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User profile for user: BePo
BePo Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

MacBook Pro Late 2008 External Display Issues

Hi there,

I registered here to hopefully get some information and help with my problem. It's my first Mac, but in general I've a good knowledge of computers, sice I've used Debian for about three years (and ongoing). I bought the MacBook Pro (Late 2008) with 9400/9600M (512MB) to visit conferences and therefore, showing my presentations or demos.

So it's a big issue that I've horrible problems with an external display attached. During startup and the first use everything works fine. If I put the macbook to sleep and wake it up later the display sometimes stay black or doen't get a signal. In some cases there is a kind of gray noise on the screen. I tried to open up the Macbook (it's usually in clamshell mode) to use the internal screen - without success. It doesn't have a signal. Reconnecting cables doesn't change anything. This happens with both graphic cards. In some cases the external screen wake up correctly. Following a variaty of pictures taken trying to solve the problem restarting the MacBook Pro sometimes...

http://www.benjaminpoppinga.de/mbp/pic1.jpg
http://www.benjaminpoppinga.de/mbp/pic2.jpg
http://www.benjaminpoppinga.de/mbp/pic3.jpg
http://www.benjaminpoppinga.de/mbp/screenshot.png

I use a Dell 2709WFP (1920x1600@60Hz) connected via Mini-Displayport to DVI Adaptor. I already read about some display issues, which hopefully get adressed by Apple soon. Do you think it's another difficult problem or could it be fixed with a software update. I just bought my MBP and don't want to exchange it, since I really need it the next few weeks.

Thank you for any help!

Best Regards,
Benjamin

Message was edited by: BePo

Message was edited by: BePo

MBP Late 2008 with 2,53GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.5), 9400M/9600M 512MB, 4GB RAM

Posted on Nov 17, 2008 9:45 AM

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122 replies
User profile for user: Community User
Community User

Oct 5, 2018 1:08 AM in response to BePo

Hi guys,

I have also problems with my Samsung 32-inch FlatScreen and MiniDisplayPort-to-VGA adapter. I get no picture at all on the Samsung although it is detected by the MBP as "SAMSUNG" and I can change the reosultions and refrehs rates.

See more infos here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1773114&tstart=0

Now I am thinking this is a software issue which shall be fixed by Apple or Nvidia.

Greetz
ger_joe
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User profile for user: Community User
Community User

Oct 5, 2018 1:08 AM in response to Community User

Hi,

I tried once more today and it worked right out of the box with 9400M and 9600M GT!!! No problems at all.
The only thing which was different to last time, I ran Windows 7 using BootCamp and could therefore select my VGA input on the Samsung LCD and when I changed into Mac OS X and synchronized the screens I got perfect picture on my 32'' LCD.

Greetz joe
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User profile for user: BePo
BePo Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Nov 17, 2008 12:49 PM in response to BePo

Hi again,

I just had a look at the /var/log/windowserver.log and found this.

