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NEC monitor + Nvidia graphics incompatible with 10.8?

I've spent the last several weeks trying to isolate an issue when booting 10.8 on my 2009 Mac Pro that seems fairly unique. Specifically, about 7 in 10 reboots will not get to the login screen (or autologin), instead getting stuck on a blank gray screen (after the Apple logo and spinning progress indicator are dismissed) with a moveable (and sometimes garbled) cursor. This is reproducible for me on a clean installation on (multiple) new hard drives.


After trial and error and research on threads concerned with similar (but not exactly the same) issues, I believe I've isolated this to 10.8 having trouble switching to my NEC 2490WUXi monitor connected via DVI, coupled with either an Nvidia GTX-285 or GT-120 graphics card.


I've tried each of the following to try to isolate the problem, with no success:

- Disk Utility repair permissions & repair disk

- PRAM reset

- SMC reset

- Unplugging all USB & firewire devices except keyboard & mouse

- Replacing GTX-285 card with stock GT-120

- Removing all other PCI cards

- Installing on different, brand new hard drive (with different partition ordering)

- Installing over clone of current Lion system

- Installing over fresh copy of Lion

- installing on drive with single partition

- Swapped monitor input from DVI-D to DVI-I, used different cable


If I have the monitor turned off (or switched to a different input) at the time the login window would appear, then login always proceeds normally, and the monitor can then be turned back on. The same configuration boots 10.7.4 (and 10.6) with no issue.


I don't have any other graphics card or monitors to test with, so I was hoping that someone with a similar display configuration could confirm or deny issues when logging into 10.8.

Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Aug 17, 2012 9:49 AM

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Posted on Aug 20, 2012 5:24 PM

Following-up on my own posting. I never did completely determine if the issue is the card, monitor, or both; however, I finally managed to resolve the issue (I hope). I purchased a Gefen DVI Detective and placed it between the card and the monitor. The machine has successfully restarted now seven times in a row (though I won't be fully convinced of the fix until I get over a dozen).


As an added bonus, the display no longer flashes to blue several times while trying to handshake upon waking from sleep (which was super annoying, as it blocked user input as well as display).


Hopefully this helps someone else who stumbles on this issue in the future.

33 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Aug 20, 2012 5:24 PM in response to PaulM_FTS

Following-up on my own posting. I never did completely determine if the issue is the card, monitor, or both; however, I finally managed to resolve the issue (I hope). I purchased a Gefen DVI Detective and placed it between the card and the monitor. The machine has successfully restarted now seven times in a row (though I won't be fully convinced of the fix until I get over a dozen).


As an added bonus, the display no longer flashes to blue several times while trying to handshake upon waking from sleep (which was super annoying, as it blocked user input as well as display).


Hopefully this helps someone else who stumbles on this issue in the future.

Aug 20, 2012 11:20 PM in response to PaulM_FTS

Thank you!! I have exactly the same problem and it was driving me crazy -- failure to boot and the eventual blue screen.


I remotely logged in from the iPad and even though it seemed to login, the screen was black.


Following your suggestion I switched the input source of the monitor and got the Mac to boot. I will probably switch back to Lion until they fix this.


NEC website says that there is a problem with their Spectraview software, MLion and some monitors:

http://www.necdisplay.com/support-and-services/spectra-view-II/Compatibility


Even though I have no Thunderbolt or use Mini display adapters, my Mac Pro can't seem to communicate with my NEC 2690.


Thanks again! 🙂

Monica

[ Mac Pro 2009, 8-core 2.66Ghz, LCD2690WUXi, Nvidia GT120 ]

Aug 20, 2012 11:56 PM in response to Monkha

This seems like a NEC monitor problem as I have a Mac 3,1 and have recently fitted the ATI Radon HD 5870 replacing the old graphics card. (It is one week old).

One monitor is the NEC Spectraview 2690 which is connected to the mini-Display port and the other monitor is the Apple 23" connected to the DVI port.


After I have shut down the Mac Pro at night and restart it the following morning, two (BOTH) blank screens appears on booting up.

I then have to press and hold the power button to shut down the system and then reboot the sytem and then the screens come up properly for me to log in.

I can then use the computer as normal.


Why does this happen ?


