gadget_aussie_man

Q: Thunderbolt Display turns off randomly

I have a new Mac Mini 2011 i7 Quad CPU version.  I have a Thunderbolt 27 inch display.  I have found that the display randomly turns off and won't turn on when I use the keyboard or mouse.  This occurs when I am doing stuff on the machine, it is not a display sleep issue.  The first couple of times I had to use Remote Desktop to reboot the Mac Mini to fix the issue.  The last time it happened I removed the Thunderbolt plug from the Mac Mini and reinstalled it and this fixed the issue.  I have the latest software updates on the Mac Mini and the Thunderbolt Firmware update on the Display.

 

I am running Lion 10.7.1

Posted on Sep 21, 2011 9:35 PM

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Q: Thunderbolt Display turns off randomly

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  • by gadget_aussie_man,

    gadget_aussie_man gadget_aussie_man Oct 14, 2011 10:54 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Oct 14, 2011 10:54 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    Go to display preferences in system preferences and untick the box next to the Automatic Brightness option.

  • by bikkuri,

    bikkuri bikkuri Oct 14, 2011 11:49 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 14, 2011 11:49 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    Call Apple, people! The more people report this problem, the more Apple realizes that this a huge issue to be resolved!

    Why doesn't Macrumors or other big sites write about this? There must be thousands of reported cases all over the net.

     

    And not using a port or check/uncheck stuff in the prefs isn't a solution! Customers paying good money for this thing, so they want at least gadgets that work smoothly.

  • by AlohaSpirit2,

    AlohaSpirit2 AlohaSpirit2 Oct 15, 2011 1:12 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 15, 2011 1:12 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    Okay, unbelievably that box and the brightness bar disappear on mine...until I reboot the Mac Mini server.  After reboot box and brightness bar appear.

     

    I am testing out unchecking that box.

     

    What is going on here? 

     

    Are these defects or what?

  • by AlohaSpirit2,

    AlohaSpirit2 AlohaSpirit2 Oct 15, 2011 4:40 PM in response to AlohaSpirit2
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 15, 2011 4:40 PM in response to AlohaSpirit2

    I just noticed that after my 2nd Mac Mini Server reboot the update box now says Thunderbolt Firmware 1.0  691 KB needed.

     

    So, there is something about swapping monitors then hooking up a new monitor...

     

    This is even after doing the PRAM/System Mgt Control reset that caused the firmware to need updating again due to new 2nd monitor.  I dont know...any Apple techs reading this? 

     

    Let's vote:  Should I update new 1.0 firmware or not?

     

    I updated fireware per Apple on the first Thunderbolt monitor and it worked so long as I did not use USB ports on back of Thunderbolt.  Use of USB caused blackout...

     

    The second monitor has worked 24 hours...then went off... then it lost brightness control and Auto brightness box...why is this I wonder?

     

    Now I get the firmware update request on updates....

     

    I say, take a poll... Apple would say go ahead and update.

     

    Please lets have a roll-call vote on this subject.  I am getting tired of mine not working upt to specs.

  • by gadget_aussie_man,

    gadget_aussie_man gadget_aussie_man Oct 15, 2011 4:55 PM in response to AlohaSpirit2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Oct 15, 2011 4:55 PM in response to AlohaSpirit2

    My 2nd Thunderbolt display worked for about 36 hours before it failed the first time.  This was before applying the firmware update.  I then found that the number of blackouts seemed to increase and also Apple support asked me to apply the firmware update which I did.  After that I was getting roughly 1 blackout every 12 hours.  I have done capture at the request of Apple to send them information on the issue.  About 8 hours I unchecked the auto brightness box and so far so good.

     

    So I would apply the firmware update.

  • by AlohaSpirit2,

    AlohaSpirit2 AlohaSpirit2 Oct 16, 2011 2:35 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 16, 2011 2:35 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    Over 40 hours since brightness box unchecked and still working....

     

    I have not updated to new firmware just yet.

     

    If the brightness bar test works okay after a week or so I will then update firmware and hope.

     

    Any others updated firmware already and then unchecked brighness box getting positive resutls?