Nov 17 19:47:35 [52] Server is starting up
Nov 17 19:47:37 [52] CGXMappedDisplayStart: Unit 0: display alias 0x0 valid
Nov 17 19:47:37 [52] CGXMappedDisplayStart: Unit 1: display alias 0x1 valid
Nov 17 19:47:38 [52] CGXMappedDisplayStart: Unit 2: boot screen
Nov 17 19:47:38 [52] CGXMappedDisplayStart: Unit 2: display alias 0x0 valid
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] CGXMappedDisplayStart: Unit 3: display alias 0x1 valid
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] MPFinalizeInitialization: Display 0x2b284253 unit 3 alias mask 0xa
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] MPFinalizeInitialization: Display 0x3f003c unit 0 alias mask 0x5
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] MPFinalizeInitialization: Display 0x2b284251 unit 1 alias mask 0xa
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] MPFinalizeInitialization: Display 0x4272142 unit 2 alias mask 0x5
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] Waiting mux ack unit mask 0 received
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] Posting mux normal ack
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] CGXPerformInitialDisplayConfiguration
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] Display 0x2b284253: MappedDisplay Unit 3; Vendor 0x10ac Model 0xa030 S/N 810569299; online enabled (0,0)[1440 x 900], base addr 0x11800000
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] Display 0x4272142: MappedDisplay Unit 2; Vendor 0x610 Model 0x9c85 S/N 0; online enabled built-in (0,0)[1440 x 900], base addr 0x11800000
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] Display 0x4272140: MappedDisplay Unit 0; Vendor 0x610 Model 0x9c85 S/N 0; offline enabled built-in (2464,0)[1 x 1], base addr 0x1800000
Nov 17 19:47:39 [52] Display 0x2b284251: MappedDisplay Unit 1; Vendor 0x10ac Model 0xa030 S/N 810569299; offline enabled (2465,0)[1 x 1], base addr 0x1800000
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90d682ab _sigtramp + 43
1 ??? 0xffffffff 0x0 + 4294967295
2 IOKit 0x958c245a IODispatchCalloutFromCFMessage + 337
3 IOKit 0x958c24d6 IODispatchCalloutFromMessage + 39
4 IOKit 0x958cfb5d IOFBDispatchMessageNotification + 136
5 CoreGraphics 0x906c6826 CGSShmemGuardState + 3884
6 CoreGraphics 0x906b586e CGSYieldForOtherThreads + 15800
7 CoreGraphics 0x906b5664 CGSYieldForOtherThreads + 15278
8 CoreGraphics 0x906b1c6f CGSYieldForOtherThreads + 441
9 CoreGraphics 0x906bd002 CGSShmemRWLockUnlockForWriting + 10159
10 CoreGraphics 0x9064b149 CGXServer + 1106
11 WindowServer 0x00001ff4 main + 24
12 WindowServer 0x00001fbe start + 54
Nov 17 19:47:40 [52] kCGErrorFailure: CGXServerLoop: Received signal (10) at address 0x8
Nov 17 19:47:40 [52] kCGErrorFailure: Set a breakpoint at CGErrorBreakpoint() to catch errors as they are returned
Nov 17 19:47:46 [52] kCGErrorCannotComplete: CGXPostNotificationInternal : Time out waiting for reply from "(PID 24)" for notification type 109 (CID 0x5e03, PID 24)
Nov 17 19:47:48 [52] Waiting mux ack unit mask 0 received
Nov 17 19:47:48 [52] Posting mux normal ack
Nov 17 19:47:48 [52] GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x0002260c, GL mask 0x00000003, accelerator 0x00002813, unit 0, caps 0x00000003, vram 512 MB
Nov 17 19:47:48 [52] GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x0002260c, GL mask 0x00000003, texture units 4, texture max 8192, viewport max {8192, 8192} extensions 0x0000000f
Nov 17 19:47:48 [52] GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x0202260e, GL mask 0x0000000c, accelerator 0x00003333, unit 2, caps 0x00000003, vram 256 MB
Nov 17 19:47:48 [52] GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x0202260e, GL mask 0x0000000c, texture units 4, texture max 8192, viewport max {8192, 8192} extensions 0x0000000f
Nov 17 19:48:03 [52] kCGErrorIllegalArgument: CGXSetWindowListTags: Operation on a window 0x7 not owned by caller SystemUIServer

Looks like an Software issue for me. Hopefully Apple fix this as fast as possible. Maybe we should do further research on that. So people, please have a a look on that file and post your error message. Todo: Open Terminal and Enter: cat /var/log/windowserver.log

Best Regards,
Benjamin
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User profile for user: Bay2Sacto
Bay2Sacto
User level: Level 1
20 points

Nov 18, 2008 2:25 AM in response to BePo

Let me preface this with the following; I'm a experienced computer user. I have been using computers for over 20 years starting with a CP/M machine. I have always had windows machines, but have used Macs at school & work for over 13 years. This is my first Mac.

I too have seen some random weird issues with my MBP 2.53Ghz and external Samsung 216BW. When coming out of sleep, when I open the lid my external LCD will sometimes act like it has no signal. It has also once or twice just had static snow (like a tv). Both issues were solved by unplugging the external from my MBP & plugging it back in. I had thought it was just me and maybe it was related to the mini display port to DVI adapter. It seems to do this when I have the 9400 integrated graphics selected. In the last several days it seems to be worse. Every time it sleeps the displays (set to 45min) I have to unplug the external LCD and plug it back in to get it to be recognized.