System below running Mountain Lion

System Software Overview:


System Version: OS X 10.8 (12A269)

Kernel Version: Darwin 12.0.0

Boot Volume: Macintosh HD

Boot Mode: Normal



Model Name: Mac Pro

Model Identifier: MacPro3,1

Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Xeon

Processor Speed: 3.2 GHz

Number of Processors: 2

Total Number of Cores: 8

L2 Cache (per Processor): 12 MB

Memory: 26 GB

Bus Speed: 1.6 GHz

Boot ROM Version: MP31.006C.B05

SMC Version (system): 1.25f4

Serial Number (system): Xxxxxxxxxxx

Hardware UUID: 20D0D8B4-FE08-51EC-850F-A66BFBF9BC3B


ATI Radeon HD 5870:


Chipset Model: ATI Radeon HD 5870

Type: GPU

Bus: PCIe

Slot: Slot-1

PCIe Lane Width: x16

VRAM (Total): 1024 MB

Vendor: ATI (0x1002)

Device ID: 0x6898

Revision ID: 0x0000

ROM Revision: 113-C0780C-194

EFI Driver Version: 01.00.436

Displays:

LCD2690WUXi:

Resolution: 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Display Serial Number: 83107092YB

Main Display: Yes

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Rotation: Supported

Apple Cinema Display:

Display Type: LCD

Resolution: 1680 x 1050

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Rotation: Supported

Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion

Aug 23, 2012 1:50 AM in response to Monkha

I use X-Rite i1Profiler to calibraite both my monitors when I need to once the system is up and running.


I have ordered a Gefen DVI Detective Plus and hope it will arrive today.

http://www.rcblogic.co.uk/p-288-gefen-dvi-detective-plus.aspx?st=06&gclid=CJzv5P Kt_bECFQQhtAodA3kAoA


It does make me wonder that if only one monitor is connected to the graphics card all is OK.


Connect two monitors to the same graphics card and the trouble starts.


Lets hope the Gefen DVI Detective Plus sorts it out. I will keep you updated.

Aug 23, 2012 8:58 AM in response to George Atkins

I connected the Gefen DVI Detective Plus to the NEC 2690 monitor and followed the manufacturers instructions and let the unit download the monitors EDID which took just two seconds at most.

Disconnected the power supply and re-started the Mac Pro 3,1.

No alternating flashing screens and certainly no blank screens and I was able to log in on the first attempt. Yippee


Seems like it is the NEC 2690 monitor but why when it is always connected ?


Gefen's Note:

(Computers and HDTV video source devices can sometimes lose the EDID - basically the electronic identification of a display which lists its possible resolutions and frequencies. When displays are switched away or disconnected and then reconnected, the EDID can be lost and the computer or HD video source device can lose the ability to display the image properly. The Gefen DVI Detective Plus allows you to switch or relocate HDTV or computer video displays while "tricking" the source devices into continuously reading the display information - maintaining smooth video operations throughout the process.)


Bottom line is it works - 🙂

Aug 24, 2012 1:21 AM in response to Monkha

Expensive as it is, Gefen DVI Detective Plus worked for me again this morning. No alternating flashing screens and a simple log-on screen. Easy. 🙂


I have upgraded to Mountain Lion 10.8.1 yesterday and I agree with PaulM_FTS that the notes in 10.8.1 do not say anything about any fixes for this situation we have all had.😟


What else can I say - I think my troubles are over - but at a price.

Aug 30, 2012 3:58 PM in response to Richard Sjolund

I apologize in advance to everyone as this is slightly off the subject of the NEC 2690 WUXI monitor, however I use X-Rite's i1Profiler to calibrate both my Apple and NEC 2690 WUXI monitors when I need too.


I used to use SpectraView initially but found i1Profiler better giving neutral grays throughout the range and the Quality Assurance feature was worth the cost.


I recently tried a demo version of SpectraView II with the i1Display Pro but found it gave the monitor a slight pink cast so that was soon discarded and I went back to i1Profiler with the i1Display Pro.


I think I have seen on a web site that NEC know about the problem with SpectraView II but I do not know if this has been fixed yet.


I am currently using OSX 10.8.1

Sep 16, 2012 10:00 PM in response to PaulM_FTS

Thanks SOOOOO much!!! I spnt the last 5 days trying everything I knew to fix the same problems you are having. After upgrading to Mt. Lion I noticed my color shifted (2690wuxi) so I tried to re-calibrate and then the grey screens started. I thought it was the SpectraView that did it.


Most importantly, "flashes to blue several times while trying to handshake" has been annoying me for years - I always thought it was a side affect of my SoftRaid. For months I tried to describe the problem and just couldn't.


Both problems cost me so much time and money, and stress - so thanks for this thread. Now I can just order that part and catch up on sleep.


Mac Pro 3,1

NEC 2690 wuxi

Nvidia GTX 285 mac

a mouse

NEC monitor + Nvidia graphics incompatible with 10.8?

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