Mac Pro sometimes displays static after displays wake up from sleep

I'll throw in my "me, too" as well; same problem: static from wake from sleep. Occasionally I'll also get a blank screen instead of the static.

Mac Pro 3,1, single 2.8 GHz quad core with ATI HD2600.

erise19 wrote:
A replacement ATI Radeon 4870 graphics card from Apple didn't fix the problem, so I thought of some more tests to do.

I tried using a DVI -> VGA converter with my 24" monitor, and the static upon sleep problem didn't occur. Then I tried using my old 17" monitor with a DVI cable and the problem didn't occur with it either. Then I ordered a DVI -> HDMI converter with my 24" monitor, and the problem didn't occur with that either.

So I'm now using my Mac Pro with HDMI on my 24" monitor and am not seeing any static (so far). The DVI static problem is not fixed, but it isn't affecting me anymore at least.

Guys,

All your answers are precious but the most valuable one is the one above from erise19.

What we have to find out is the most unary denominator between all ours setups. The only thinks that have changed on mine are the +*video card 4870*+ AND the +*mini-DP to DVI adaptor*+ that I must now use with this new card. Nothing else have changed! Well of course the Beta drivers...

I wanted to push my tests two and switch the two monitors onto the video card display ports to check if the static would have move from one monitor to the other, but I cannot!

My mini-DP to DVI adaptor does'nt have the necessary holes above and below the key pin to receive the pins from my DVI to RGB cable that I use to connect my SONY screen. BTW, all my previous posts talking about a Dell monitor should have said an HP monitor, not a Dell, my mistake, but that's secondary because I am sure it is not related to a specific monitor.

So what I am asking all of you is this:

1- Do you use an ATI Radeon HD 4870 with one mini-DP port?
2- Do you use a mini-DP to DVI adaptor onto the static trouble monitor.
3- Do you use the Beta drivers for the HD 4870?

If like I expect, all of yours answers to the first two questions are "Yes" and then "No" for the question 3, than it is either the video mini DP port onto the video card that is the trouble or the mini-DP to DVI adapter that is the trouble.

If only one of you could confirm that he is NOT using a mini-DP to DVI adapter onto the static monitor trouble, then we have gone further, it could not be related to the mini-DP to DVI adapter and we fall down to the mini-DP port onto the video card.

Your answer are now welcome... 🙂

P.S.: You might want to read this thread about another sleeping problem, this one related to the USB HUB presents on the bunch of devices that we connect on our Mac Pro:

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=9448255#9448255

Regards,

I have a single processor 2.93Ghz Early 2009 MacPro with the Radeon.
Two monitors, both DVI. One of course is connected with the MiniDisplayPort adapter.

Very consistently, when booting OS X, primary display comes up, then secondary display turns on to just snow. Power cycling second monitor will eventually cause display to "kick-in" and produce a picture. Sometimes it's just once, sometimes it takes ten times to make this work.

Very consistently, both displays will be only static when waking computer from sleep.

Just updated system to 10.5.7. There is no change to this behavior.

I've been watching this thread for a month now, and wanted to wait until the OS update before I started venting.

I forgot to mention this...

My BootCamp install of Windows XP didn't have this problem.
An Install of Ubuntu Linux 9 didn't have this issue (It just couldn't play back any sound) 🙂

I've been having the same issue. But I've had it happen to both monitors. The one that it happens the most to is the Dell that is connected via just the DVI cable . The monitor connected using the Mini-DV to DVI has had less problems.

It also happens at different times, not when the computer is waking up.

I have a new (less than a month old) G5 with a NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 video card and two 24" Dell monitors.

A disheartened "me too" here as well. I've had my new MacPro less than 24 hours now but I noticed this problem within the first 30 minutes I had it running. Mac Pro 8x2.26GHz Xeon, 12 GB RAM, 2x1TB HDD Raid 0, Radeon HD 4870, OS X 10.5.7. I'm using a Gateway FHD2400 monitor using a DVI<->DVI cable (my Radeon card has the Mini Display Port on it, but I am not utilizing it).

I got this problem right away, when I powered up the machine for the first time and was downloading software updates, the energy saver kicked in and blanked the monitor. I was doing something else just then and when I came back and shook the mouse the screen kicked on and greeted me with static/snow just like everyone has been describing. Turning the monitor off, then back on usually gets rid of the snow... but not always. Sometimes I have to leave the monitor off for a while, or unplug and re-seat the cable.

This thread seems to have been going on for about a month and a half now with no word or fix from Apple. I will probably try to pick up a DVI<->HDMI cable as one poster suggested and hope that fixes the problem for me. Luckily, this monitor has an HDMI input. I'll also try to open a support case or somehow try to officially add my voice to this problem with Apple. Has anyone had any luck getting feedback from them on this issue?

Rigel007 wrote:

Guys,

All your answers are precious but the most valuable one is the one above from erise19.

What we have to find out is the most unary denominator between all ours setups. The only thinks that have changed on mine are the +*video card 4870*+ AND the +*mini-DP to DVI adaptor*+ that I must now use with this new card. Nothing else have changed! Well of course the Beta drivers...


Your answer are now welcome... 🙂

I've already posted up that I'm running into this as well, but I thought I'd detail my configuration.

I'm using the ATI 4870 with whatever drivers come in 10.5.6/7. It was CTO built that way, I didn't by the "after market" card.

I have a Dell 3007WFP-HC 30" via Dual-Link DVI in the DVI port running 2550x1920
I have a Dell 2707WFP 27" via mini-DP to DVI (not dual link) in the mini-DP port running 1920x1200.