After browsing through the forum here and on other popular Mac/Apple sites this seems to be a popular problem and isn't isolated to a single brand/model. Hopefully Apple will see fit to include a software fix for this in either the upcoming 10.5.6 update or as a separate firmware update like the recent trackpad fix.

Kevin
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User profile for user: Kardou
Kardou
User level: Level 1
0 points

Nov 18, 2008 10:13 AM in response to BePo

I've been using a MacBook Pro 15 (the first one) with this external monitor (LG Flatron Wide L204WT) and no problem. Now just switched to the new MacBook Pro and the same problem you describe: The external monitor works fine until the computer go to sleep.. when awake, there's the nightmare...

I made as you say (i'm very ignorant with the terminal) and this is the result: (I'm not posting all, but here are some lines that appears to me to be the error lines similars to yours)

Nov 17 19:40:12 [51] Display 0x4272102: MappedDisplay Unit 2; Vendor 0x610 Model 0x9c84 S/N 0; online enabled built-in (0,0)[1440 x 900], base addr 0x11800000
Nov 17 19:40:12 [51] Display 0x1b53861b: MappedDisplay Unit 3; Vendor 0x1e6d Model 0x4e48 S/N 5147; online enabled (-1680,0)[1680 x 1050], base addr 0x11800000
Nov 17 19:40:12 [51] Display 0x4272100: MappedDisplay Unit 0; Vendor 0x610 Model 0x9c84 S/N 0; offline enabled built-in (2464,0)[1 x 1], base addr 0x1800000
Nov 17 19:40:12 [51] Display 0x1b538619: MappedDisplay Unit 1; Vendor 0x1e6d Model 0x4e48 S/N 5147; offline enabled (2465,0)[1 x 1], base addr 0x1800000
Nov 17 19:40:18 [51] GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x0002260c, GL mask 0x00000003, accelerator 0x00002813, unit 0, caps 0x00000003, vram 512 MB
Nov 17 19:40:18 [51] GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x0002260c, GL mask 0x00000003, texture units 4, texture max 8192, viewport max {8192, 8192} extensions 0x0000000f
Nov 17 19:40:18 [51] GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x0202260e, GL mask 0x0000000c, accelerator 0x00003333, unit 2, caps 0x00000003, vram 256 MB
Nov 17 19:40:18 [51] GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x0202260e, GL mask 0x0000000c, texture units 4, texture max 8192, viewport max {8192, 8192} extensions 0x0000000f
Nov 17 19:43:37 [51] kCGErrorIllegalArgument: CGXSetWindowListTags: Operation on a window 0x7 not owned by caller CoreServicesUIAgent
Nov 17 19:43:37 [51] kCGErrorIllegalArgument: Set a breakpoint at CGErrorBreakpoint() to catch errors as they are returned
Nov 17 19:45:40 [51] kCGErrorIllegalArgument: CGXSetWindowListTags: Operation on a window 0x7 not owned by caller SystemUIServer
Nov 17 19:46:32 [51] kCGErrorIllegalArgument: CGXGetWindowWorkspace: invalid window id: 35
Nov 17 19:50:21 [51] CGXRestartSessionWorkspace: session workspace exited for session 256 ( on console )
Nov 17 19:50:21 [51] loginwindow connection closed; closing server.

Hope this could be resolved fast.
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User profile for user: robyung
robyung
User level: Level 1
0 points

Nov 18, 2008 7:45 PM in response to Kardou

I have the same issue - specifically the blacking out of the external monitor when I try to wake my MBP from sleeping. Sometimes, I get a screen with static, but mostly it just stays black and the monitor light blinks (Mac 20" LCD) and it doesn't wake up. If I unplug and replug the DVI cable, everything's fine.

I did figure out a fix, albeit an imperfect one, yesterday. If I set my Graphics under "Energy Saver" in the System Preferences to "Higher Performance," using 2 graphics cards, then the problem goes away (for now). You might see if that works for you.

