TheCrustyOne
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Q: Cannot get signal to monitor - No DVI Signal

Ok, I am ready to go off the deep end.  I am getting a "No DVI Signal" to my monitor and cannot solve the issue.

 

Mac Pro, 2009

Snow Leopard

Asus 248-p Monitor

 

I have tried doing a fresh install to Snow Leopard to my hard drive - This didn't work.  Note I can boot this hard-drive thru my mac mini, so don't think thats the issue.

I have another PC (Windows) that can use the Monitor, no problem (so don't think thats the issue)

I have cleaned off the memory. That didn't work.

I have changed the cables.  That didn't work.

 

Any other suggestions?

PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Jun 27, 2015 10:53 AM

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TheCrustyOne

Q: Cannot get signal to monitor - No DVI Signal

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  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Jun 27, 2015 11:29 AM in response to TheCrustyOne
    Level 9 (66,776 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jun 27, 2015 11:29 AM in response to TheCrustyOne

    Mac Pros are not PowerMacs.  And PowerMacs are not from 2009 and PowerMacs don't run Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6).  So let's get our facts straight so the advice can be concise.   Please use this article to verify what you have:

     

    Do I have a Power Mac?


    Not that it really matters which machine you have, both PowerMac and Mac Pro could be connected to any digital display with DVI or ADC with the right adapter. The two most common graphics display connectors on these Macs were ADC & DVI:


    ADC and DVI.jpg


       The Asus 248-p has a DVI connector.   Now mind you, if you look at this image:


    DVI-I and DVI-D.jpg

    You'll notice that DVI-D is different DVI-I.   Apple uses DVI-I.   You need to make sure the cable in question converts the right DVIs to each other.  So look carefully at the connector on the display.    The DVI-D is on top of the image, where DVI-I is on bottom of the image of the graphics card.


    Notice how ADC has a rounded exterior connector all the way around, where DVI is more flat on one part of the width than the other.

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Jun 27, 2015 11:31 AM in response to a brody
    Level 9 (66,776 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jun 27, 2015 11:31 AM in response to a brody

    If you do have the correct cable, it is also possible the display card is loose, or that the PRAM battery needs replacing.

  • by TheCrustyOne,

    TheCrustyOne TheCrustyOne Jun 27, 2015 3:24 PM in response to a brody
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 27, 2015 3:24 PM in response to a brody

    Like I said, I have a Mac Pro (not a PowerMac).  I am fully aware of my connectors and computer literate (but thank you).  I already had this setup before and know its works.  Appreciate the advice, but it didn't help.

  • by Allan Jones,

    Allan Jones Allan Jones Jun 27, 2015 3:54 PM in response to TheCrustyOne
    Level 7 (34,985 points)
    iPad
    Jun 27, 2015 3:54 PM in response to TheCrustyOne

    a brody pointed out those differences because your post found its way to the PowerMac Forums, not the Mac Pro forums. Your equipment profile also says PowerMac. Mac Pros and PowerMac G5 are alike onbly on cosmetics; they are very different when it comes to troubleshooting.

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jun 27, 2015 6:38 PM in response to TheCrustyOne
    Level 9 (60,585 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 27, 2015 6:38 PM in response to TheCrustyOne

    so this worked before?

     

    The message "No DVI Signal" produced by some displays should be read as "No useable signal, within the parameters of this display."

     

    Sometimes the problem is caused by a display set to a wonky resolution, and there is an approved method to get it back.

     

    Boot to Safe Mode. Hold down Shift at Startup, using a wired keyboard connected directly to a port on the Mac Pro chassis, not on a display or other USB Hub. Your Mac will take five minutes or so to do a Disk Utility (Repair Disk) and show you a progress bar. Then it will ask for your Username and password, even if you normally auto-login. Only a minimal set of Drivers are loaded, and the display (sans Driver) is set to a One-size fits all resolution and will be slow. Set the resolution again and save changes.

     

    Then when you re-boot normally, it will take slightly longer as it rebuilds the kext cache. But you may be back to normal.

  • by TheCrustyOne,

    TheCrustyOne TheCrustyOne Jun 28, 2015 11:05 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 28, 2015 11:05 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    Grant, thanks for the update.  Unfortunately, it wont boot up in safe mode.  It boots up normally, you see the white screen, then the apple, then the rotating wheel. When that is done, it flickers real quick like its trying to do something, then the monitor goes to sleep and it states the usual message.  Thoughts?

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Jun 28, 2015 11:13 AM in response to TheCrustyOne
    Level 10 (187,512 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 28, 2015 11:13 AM in response to TheCrustyOne

    Could be a bad graphics card. Do you know what card is installed? A GT 120 was a common one installed.

  • by TheCrustyOne,

    TheCrustyOne TheCrustyOne Jun 28, 2015 11:32 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 28, 2015 11:32 AM in response to lllaass

    Mac Pro nVidia GeForce 7300GT 256MB Video Card 630-8946//P345.  Without having another machine, how can I test this?

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Jun 28, 2015 12:40 PM in response to TheCrustyOne
    Level 10 (187,512 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 28, 2015 12:40 PM in response to TheCrustyOne

    Did that card work before in this Mac? I ask since this previous discussion says that your car (which was a standard in the 2006 Mac Pro) will not work in a 2009 Mac Pro

    Is the NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT video card compatible with 2009 Mac Pro?

  • by TheCrustyOne,

    TheCrustyOne TheCrustyOne Jun 28, 2015 1:21 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 28, 2015 1:21 PM in response to lllaass

    Yes, this was the only card that has ever been in this mac and yes the 7300gt is compatible.

  • by Malcolm J. Rayfield,

    Malcolm J. Rayfield Malcolm J. Rayfield Jun 28, 2015 4:02 PM in response to TheCrustyOne
    Level 5 (7,928 points)
    Jun 28, 2015 4:02 PM in response to TheCrustyOne

    Probably a bad graphics card.  Those cards fail as they get old.  Have you tried the other DVI port?