Macmini VGA Display Issues

I am having the same issue with my Mac Mini 2011. This is my first Mac and it has been incredibly frustrating. Aside from a bad logic board, and now monitor issues, I think I've used the machine for about an hour in the month that I have had it. My problem is that the recovery partition in Lion doesn't want to appear via VGA output, if I let the computer boot normally then it gets to the login screen and then sometimes the monitor will turn on. Regardless, it is a lot of waiting and wondering if it is still thinking.

You are not alone. I suggest sending it back. I have been a Mac user for about 20 years. I Just bought a brand new Mac Mini that took me more than a week to even see an image on the monitor, and there are STILL problems with it.

Never have I had so much difficulty getting a machine up and running. In my mind, the current Mac Mini should have never been marketed. To have such poor monitor support in this day and age is unacceptable.

I'm going to miss you Steve, but the rot is already setting in.

Mac Mini mid-2011 Lion, hooked up to a UNICLASS USB-0880 KVM was working fine with the optional Apple mini-DVI to VGA adapter pluggeed into the TBird port... then it stopped working.

The Mini now boots, displays the boot screen but just before it switches to the login screen, the display goes black and the monitor reports "no signal".

Using VNC I can see that the Mini no longer detects any display is attached. Now the strange part, it was all working fine (since late October last year) before I installed Pages from the App Store.

If I connect the monitor directly (ie not through the KVM) to the Apple mini DVI to VGA cable, it all works.

If I use an eBay mini-DVI to VGA cable, and not the genuine Apple mini DVI to VGA cable, and connect to the KVM as before, it all works.

Do I conclude that the Apple cable is now "slightly" faulty (it still works, just not through the KVM) ?

I am having this problem as well.

My mini arrived a couple of weeks ago & I am still using a couple of windows programmes on the adjacent PC.

I am using the official apple minidisplayport to VGA adaptor as my Dell monitor only has a VGA input.If I unplug the VGA cable from the Dell monitor to use the PC I can't get the Mac to show on the screen after moving the cable back. (the PC shows instantly after plugging it in)

Trevoz, Which make adaptor are you using now?

This one:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/270854792633

Does Apple ever look at these issues or is it just us trying to fix Apple's problems?

I was thinking of buying a new Mac Mini but don't think I will due to lack of Apple's response to this issue.

I dunno if Apple reads these boards, but they DO listen when you call....

I got a friendly AppleCare tech who esclated me to a supervisor (or whatever they're called) who worked with me, took my questions, went to the engineers, got back to me with more ideas, back to the engineers & so on....

my Lion Minis are now happy-happy with the MDP-VGA adapters, but really what I THINK did it, was to log into the machines using remote desktop (or screensharing), and reset the display settings to put out 1024x768.....when I logged in, it was set to some wacky resolution that I had never seen before, and THAT (I think) was what was causing the monitor to sho 'no signal'

since doing this, the machines have been happy, and I've reset the resolutions to other 'normal' resolutions with no trouble

Mike

there are definitely some faulty mac connectors on the market. in my previous posting i explained that i was able to connect my mini mac to my monitor using the hdmi to dvi but was getting a no signal, blue screen and then my monitor went to sleep when i try to connect a second monitor using the mini port to dvi. i even attempted disconnecting the hdmi to dvi and only connect the mini port to dvi, same problem.

so i returned the mini port and tried another one, same issue. i was frustated by this time because i was a PC owner before and enjoyed my dual display. i placed a call to tech support and we trouble shoot the problem. with no results. i then made an appointment and went to the apple store. the guy tried everything and nothing work. i had my receipt with me and we were about to replace it when he decided to try one more thing. he used one of the mini port to dvi that they used in the store. GUESS WHAT IT WORK PERFECTLY. So i exchange the one i had with one of theirs, and now i am enjoying my dual display.

Worked for me. Thanks

I just bought a macmini 2011 mid today. I was so happy, untill I recognized that I can not connect my macmini to a vga monitor. I bought a mini dvi to vga, but there is no mini dvi on the macbook.Only hdmi and thunderport. Any advice? Thank you!

norbertfromdublin wrote:

I just bought a macmini 2011 mid today. I was so happy, untill I recognized that I can not connect my macmini to a vga monitor. I bought a mini dvi to vga, but there is no mini dvi on the macbook.Only hdmi and thunderport. Any advice? Thank you!

You need one of these http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB572Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ however as per this discussion thread, some people find that connection to the VGA display can be unreliable. This is usually solved by simply disconnecting it and then reconnecting it.

In the long run you should consider upgrading to a more modern display with at least a DVI interface.