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Solution for sleep issues with external display?

I had an Early 2011 Macbook Pro that worked quite well with an external display. I now have a Mid 2012 Macbook Pro (bought 5 days ago, and running 10.10.3) that will not consistently work with the same external monitor.


I had it working yesterday for a few hours only if I left the MBP with the top open (both the MBP screen and external monitor stayed lit). But, today it is back to freezing each time the monitor is connected to it.


I have tried:


1. Connecting the external monitor to the MBP with the top open. Results in the MBP screen now going dark and no signal being passed to the external monitor. If the external monitor is disconnected, the MBP screens stays dark and the computer is unresponsive requiring a hard restart.


2. Connecting the external monitor to the MBP with the top closed. Results in no signal being sent to the external monitor. Disconnecting the external monitor and reopening the MBP yields, again, and unresponsive computer which requires a hard restart.


I have tried three different external monitors, all giving the same result. The MBP is connect to external power, and I am running the latest OS (10.10.3).


Any suggestions before I return this to the Apple store in a rage? :-)

Posted on Apr 15, 2015 1:54 PM

Reply
1 reply

Apr 18, 2015 2:15 PM in response to Graflin Booth

Hello there, Gaflin.


I'm sorry to hear you're having so much trouble getting your external display to work the way you are expecting with your new MacBook Pro. The following Knowledge Base article provides a great checklist of steps for troubleshooting the issue you seem to be describing:


Apple computers: Troubleshooting issues with video on internal or external displays - Apple Support


No video or no signal, image distortion, "snow," or flickering


Check connections

When using an external display be sure to check the following:

  1. If you're using an Apple notebook, confirm the AC power cable or adapter is securely connected to the computer and the cable providing power to the display is also secure. It is always good to have your notebook connected to AC power when an external display is in use.
  2. Confirm display adapters are fully seated in their respective connections and that they are supported models and for the computer and display. Refer to these articles to assist you with adapter compatibility and further configuration information:
  3. Remove all display cable extenders, KVM switches, or other like devices and retest to determine if the issue is resolved.
  4. Try unplugging the video adapter or cable and then plug it back in.
  5. If more than one video adapter is in use (or "daisy-chained"), troubleshoot by using only one adapter.

    Example: A mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter connected to a DVI to HDMI adapter is an unsupported configuration because there is a series of adapters in use.

  6. If available, try using a different display and or adapter (or use a different connector by using DVI instead of VGA, for instance).

Reset the system

You can reset the Mac's parameter RAM and SMC.

Reset the resolution

Start by resetting the Mac's parameter RAM. If the display does not come up, was previously set to an unsupported resolution, and still results in no video:
  1. Start up in Safe Mode.
  2. From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
  3. Choose Displays from the View menu to open the preferences pane.
  4. Select any resolution and refresh rate that your display supports.
  5. Restart your computer.

Using Closed lid, Extended Desktop, or Mirroring display modes

When using multiple displays, information can be presented in a number of ways. For more information and what modes are supported by your Apple product refer to:


Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.


Cheers,

Pedro.

Solution for sleep issues with external display?

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