Time Machine Black Screen Dual Monitors

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Level 1

28 points

Time Machine Black Screen Dual Monitors

I have an iMac 27 Retina with a 23 inch Cinema Display attached as an extended monitor (via thunderbolt)r, I have an external backup drive attached via USB. If I try to go into Time Machine to restore a file, Time Machine launches but gives me a black screen. However, I were to disconnect the second monitor and then launch Time Machine, all is well. Any ideas why connecting a second monitor would cause this problem?

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Dec 12, 2014 1:10 PM

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Answer 1

May 25, 2017 12:48 PM in response to Linc Davis

Not to revive an old post, but this solved a different problem I've had for several weeks and haven't been able to find answered, so for that, thanks!

For anyone else with my problem: I have a late 2014 Retina 5K iMac with an LG 4K external display, Mac OS 10.12.5 (also happened with .4, which was current when I got the LG). Occasionally (not every time, no discernible pattern), when waking from sleep/after the displays had powered down, the iMac display would come on briefly, then go black, then not return; the 4K display would come back on and work fine. DisableMonitor --list would no longer show the iMac display, and I saw no relevant entries in the console logs. The only workaround I was able to find was rebooting the machine.

I found plenty of posts about external monitors not working, with different solutions that didn't help me. Turning off "Displays have separate Spaces," followed by logging out and back in, did the trick. Again, thanks!

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Answer 2

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Dec 12, 2014 3:00 PM in response to DonQ

This issue can be caused by a bug in the handling of multiple displays. Open the Mission Control pane in System Preferences and uncheck the box marked

Displays have separate Spaces

Test.

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Answer 3

DonQ Author

Level 1

28 points

Dec 12, 2014 3:52 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you so much. By doing this I can now access Time Machine. Although I miss being able to display certain apps on one display vs the other it's not that big of deal to simply move the app over to the extended display. Again thanks!

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Answer 4

Jun 2, 2017 11:33 AM in response to droffsite

And, spoke too soon. Still having the same problem. Back to the drawing board.

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