I have only ever seen snow on the 30" on the DVI port.
I have seen an occasional blue screen on the 27" during a reboot, but its never been anything I thought unusual things always progressed normally.

I don't know if this is an impact, but my 2707 takes ~2-3 seconds longer to come out of sleep then my almost-instant 3007.

1- Do you use an ATI Radeon HD 4870 with one mini-DP port?

Yes

2- Do you use a mini-DP to DVI adapter onto the static trouble monitor.

No, it is in the DVI port via dual-link DVI cable.

3- Do you use the Beta drivers for the HD 4870?

I'm using whatever came on my machine as it was built-to-order with the 4870.

Message was edited by: newjerseydan

But I have the same problem (maybe 3-5 times a week when awakening from sleep), with NO ATI 4870 cards - just three GT 120 cards. I have three 24"monitors (2 Samsung and 1 Sceptre - all at 1920x1200) and three 20" monitors (All Planar, all at 1600 x 1200). I have had the problem on all three 24"monitors, but never on the 20" monitors. Both Samsung monitors are connected directly to DVI ports, but the Sceptre uses the Mini Displayport to DVI adapter.

My 6 displays tend to come on one at a time when waking from sleep, with some taking 10-15 seconds longer than others.

Nonetheless, I consider these minor annoyances and really enjoy the luxury of so much screen space for running different programs. I configured my desk, credenza, and second smaller desk into a horseshoe.

Followup: it seems the earlier poster was correct: I purchased a DVI to HDMI cable and used that to connect my monitor and the problem has gone away. This is not the ideal solution, of course, but it works for now. I hope Apple is working on a real solution for this.

1- Do you use an ATI Radeon HD 4870 with one mini-DP port?

Yes

2- Do you use a mini-DP to DVI adapter onto the static trouble monitor.

No, it is in the DVI port via dual-link DVI cable.

So it is NOT related to the mini DP to DVI adaptor. I have the problem on the monitor that use the mini-DP to DVI adaptor 😉

3- Do you use the Beta drivers for the HD 4870?

I'm using whatever came on my machine as it was built-to-order with the 4870.

From my recent reading, I understand that new 2009 machines already had the 10.5.7 OS X version, including the latest drivers. This is your case.

In our cases, peoples who ordered the card separatly, we had two choices:

1- Install the beta drivers, that I bet are the same drivers tested into the 2009 machines

2- Wait for the next OS X version 10.5.7. We had 10.5.6

Again after having read a lot about the 4870 card, I checked on the side of my original shipping box and found the paragraph where it is said that the card need the Mac OS X 10.5.7

I have recently upgraded to the latest 10.5.7 OS X version and didn't see anything different regarding the performance compared to the Beta drivers tested before.

BUT, I have to admit that since my upgrade, I didn't have the problem yet! And also, it seem that the other problem regarding the computer that goes out of sleep by itself, related to the USB HUB, could possibly be gone away, as I never had it yet neither since my upgrade!

Cross your finger! 😉

MarkCutler wrote:
But I have the same problem (maybe 3-5 times a week when awakening from sleep), with NO ATI 4870 cards - just three GT 120 cards. I have three 24"monitors (2 Samsung and 1 Sceptre - all at 1920x1200) and three 20" monitors (All Planar, all at 1600 x 1200). I have had the problem on all three 24"monitors, but never on the 20" monitors. Both Samsung monitors are connected directly to DVI ports, but the Sceptre uses the Mini Displayport to DVI adapter.

My 6 displays tend to come on one at a time when waking from sleep, with some taking 10-15 seconds longer than others.

Nonetheless, I consider these minor annoyances and really enjoy the luxury of so much screen space for running different programs. I configured my desk, credenza, and second smaller desk into a horseshoe.

Good good good!

So now we know it is NOT related to a specific monitor, nor a specific card, neither to the mini -DP to DVI adapter.

It really seem to be related then to the "Go to sleep" daemon and maybe also to the configuration regarding witch monitor(s) are the primary versus witch one are the secondary

Here is a hint, your primary monitors are the one who owned the status bar (time, date and "Apple" icons with all the applications menus.

Most of you probably already know this but if not, you can move this applications bar from one monitor to the other with your mouse from the "Monitors Preferences" under the tab "Disposition".

I will not ask you to do it but if you realize that your static problem is always onto the primary monitors, like me, you may want to test switching them temporally and post your result here...

I would do it myself but I don't have the problem anymore, while some of you seem to have it very frequently...

Bests regards,

P.S.: MarkCutler, you may also want to try upgrade to 10.5.7 after that 😉

Same problem here. Sometimes the screen goes this way when some software/game is trying to change the resolution, and last for long time. Very annoying.

I am already running 10.5.7. I had this problem both with the special OS that came with the MacPro in March, and with the subsequent 10.5.7 update.

I have the problem on 3 of my 6 monitors. The one with the menu bar is one of the problem monitors, but 2 others without the menu bar also have the same problem.

Typically, when the problem occurs, it only affects one monitor at a time. I do not recall ever seeing static on more than one at a time, but I am not sure of that. If it has ever happened on more than one at a time, that has been very rare.

It seems like the problem usually (if not only) occurs when at least 2 monitors are hooked up. also, the problem generally, if not universally, occurs on monitors that are 24" or larger. Can future posters please specify how many monitors you have running simultaneously, and what is the screen size of monitors that do or do not have the static problem.

I have just one 22" monitor and it happens to me with the ATI Radeon HD 4870

Same random problem here in 10.5.6 and 10.5.7. 2009 Macbook 2 Ghz, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, Samsung Syncmaster 2220WM, apple mini DVI to DVI connector.