     

    Does Apple have any techs reading about this issue?

  • by gadget_aussie_man,

    gadget_aussie_man gadget_aussie_man Oct 16, 2011 8:16 PM in response to AlohaSpirit2
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Oct 16, 2011 8:16 PM in response to AlohaSpirit2

    I am on day after unchecking the autobrightness box and so far no blackouts.

  • by gadget_aussie_man,

    gadget_aussie_man gadget_aussie_man Oct 16, 2011 11:08 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Oct 16, 2011 11:08 PM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    Correction:  I am on day 3 after unchecking the auto brightness box and so far no blackouts.

  • by ajoy1216,

    ajoy1216 ajoy1216 Oct 17, 2011 7:03 AM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 17, 2011 7:03 AM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    Here I sit, a new mac user.  After years with a dell I just converted last night.   And yes, I am having the same issue with the Thunderbolt display.  I have a keyboard, external drive and Mac Book Pro attached.  I even tried tunring off the automatic brightness... This didnt help at all.  I am still getting black outs.

     

    On top of it, when mine turns off I get the message - disk not ejected properly on my laptop.

    Even with unplugging and turning back on, my keyboard then doesnt work.  I have to shut down my entire system to get anything to work.

     

    I have now moved my keyboard to my laptop instead of into the back of the display.

     

    I might load this up and go back to the store for another display today.  

     

    UGGH!  I thought mac was going to save me all of these headaches!

     

    Does anyone know someone that has a similar setup and is NOT having blackouts?  Is it random monitors?

     

    Thanks eveyone for your input!

  • by ajoy1216,

    ajoy1216 ajoy1216 Oct 17, 2011 7:15 AM in response to ajoy1216
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 17, 2011 7:15 AM in response to ajoy1216

    I also just read that some individuals having this issue replaced the RAM in their laptop.  I only upgraded to 8 GB at the Apple store.  Did anyone else having blackouts upgrade RAM?

  • by Simod,

    Simod Simod Oct 17, 2011 10:26 AM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 17, 2011 10:26 AM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    Hi,

     

    I've been keeping track of my monitor for a while to see when it blacks out.

     

    From what I can tell it seems to depend a lot on the amount of traffic going across the thunderbolt cable.

     

    Also I noticed the lower left (when facing monitor) back side of the monitor is hot to touch.

     

    I took off the USB drive I had attached to the monitor and I haven't had black outs yet.

  • by AlohaSpirit2,

    AlohaSpirit2 AlohaSpirit2 Oct 17, 2011 11:42 AM in response to AlohaSpirit2
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 17, 2011 11:42 AM in response to AlohaSpirit2

    As expected, Apple tech says update to new Thunderbolt firmware....but my 2nd new monitor now working;  just that auto brightness box not checked.

     

    Anyone with a monitor getting good results after new firmware install?

     

    As of right now I have not yet installed new firmware and my monitor is working and has not had a blackout since I unchecked auto bright box.

     

    Please let me know.

  • by SkullOne,

    SkullOne SkullOne Oct 18, 2011 12:26 AM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 18, 2011 12:26 AM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    Sorry but it didn't work for me.

  • by Lawrence David,

    Lawrence David Lawrence David Oct 18, 2011 6:30 AM in response to gadget_aussie_man
    Level 2 (195 points)
    Oct 18, 2011 6:30 AM in response to gadget_aussie_man

    MBA 11" i7 and also seeing random display shutoffs.  Using 10.7.2 and all other updates. Tried unplugging USB devices from display, as well as turning off automatic brightness correction. 

  • by Lawrence David,

    Lawrence David Lawrence David Oct 18, 2011 1:24 PM in response to Lawrence David
    Level 2 (195 points)
    Oct 18, 2011 1:24 PM in response to Lawrence David

    I may have found a solution: I noticed that my Thunderbolt cable connector looked rather dirty.  (The Thunderbolt port in my MacBook also looked much dirtier than the neighboring USB port.) 

     

    I cleaned the cable connector and port using a piece of paper folded over several times to make a swab.  No blackouts since plugging back in.

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