple MiniDVI-VGA adapter) lost the right resolution.

Big thank you for this tip!  I was having the same problem and it was making me crazy.

Just tried my VGA cable and thunderbolt adapter on my 2011 MBA after not being able to use it becuase of this problem.  I hit and held down alt (not sure if I had to hold it but I did) and clicked scaled.  BAM, 1920x1080 popped up.  Thank you!

I thought that a mavericks update had fixed this bug, but it turns out I was doing what diegotrystero above was doing. That is, I had computer sleep and display sleep both set to 1 hr 13 min in energy saver.

At first I thought I was avoiding the bug by not letting my screen go black.

Then, the problem went away for so long that I thought Apple had fixed it.

I did experience this display weirdness the other day. It happened while switching profiles. Besides that, the problem does not reoccur.

Many thanks, Diego, for tracking down the cause & solution while Apple has not.

I also have this weird issue with an external monitor connected, so far only after stand-by mode, when I wake up the system on my MBP 15" mid 2010 with Mavericks 10.9.2, both screens go to 800x600 resolution. This issue hasn't been on earlier versions.

Unfortunately I have this same problem but the solutions recommended thus far don't help (plugging in monitor while on, using "Detect Displays," pressing the "Alt" button...).

I have a Philips HD monitor / TV that shows up as "PHI42PFL3605" and since the upgrade I can't get back to 1920x1080, which I was very happy with.

Alt doesn't help me.  It does display additional resolutions but they're all 1680x1050 or lower. 

I now use the 1080p HD display option, which is serviceable but not as good as the old 1920x1080.

Apple - please fix this soon!!  I don't understand why when updating the OS the development team would take away functionality (essential functionality) that's already there.  "If it ain't broke don't fix it."  But then again I'm not a computer programmer so it's probably easier than I think to make a mistake that doesn't get caught in testing.

I have a ViewSonic VS10859 that worked up until Mavricks.  After 5 hours with and $20 with Apple Support, complete OS reinstall, PRAM reset, a DisplayPort to VGA and 2 new DP to HDMI and DVI adaptors... the holding ALT thing is the only thing that I got to get the second monitor back up.  Fix this Apple!!! and refund me my $20 for support that didn't help...

Here is a summary of my reasearch concerning problems under Maverics with setting proper resolution for 2560x1440 monitors when they are rotated to the PORTRAIT position (pivot 90 deg).

My MacBookAir 4,2 (13'' mid-2011), after updating to Maverics in December 2013, stopped to work properly with my two external 2560x1440px monitors:

– Dell U2713HM

– HP ZR2740w

when they are rotated into Portrait position. In Lanscape it works fine. In Portrait it cannot set right resolution.

Apple support, after 3,5 months of contacts, is still unable to help or even diagnose what is wrong. Update to Maverics 10.9.,2 did not help, of course. (The most fanny advice I got so far was to contact monitor manufacturer for a monitor firmware update).

Additional info that may be relevant:

In all my test described below I use the same miniDisplayPort-to-diplsayPort cable.

At the moment when I updated from Lion 10.7.5 (under which my monitors worked fine in Portrait) to Maverics, one more update was installed. It was Thunderbolt 1.1 update. So I cannot say, whether responsibility goes to Maverics or to Thuderbolt update.

My research:

So far I have tested with OS X 10.9.2 (SUCCESS – getting 1440x2560px in rotated mode; FAILURE - getting only lower resolutions):

– 3 MacBookAIr4,2 (13'' mid-2011) – FAILURE (all 3)

– 1 MacBookAir6,2 (13'' mid-2013) – SUCCESS

– 1 MacBookAir6,1 (13'' mid-2013) – SUCCESS

– 1 MacBookPro8,1 (13'' early-2011 or late-2011) - FAILURE

– 1 MacBookPro8,2 (15'' early-2011 or late-2011) - SUCCESS.

I also booted OS X 10.9.2 from an external disk connected (with the same cable and monitor):

– to my MacBookAir  – FAILURE

and then

– to MacMini - SUCCESS.

It is apparent that the models which have problems with finding proper resolution in Portrait position are older models with older graphics cards and possibly some other older hardware. The most striking is that they worked okay before updating to Mavericks (well, to be honest, with OS X 10.7.5 I tested only my MacBookAir and it worked fine in Portrait for 1,5 year).

My questions:

1. Could the Thunderbolt update be the source of problems? Could it be undone?

2. Is it possible to use some drivers from 10.7.5 or 10.8.5 to get right resolution in 10.9.2?

Posting an update to my issue: After putting the MacBook into sleep mode, I turned the secondary monitor off. After powering on the MB the issue arises. When I leave the monitor on (in low-power mode), or activate it before I power the MacBook on, the issue seems to be gone. But I'll keep testing to be absolutely sure.

I'm having this problem ever since I upgraded to Mavericks. I've been using a multiple display for years and this is so disappointing. My display looks faded and no matter what settings I change nothing is affected by my system preferences. Even when I used my Acer montior's settings it's nowhere as nice as it was in 10.7.5. I wish I'd known this in advance, I never would've upgraded my system. Please fix this Apple!

Thanks G Webb saved my bacon with your trick!