Retina MBP can't use external 30" Dell display

I have the same problem with a Samsung SyncMaster 305t. The same dual link adapter and monitor work fine via the thunderbolt port on a "17 inch early 2011 MacBook pro".

Does anyone have a 2560x1600 monitor (other than Apple's) working with a new retina MBP?

Under "Adapter / Displays" on the working system it says the adapter firmware is version 1.03. Is there a newer version?

I'm having the exact same problem, though I can get as high as 1600 x 1000 on a Dell 3007WFP.

Very frustrating. This same configuration (DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI) was working fine on my late MacBook Pro (non-Retina).

Bump.

Same problem here. I am assuming this is because the new MBP's come with Thunderbolt instead of MiniDisplayPort?

A solution would be awesome

-c

Re: "this is because the new MBP's come with Thunderbolt instead of MiniDisplayPort": see my post a few up. My "17 inch early 2011 MacBook pro" is a thunderbolt system and it works OK.

The retina system also crashed once when I unplugged the display adapter. Has anyone having this problem seen that happen?

I hope it's a driver issue that is fixed soon.

I have the same issue with a Dell 3007WFPHC + Apple Dual-Link DVI adapeter. The setup works great with a late 2008 Macbook Pro but not with the new Retina MBP. Going to take the laptop into an Apple store later today to try it on an Apple monitor.

I've given up (for now) on the Retina MacBook Pro -> Thunderbolt -> Dual-Link DVI and resorted to my MacBook Pro6,2.

Is anyone else experiencing the problem on their Retina whereby the laptop's display goes "wonky" after disconnecting it from the Dual-Link adapter?

After I disconnect from the Dual-Link adapter, and the display goes to sleep, upon waking the various windows on the screen fail to draw correctly, refresh only partially on mouseover, and are generally screwed-up until a reboot.

I have seen this after connecting the external display but after switching resolutions on the retina lcd the issue went away.

I'm having the same problem: Dell 3007WFP -> Apple Dual Link DVI adapter -> Displayport -> new 15" Retina. It won't show resolutions just 'best resolution'. Applecare support initially told me that running an external display on the 15" retina (of any kind) is not supported while the lid is open, after some more runaround they suggested that I need to contact Nvidia for updated drivers, then finally that I need to take my 30" monitor and new laptop into an Apple store so the Genius could figure it out.

I did eventually get to a more Sr person who said he would file a bug report and said that in their call center they hadn't heard this issue yet -- but the day is young 🙂

Some data points that might help others:

- I also have a 27" thunderbolt display, it works fine at full resolution with the retina's internal display open or closed (as expected).

- I can use the thunderbolt and the DisplayPort adapter at the same time, with the retina display open (3 displays, what I expected when I ordered this thing) but the resolution on the 30" Dell display stays pinned at lo-res.

- If I select 'scale to 1600x1000' the display turns to hash.

- There is a thread on Macrumors.com about this same problem (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1387571 ); they suggest a utility called SwitchResX which I have yet to try.

I downloaded and tried SwitchResX, its a paid control panel app. I can verify that if I select the Dell WFP3007 in the SwitchResX control panel and check the 'default resolution' checkbox then enter '2560 x 1600' as the resolution when I unplug and replug the display it comes up in full resolution dual-link glory.

I also attached the thunderbolt and left the MBP's retina display open and it all seems to work just fine, 3 displays (not mirrored) one desktop (the internal one at 2800x1800, the WFP3007 at 2560x1600, and the Thunderbolt Cinema at 2560x1440). Pretty spiffy!

@evarsanyi : That sounds like a great solution until Apple gets its act together.

When you disconnect the thunderbolt connector, do you have any issues with the MacBook's display going wonky after it goes to sleep or after you shut it and then wake it?

I haven't tried all the possible combinations but I haven't had any noticable problem plugging/unplugging the thunderbolt display and closing/opening the lid (with 1 day of usage anyway).

Update from Applecare: this problem made its way to engineering and they pointed out a 'hidden' way to fix this with no special 3rd party software:

When you bring up the resolutions for a given display, as its set to 'best for display' hold down the 'option' key while clicking 'scaled'. The scaled menu should now show all the resolutions supported by the monitor. On my Dell it shows 2560x1600 and everything works fine when I select that.

ZOMG Thank you!

This was helpful to me for getting it to work in Mountain Lion!

However, Bootcamp can't go beyond 1280x800.

Here's my question about getting Bootcamp to work:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4100052