Blank grey screen on startup issue

Question

Blank grey screen on startup issue

I have started up my G4 powerbook and am met with a blank grey screen.

I had previously been using the laptop for connecting to a projector for a presentation and having been met with this problem I reconnected the laptop to a projector and the image of the desktop was viewable on the projector screen and thus I could manage the laptop via this. How can I get the screen on the laptop back to where it should be that I can see the what I am doing?

I am sure its something obvious and possibly relating to screen sharing or such like but I cannot think of the solution just now. Any thoughts?

Many thanks for you time.

Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), A plethora of Apple devices

Posted on Feb 11, 2015 8:11 AM

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Answer 1

Allan Jones

Level 9

68,690 points

Feb 11, 2015 10:22 AM in response to Anthony ÓDoibhailein

Not sure which powerBook you have but, on some, pressing the F7 function key toggles between normal and extended desktop display. As it sounds like you are stuck in extended mode, the F7 trick may just work.

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Answer 2

Feb 11, 2015 10:30 AM in response to Allan Jones

Hello Allan, many thanks for taking the time to contribute.

I have tried the F7 but to no avail.

Its a powerbook G4 1.67Ghz Powerbook.

The last I saw of any action on the screen was when I opened the laptop and the grey screen was waking from sleep as the feint image of the last screen image was apparent as the line of dots at the bottom were cycling up to refreshing the image. But instead of the greyed feint desktop refreshing the screen went grey as its been since.

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Answer 3

my ginger

Level 5

4,904 points

Feb 14, 2015 7:16 PM in response to Anthony ÓDoibhailein

Hi just saw your post. Can you go into preferences display and uncheck mirroring? If it's and option. You could also try pram reset. Hold down command/Option/P/R on startup for three chimes. Read this for trying a PMU reset.http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT1431

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Answer 4

Feb 21, 2015 6:18 AM in response to my ginger

Hello again,

In order to try to resolve this I need to connect the laptop to a projector to be able to see the desktop image and open such things as System preferences. This takes me bait longer than it should thus the delay in adding to this discussion.

I did connect it up to the projector. Switched off the mirroring and tried a few switching off and on's etc. I have also tried resting the PRAM and the PMU but to now avail. There appears to be a disconnect between the screen and the system. I reckon it is maybe to do with the fact that the last time is was used and functioned as usual was when I was using the laptop with the projector.

It is of course frustrating as the laptop in question though of a certain vintage is in very good condition and operates very well other than this issue.

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Answer 5

my ginger

Level 5

4,904 points

Feb 21, 2015 9:59 AM in response to Anthony ÓDoibhailein

Hi. Did you get it fixed yet? I found an article that had keyboard commands for the older mac's One of them was Command/F1 to toggle between displays, The other was Command/F2 to detect displays. I'll give you the link to look at and maybe you can find something useful .Do you have the clasic mode set on your Powerbook?file:///Users/pauledwards/Desktop/Magical%20Macintosh%20Key%20Sequences.webarchi ve

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Answer 6

Mar 18, 2015 1:27 PM in response to my ginger

Hello again,

Still no further forward with this.

I have been busy with other things for a bit but am now back onto this. Need to get this working so that I can use the laptop for some stuff I am doing elsewhere.

The command f1 & f2 have no effect. I have tried afresh all the same combinations but no change.

My Ginger, I can't open the link for some reason.

I was wondering how I would be able to see the desktop on say another mac's screen to be able to work through things in a similar way to being able to view the desktop of the laptop when its connected to the projector?

As ever any inputs are most welcome. many thanks.

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Answer 7

my ginger

Level 5

4,904 points

Mar 18, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Anthony ÓDoibhailein

You can use target disk mode, if you have firewire cable and both computers have firewire. You start the other mac up and then the powerbook holding down the T key on the power book. Or if you have file sharing on on both computers you can do it that way. The only thing is ,you will not see the powerbooks desktop . Just the hard drive and it's contents. If also could be that the powerbooks display or IO board are bad. If it's a backlight problem. Holding to certain light or using a flashlight ,you can sometimes see the desktop.

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Answer 8

Mar 19, 2015 1:42 PM in response to my ginger

After a moments clarity I realise that I had in fact a dvi monitor which I have connected the laptop up to so it is now easier for me to see if I can try to resolve this.

When connected to the monitor then I can use the laptop and manage the system preferences etc. When I do the display mirroring then the image is not switching between the default monitor view and the laptop desktop but just changes to different screen size with the same image.

Does this make sense?

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Answer 9

my ginger

Level 5

4,904 points

Mar 19, 2015 2:31 PM in response to Anthony ÓDoibhailein

I don't know what happened . I can't open the link ether. If I find it again I'll post it. What operating system is the powerbook running? Have you tried running the install disc and repairing permissions or the startup volume. Having a gray screen would rule out a display problem. So the wonder is if there is a software problem.Do you have the install disk?

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Answer 10

Mar 19, 2015 3:29 PM in response to my ginger

Hullo,

Many thanks for your iput. Really appreciate it.

Its running 10.5.8. My install disk is a bit inconsistent due to some surface damage. Sometimes it works and others not.

If I attach the laptop in target disk mode via firewire to another mac is it possible to run disk utility from another mac even if it is running 10.8.5?

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Answer 11

my ginger

Level 5

4,904 points

Mar 19, 2015 3:55 PM in response to Anthony ÓDoibhailein

You would not want to run the disk utilities of mountain lion for leopard. There are places that can resurface a disk , as I have done so. GameStop used to do it. But there are others. Places that sell video games is a place to look. It cost me $5.00 to resurface mine. It looked new and worked great.

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Answer 12

Sep 17, 2015 5:50 AM in response to my ginger

Just following up on this.

I have managed to connect to another mac and via screen sharing have run Disk Utility which hasn't made a difference after a restart.

I also checked the about this mac panel to see what it had for the screen and the picture gives you a run down of the status of the screen.

I was wondering if this showed anything untoward or unexpected.

I would give up on this but the laptop is in such good physical condition that I'd like to try resolving this.

Any further thoughts at all?

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