In the meantime, I'm hoping I don't have to bring my MBP in to have new graphics cards installed - that would be a major pain....
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User profile for user: ogdoad8
ogdoad8
User level: Level 1
15 points

Nov 18, 2008 9:26 PM in response to BePo

This appears to be a serious problem, possibly fairly widespread. Different people are having different permutations, but obviously something is wrong here.

=== Me:

* New Al MacBook Pro 15".
* New Mini-DisplayPort to DVI Adapter.
* Viewsonic VP201b LCD, ~4yrs? old.
* DVI cable, apparently shielded & of moderate quality.
* Notebook -> DP/DVI Adapter -> Monitor DVI-D input.
* Native Resolutions: Notebook: 1440x900. LCD: 1600x1200.

=== Problem:

When using 9400M:
Lots of snow / flicker on the external display over any black regions. All the time. It looks kind of like I need to adjust my antenna to tune in a distant UHF TV station. Horribly distracting, impossible to do work on.

When using 9600M:
No problems until display goes to sleep and wakes up again. Then snow all over external display.

Note that under no circumstances have I had problems with the notebook's own panel. All problems are with external displays.

=== Ineffective Solutions (for me):

* Unplug / replug all cables. (No effect on 9400M, some effect on 9600M).
* Try with / without AC power connected. (No effect).
* Reverse ends of DVI cable. (No effect).
* Power cycle monitor / notebook. (No effect).
* Move other windows around on screen. (No effect).
* Replace MiniDP/DVI adapter with new one. (No effect).
* "Sleep Display" via hot corner. (Makes snow worse!).
* Reset SMC. (No effect).
* Spend hours reading forums and calling Apple. (No effect).

=== Partial Solutions (for me):

1. When I use the GeForce 9400M ("Better Battery Life"), I get lots of snow.
When I switch to GeForce 9600M ("Higher Performance") (and log out/in again), the snow disappears. This is the only stable multi-monitor solution. But as soon as the displays sleep (on their own or forced by a hot corner, the snow returns. At this point, unplugging and replugging the monitor cable assembly resolves the issue again. However this doesn't really mesh with my ideal workflow.

2. Reducing resolution to 1024x768 or below eliminates all snow on external display. Obviously not acceptable.

3. Took my MBP to the Apple store and plugged it into the new MiniDP display -- seemed ok with the 9400. Plugged into a DVI (via MiniDP/DVI adapter) display -- also seemed ok. Both of these displays were Apple brand. Technician in store advised that my monitor at home might not be "up to spec". Thanks for the tip, but I think I have a better idea of what's not up to spec.

=== Related Threads:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8407197
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1778280
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1760586
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8338326
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1792940
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=597856

<Edited by Moderator>
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User profile for user: BocaBoy
BocaBoy
User level: Level 1
88 points

Nov 19, 2008 5:06 AM in response to alabin

I had a similar problem, but not with an external display, but maybe my fix will work for everyone on this string who's experiencing this problem.

My new MBP would go to sleep and the only way to get the internal display back was to restart. I was able to fix it by changing one setting, referenced in another string on this same issue in this discussion group.

Go to Energy Saver in System Preferences and make sure that the checkbox is UNCHECKED for "Automatically reduce the brightness of the display before display sleep." (This is apparently a known bug.) Make sure you do it for both Power Adapter and Battery. See if that doesn't help. It solved my problem permanently, at least with the internal display screen.

Good luck.
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User profile for user: kidxrude
kidxrude
User level: Level 1
4 points

Nov 20, 2008 4:22 AM in response to BePo

I just have static all the time on my MBP 2.4 GHZ on an Acer AL2017 external display. Like something is interfering with it's signal. Especially the darker areas are affected.

I had it also connected on my Cinema Display 20" (the old plastic ones) which goes from my MBP through a (MiniDisplay port to DVI) adapter to the (ADC to DVI) adapter and finally to the display. Same result. On this setup, I did shift the plug of the MiniDisplayPort adapter a litlle bit which seemed to have some effect, but just for a brief period of time.

Both graphic cards, both screens same result. I also tried the (MiniDisplayPort to VGA) adapter which also had the same result on all graphic cards.

What's going on?
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MacBook Pro Late 2008 External Display Issues

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