10.8.4 External Display Problem

I cannot believe I am having this issue again in 2017!

One of my Mac Minis, a late 2012 quad core i7, started booting with an 800x600 screen resolution instead of 1920x1080. The Mac Mini is connected to a BENQ G2420HDBL monitor via a mini Display Port to VGA adapter.

So, what I tried:

o PRAM reset;

o SMC reset;

o Display applet, ALT/Option Key-Click Scaled, choose 1920x1080 = correct resolution, but screen shifted about 3" to the right (black bar on left);

o Third party Display Utility - choose 1920x1080, same effect as above, shifted to the right;

o Third party utility SwitchResX - choose 1920x1080, same effect as above, shifted to the right (and unable to adjust horizontal porch to centre screen (note: in the past this was the solution that worked for me, just not this time).

The solution: using a different mini Display Port to VGA adapter and everything is as it should be. No fiddling required. Resolution perfect.

Postscript: the original mini Display Adapter works perfectly on another Mac Mini, so I speculate macOS (in this case Sierra) stores a unique id and resolution somewhere ... forever as PRAM and SMC resets do not affect it. I believe it is an operating system/software issue as I have never had the issue on the other Mac Minis which run FreeBSD for their operating systems, only on two different ones running OS X / macOS.

Yes, I have the same problem with my Macbook Pro. The external display isn't filled and is offset. I have tried re-calibrating the screen, but to no effect. I hope Apple fixes this soon.

It's a long shot, but you might try

Resetting NVRAM / PRAM

Does the resolution appear properly if you boot the system into Safe Mode by holding the Shift key after hearing the boot chimes at startup?

When booting in safe mode, the display changes to 800x600 and when I set it to 1920x1080, the same problem persists. I will try the NVRAM/PRAM reset.

exactly the same problem

Same problem with:

MacbookPro Mid 2009

Asus VE247 External monitor

Minidisplay port to VGA adaptor

OS X 10.8.4

Only happens with VGA resolution 1920 x 1080, others resolutions or with HDMI adaptor works fine.

In windows 7 with Bootcamp works fine.

Downgrading to 10.8.3 with Time Machine resolve the problem.

I tried with no results:

- Change to the other internal GPU (NVIDIA GeForce 9400M to NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT)

- Reset PRAM

- recalibrate screen manually.

Yes, I also have a Macbook Pro Mid 2009 with a Dell U2410 monitor and the same problem exists.

If you're using a VGA input, you're using an analog input, and you would have to make the adjustments using the monitors screen adjustment controls. Use a DVI (digital) connecton if available.

I am experiencing the same issue on my MacBook (late 2008) which is connected to a Dell U2211H via mini-DisplayPort to VGA. I have found that I am able to re-establish full screen and full resolution by sleeping the computer and then waking it again. Unfortunately this method is not always effective so sometimes it requires a single sleep while in other situations it is multiple attempts before things are back to normal. Very odd behaviour.

Even using the monitor adjustment controls (manually and auto resize) the screen doesn't fill.

I tried with other monitor (PackardBell) and the issue is the same. It´s only happens with 1920x1980 resolution and VGA adapter. DVI and HDMI works fine.

I had a very similar problem. Contacted Apple Support and they are still in the accumulating data mode. I ended up reverting to a time machine copy that was in 10.8.3.

I am having the same issue, chopped off about 2 inches from the left and 1 inch from the right. If I change from anything but 1920x1080 60hz, works fine (but have screen refresh lines). I only have a VGA option as I am using a switch box. Worked fine until 10.8.4.