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Multiple display problem in OSX 10.9.2

I just updated to 10.9.2 on my 15" Macbook Pro (Mid-2010) and after the restart my secondary display will not work. When I plug it in to my mini displayport my secondary display comes up black and my primary display comes back with the background and settings that I had set for my secondary display. It seems as though the OS was confusing my primary display for my secondary. After messing with the settings I was able to get my primary display back to my primary settings, but the secondary display is still showing up black no matter how much I mess with the display settings in the system preferences (changes to resolution, mirroring, ect.). Anyone else experiencing this?

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2010)

Posted on Feb 25, 2014 1:00 PM

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Posted on Feb 25, 2014 1:14 PM

Nearly the same here. I've an external display connected to my private iMac via mini displayport respectively two external thunderbolt displays connected to my iMac for work. Before the update to 10.9.2 everything worked fine, afterwards the screen turns from black to the normal display to black and so on, it's flickering every time I do something, open up an app, repositioning a window from one display to another, switch to fullscreen. This totally *****, as an Developer and UI designer I'm depend on two respectively three displays o.O

135 replies

May 20, 2014 8:45 AM in response to athomas1

I'm very disappointed in Apple's response to this issue. It's been 3 months since this issue was created, and other than close my ticket as a duplicate, they've done nothing. How difficult can it be to roll back a change?


I've been running with the kext hack (so at least I can see something on the screen), but preview and iPhoto crash when loading images.

May 20, 2014 2:44 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

I've just upgraded to 10.9.3 and the first thing I saw after rebooting was my display resolution switched back to 720p with no other choice than to do the same thing that i do now 10 times a day...


switching Off my external display... unpluging my thunderbolt to DVI adapter... replugging my thunderbolt to DVI adapter... and switching ON my external display again...


What a pity... it seems that i won't be able to suggest Mac Book Pro Retinas to my students for Mapping purpose and for VJing unles this major bug will be resolved.


j.

May 20, 2014 2:54 PM in response to athomas1

My friend who has been fighting this since 10.9.2 (third post in this thread) just installed 10.9.3 with no success. Tried a SMC reset, didn't help.


Then did a PRAM reset - voila! Everything back to normal, second display working as expected, mirroring now working again (he just did a photography workshop in Italy and struggled during the class sessions because of the mirroring bug).

May 20, 2014 4:00 PM in response to Wayne Fox

So i did zap the PRAM... rebooted... cross my fingers... with no results... the external display came back again to the (&?%$$#@) 720p resolution only...


I've bought this Macbook Pro Retina to be up to date with my Gear for better performances... but with this major bug i'll have to consider to go back to my last Macbook pro which function like a charm...


This is an expensive Lesson! Nothing changed.


j.

May 20, 2014 7:27 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

The Monitor:

NEC

MODEL: LCD2490WUXI2-BK

I've used this Monitor for three years with my old Macbook Pro with Moutain Lion without any problem... It's native resolution is 1900 x 1200. I can use it horizontally or vertically and my Macbook Pro adjusted correctly.


The wrong display issue appeared on my new Macbook Pro Retina after upgrading to Maverick 10.9.2 - 10.9.3 didn't correct the problem. Since, the only choice i have in my monitor preferences is 720p and the only workaround i've found yet is to disconnect it and to reconnect it while plugging and unplugging my Thunderbolt adapter.


This make my brand new Macbook pro Retina unusuable in a Live video performance because i don't want to have to troubleshoot this in front of the public on several projectors if my Macbook Pro fall to sleep and switch to 720p when it wake-up.


j.

May 20, 2014 7:33 PM in response to Studio jocool

Not sure what the 720 issue is, the thread's issue discussed back when 10.9.2 was released was the lack of the ability to mirror, and related issues with using 2 monitors. Not sure your issue is related or not ....


Note that in my earlier post about the PRAm reset, we actually did a SMC reset, then when the mac was restarted we did a PRAM zap ... not sure if doing the 2 at the same time did anything or not.

May 20, 2014 7:51 PM in response to Wayne Fox

The question is not if the 720 issue was discussed before or if the discussion was the lack of the ability to mirror... my problem is that i can't use my new Macbook Pro Retina adequately with an external display. I didn't invest in such an expensive hardware to get this result. As a professional VJ it's a huge problem.


I didn't make a SMC reset yet. Should i?

Multiple display problem in OSX 10.9.2

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