MacBook Pro w/ Retina External Display Issues

No, I've never used gfxCardStatus before. I 'fixed' it by connecting the monitor via HDMI. It has yet to fail to wake from sleep since switching from DVI.

Also having this issue with a Dell U2311H. I have two monitors connected, and the Samsung Syncmaster always wakes up no problem. Maybe its a Dell monitor issue? Any solutions?

Yup. Solved my problem.

Same problem with thunderbolt to DVI connecting to HP Compaq LA2306x. My Cinema Display is fine connected via Thunderbolt but the HP one won't wake up again. Both thunderbolt ports have the same problem. Definately a bug!

Having the same issue here... so I guess that I need to tell work to buy me a cinema display. 🙂

Hey guys. I am experiencing the same issue. My ideal set up would be to have my monitor connected at the end of a thunderbolt daisy chain, containing just one hard drive. I tested my monitor in a daisy chain setup and it worked, via VGA cable and adapter. However when I try to use DVI, whether it's daisy chained, or connected directly, my Mac can't connect to the display.

st33n, I use gfxCardStatus as well. I tried what you suggested, to change the setting to always discrete but that fix didn't work for me. When I quit the application to let OS X handle the graphics switching I have the same problem.

If it makes a difference, I'm using the base model Retina MBP (AKA the cheapest one) with no upgrades. I just upgraded to Mountain Lion as well.

Very odd, right after my last post I tried restarting my computer. My monitor is now connected, via DVI daisy chain. I'm not sure why it works now, but perhaps a restart will work for other people.

I had the same problem:

Retina conected to an 'old' 23 Cinema Display whit Apple HDMI->DVI (adapter from Mac Mini)

Than when I plugged in the charger for the Retina and press 'any key' the display woke up.

Same issue here. I was at a client's place, trying to set up the external display via VGA or HDMI. Both failed.

I know now that we can definitely use a Thunderbolt connector. Is there any solution besides the Thunderbolt port?

Thanks a lot.

The new Retinas have direct HDMI output without requiring a dongle. And there may be some third party dongle that converts USB3 to some other video standard. But that's what the darned TB port imposed on us was for!

I have a fix that worked great for me.

I was having the exact same problem with my new MBP Retina - after display sleep and wakeup, my 5+ year old external Samsung monitor (thunderbolt to DVI) didn't wake when the retina display did.

After speaking with Apple support a few times, I found that a basic PRAM reset did the trick:

Resetting PRAM and NVRAM

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
3. Turn on the computer.
4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
6. Release the keys.

More here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

After that, the problem went away and my external monitor wakes when the retina display does!

[Note that if you use a password-protected login that's activated upon sleep, you'll need to login first to get the external display to show anything]

Very helpful, thank you!

I can tell you that on my DELL 2405 monitor it is simply not useable with the Mac OEM Mini-Display Port to DVI connector. The picture comes through, but it is so blurry you get instant eye-strain. Very disappointed, as I had hoped to use this monitor (which of course works perfectly with all my prior PCs)...now it looks like a big paperweight!

itorres1 - I noiced on my new 12-core Mac Pro at work tht for the first time in a long while (never happened on my 8-core Mac Pro) my older two 24" Samsung displays (mini displayport to DVI) that one of my monitors doesn't always "wake up", and I think it has more to do with OSX Mountain Lion than it does with anything else. A certain signal passes through to the monitor that tells it to wake up (power save mode on monitor) and newer monitors are likely to be more compatible.

That said, I have a new MBP Retina too, but haven't yet hooked it up to my Dell UltraSharp. I will check it out and get back to you. FWIW at work I finally figured out that under the Samsung 24" displays, where the power cord plugs in there is actually a on/off switch and by turning off the monitor and turning it back on, the display comes back on with the signal right away.