Screen Resolution change

Question

Level 1

43 points

Screen Resolution change

Is there any OSX key combo I can use to change the screen resolution?

I changed the resolution up to try it - my monitor couldn't handle it. Waited for it to ask me to confirm, and then flip back, but it didn't. Restarted my computer, but it still seems to be kicking out the signal at the too-high resolution, which won't display.

I can't see the screen sufficiently clearly to navigate into System Preferences. Can anyone assist?

G5 PPC Dual 2.3, Mac OS X (10.4.8), 2.5 GB DDR SDRAM

Posted on Sep 11, 2008 1:16 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,116 points

Sep 11, 2008 1:35 PM in response to gordon k

Restart the Mac and immediately hold down the Shift key to start up in Safe Mode. Once you're at the desktop, go to the Preferences folder in your user account and delete the file:

com.apple.systempreferences.plist

Restart normally. The file you remove holds various settings, so you'll have to check through the other fields in the System Preferences and reset anything that was not the default.

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Answer 2

gordon k Author

Level 1

43 points

Sep 11, 2008 2:09 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Thanks for the reply Kurt.

I got into Safe mode OK (which displayed fine) and found com.apple.systempreferences.plist in library/preferences in my user folder. Deleted it and emptied the trash. Shut down. Started up again.

But still getting the same problem - "input signals are over working range"

Is there anything else I could try?

Could the problem be to do with the fact there is only one user account on my Mac, and normally I don't have to log in when I startup?

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Answer 3

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,116 points

Sep 11, 2008 2:22 PM in response to gordon k

Hmm, that should have worked since that's the file which holds both your screen resolution and profile information. You may have accidentally chosen a refresh rate that your monitor can't handle.

Start up once again in Safe Mode. Go into the System Preferences and click the Displays icon. Click the "Detect Displays" button. Select any resolution you know will work. Make sure it's not the same as the current choice to force OS X to write the information back to disk.

Close the System Preferences and restart normally.

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

239,213 points

Sep 11, 2008 2:51 PM in response to gordon k

Depending, you may also have prefs in...

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/ByHost/

that affect that.

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Answer 5

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,116 points

Sep 11, 2008 3:01 PM in response to BDAqua

Sonofagun! Didn't know about that one, BDAqua. Thanks for the info!

The problem file in the folder you mentioned then would likely be:

com.apple.preference.displays.5BC2023E-C4E5-5F2E-9149-F70B07B15AF2.plist

The numbers will be different for each user I would assume. But that is the one that changed when I switched resolutions.

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

239,213 points

Sep 11, 2008 3:50 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Yeah, never figured out how, why, who, what, where, or when, but... 🙂

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Answer 7

gordon k Author

Level 1

43 points

Sep 11, 2008 4:57 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks guys.

Changing the resolution in safe mode seemed to work.

Things are still a bit flaky though, so I'll keep the other prefs file in mind.

I have a strange complication, in that I was previously using my G5 with a projector, and when I switch to using one (particular) monitor, I need to boot up with the computer connected to the projector (even switched off) and then change the lead over to the monitor, in order for the monitor to find the signal.

Isn't life strange and wonderful...

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