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HDMI display issues after 10.8.2

Hi,


I just updated my Macbook Pro Retina to OSX 10.8.2. I often use my hdtv as an external display, that is, until after updating. Now whenever I connect my mbp to the tv via hdmi, the screen goes black and nothing but a cursor appears. The cable is fine, tried multiple cables, multple comps, none of the system preferences have been changed. Literally happened just after restarting with the update. Help?

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Sep 19, 2012 4:54 PM

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Posted on Sep 19, 2012 5:03 PM

With everything booted up and connected, try a NVPRAM reset, this has helped some people.


Power down mac, leave TV on, power up the mac holding the following keys before the start up chime:


option, command,P,R,(no commas) continue to hold till you hear the start chime 2 times, then release.


If no joy, try a reboot.


Hope this helps

207 replies

Sep 24, 2012 1:59 AM in response to cazmn01

Howdy KenV54,


Well, you're going to have something to discuss with Apple on Tuesday. When I closed the rMBP lid, the external display worked for me as well. It's not terribly usable, but I see something on the HDMI connected TV. When I open the lid, internal and external displays go black with enlarged pointer again. That was a remarkable example of lateral thinking Brpearce.


Thanks, Mark

Sep 24, 2012 1:30 PM in response to cazmn01

Just to add another data point - I am having this issue with my Retina MacBook Pro after the 10.8.2 and firmware update. Today I plugged in a projector and got the black screen with the huge cursor on both my MacBook display and the projector display.


It made giving my normal weekly software developer meeting extremely difficult!


Edit: This is with a thunderbolt to VGA adapter.

Sep 24, 2012 1:43 PM in response to cazmn01

Hi, I have the new Macbook Pro Retina having the same issue, after just updating 10.8.2 , I have my hdmi cabel to my Samsung Smart Tv, The Screen gets all messed up with graphical issues on the mbrr screen also black screen with a pointer and I cant connect my comp to the ext tv....


I didnt do any firmware update either and I had no issues at all, I also had an wireless issue on the wireless connection after 10.8.2 that issue in speed regarding mbit/s from my router, bubed up after 10.8.2 update but this screen problems seems to have affected everyone...

Sep 24, 2012 3:05 PM in response to cazmn01

PROBLEM SOLVED!!! (In my case, at least)


My Apple tech support guy came back a day earlier than expected, said to remove a couple of plist files, and it now works perfectly with HDMI, my projector, my external monitor, etc.


I had already removed one of the plist files a few days ago (which in itself hadn't worked), but when I removed the other, it did. I would suggest removing both.


Go to Finder.


In the root directory (MacBookPro or whatever your HD is called), go to Library, go to Preferences, find com.apple.windowserver.plist and put it into Trash


In your own user directory, go to Library (in Finder, click Go menu and hold Option key down to get to Library), go to Preferences, go to ByHost directory, find com.apple.windowserver.OE35739etc,etcxxxxxxxxxxx.plist, and put it into Trash.


You do not have to empty Trash.


Reboot computer.


The HDMI should be working now, and permanently so.


If it isn't, post it here and I'll let the Apple tech guy know.


Good luck.

Sep 24, 2012 5:11 PM in response to cazmn01

WOW!! Thank you KenV54!! This also fixed my problem. My Samsung Display now works with my rMBP using the Thunderbolt to DVI adapter. Such a simple solution. I wish Apple would make information like this more readily available. I feel bad for anyone suffering with this problem who has not seen this thread.


One note for anyone else who is going to try this though, I had 3 files of com.apple.windowserver and all of them had different numbers on the end than the ones you posted. I was not sure if I should delete them all, so I just took a chance and did it. I left them in my trash and did not empty the trash just in case there was a problem. Then I rebooted and YAY...my external monitor now works!! Thank you again!

Sep 24, 2012 5:42 PM in response to 123bart

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. It's gratifying to hear that the fix seems to work universally.


(Incidentally, I don't think there is ever a danger in removing any plist file or files. They are just preference files which are created or recreated when a process is used, and are not necessary to run the process the first time.)


I wrote back to my Apple Support Tech, who was great, by the way, and said the following:


"Maybe Apple can find a way to distribute this knowledge in a public sort of way, or incorporate it in an OS update, and quickly. For me it was just a minor inconvenience, and for entertainment purposes only. Some users who don't know they have this problem are in for a rude awakening when they go to give their first presentation to an outside audience and find they can't get some new, on-site projector, to work."


We'll see what Apple does. I don't know if OS upgrades can remove plist files, although I suspect they can.


So--it wasn't the firmware at all, or maybe the plist files created under previous firmware or OS 10.8.1 were incompatible with it. We'll probably never know.

HDMI display issues after 10.8.2

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