Connecting a Display - 'No Signal' Dialogue Box?

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Level 1

4 points

Connecting a Display - 'No Signal' Dialogue Box?

I’m having issues connecting an LCD display to a G5 PPC desktop running 10.4.1.

(This is the last generation PPC).

The G5 has been very long in the tooth, so I got a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 MacBook Pro 13” late 2013 model. Because Apple doesn’t support migration for the older OS, I had to do it manually (and in some instances, like my calendar entires and Safari prefs, I need to laboriously sift through the data and copy individual pieces of data … a long term epic project).

The old LaCie CRT display I’d had connected to the G5 was on it’s last leg, so I hooked up an Acer X2334 Widescreen LCD display to the G5 and everything worked fine; I went into the G5’s system display preferences to change the aspect ratio to better suit the Acer Widescreen LCD monitor. So far, so good.

As the data transfer was going to be a long laborious undertaking I disconnected the Acer LCD display as I needed to use it elsewhere. I reconnected the old CRT display, restarted the G5, and changed the the system prefs display setting back to the old settings for the CRT monitor. That old CRT would flicker like crazy so I decided to retire it for good (no problem, time to get rid of it anyway., and man that thing is throwback to another technology era …. a 60lb. boat anchor). Unfortunately, when I reconnected the Acer LCD to the G5 and rebooted, this is what I saw:

1) gray Apple startup screen

2) spinning curser as the system booted up

3) Mac user selection screen (I click on my user name).

4) after a few moments the display screen goes black with a non-Apple dialogue box that states: ‘No Signal’

That occurred a few months ago. Every time I restart the G5 the same thing repeats.

I have no real clue what the issue is.

Since the LCD display functions fine for part of the boot-up process, I’m thinking that the system prefs for the display are creating some sort of conflict and they need to be changed (I seem to recall this happening when I first tried the Acer LCD display and having to reconnect the old CRT display in order to make the system pref changes).

Unfortunately, now I cannot access the G5 AT ALL because the old CRT is dead.

How can I get into the G5 system preferences?

The only other hardware I have here is an old iBook G4.

Thanks a bunch for any ideas!

Posted on Jul 8, 2015 1:32 PM

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Answer 1

Lovegasoline Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 8, 2015 1:36 PM in response to Lovegasoline

I should add that I recollect having this same issue when I first connected the Acer LCD display ... I believe I had to disconnect it, reconnect the old CRT display, then go into the G5's system prefs to change the display parameters ... and when that was complete, I had to disconnect the CRT and connect the LCD and it worked fine. However, I've since discarded the CRT display.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

239,195 points

Jul 8, 2015 4:47 PM in response to Lovegasoline

Hold Shift key at bootup & try to set a good rez while in Safe Mode.

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Answer 3

Lovegasoline Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 8, 2015 5:20 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks for your assistance.

When I implement your suggestion the same result occurs ... black screen (with 'no signal' non-Apple dialogue box flashed) . The only difference is there's no User Account Selection Screen (it goes from the grey desktop with Apple logo directly to a black screen).

Any ideas?

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

239,195 points

Jul 8, 2015 6:16 PM in response to Lovegasoline

Hmmm, you could get to the setting using FW Target Disk Mode.

Does it get any further if you let it cool good?

Have you blown the dust out lately?

Have you done a PRAM reset, CMD+Option+p+r...

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

In fact, do 3 in a row, takes a bit of time.

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Answer 5

Lovegasoline Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 8, 2015 8:24 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks BDAqua, I'll try that and report back.

I've had to press the button to turn the G5 off since I can't do it via the finder (no display).

I have noticed that during these attempts to resolve the issue the fan often kicks in HARD.

However, the computer is off between attempts to it's hard to imagine it overheating.

I'll remove the side panel and blow out any dust. I've not reset the PRAM recently, I'll do that as well.

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Answer 6

Lovegasoline Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 9, 2015 1:00 PM in response to BDAqua

Hmmm, you could get to the setting using FW Target Disk Mode.

-I don't believe this will solve the issue.

a.) to the best of my knowledge, there's no way to access the G5's System Prefs while in disc mode, from the iBook.

Does it get any further if you let it cool good?

-it's not hot and temp doesn't appear to be an issue. I've started it from a stone cold state dozens of times with the same result.

Have you blown the dust out lately?

-I just did, thoroughly, with no effect. There was a modest, not heavy, accumulation of dust.

Have you done a PRAM reset, CMD+Option+p+r...

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

In fact, do 3 in a row, takes a bit of time.

-I just did, three times in succession. No effect.

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Answer 7

BDAqua

Level 10

239,195 points

Jul 9, 2015 1:21 PM in response to Lovegasoline

Try booting the G5 with t key held down & then booting the iBook with alt key held & see if the iBook will boot from the G5s HDD... assuming they're connected with FW cable.

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Answer 8

Lovegasoline Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 9, 2015 1:30 PM in response to BDAqua

"Try booting the G5 with t key held down & then booting the iBook with alt key held & see if the iBook will boot from the G5s HDD... assuming they're connected with FW cable."

That worked (I completely forgot about the alt key to select startup drive).

I'm booted from the G5's HDD.

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Answer 9

Lovegasoline Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 9, 2015 1:50 PM in response to Lovegasoline

In my OP I made a mistake regarding the ACER LCD Display model #: it's X233H.

I'm not exactly sure how to set the display resolution? From cursory internet research, the Acer's native resolution is 1920x1080.

At present I see only three resolution options when viewing the display prefs on my iBook (I assume because it's referencing my iBook's LCD display and not the Acer display)?:

1.) 640 x 480

2.) 800 x 600

3.) 1024 x 768

I'm wondering if it's necessary or recommended to install some sort of driver for it to work on the G5?

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Answer 10

BDAqua

Level 10

239,195 points

Jul 9, 2015 2:34 PM in response to Lovegasoline

Good news so far... on the iBook's Sys Prefs Displays it'll only see attached Displays,so I'd try setting it to 800*600, shutdown & see if the G5 then works... I think the 1st screens you see at bootup are 800*600.

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Answer 11

Lovegasoline Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 9, 2015 2:43 PM in response to BDAqua

Nothing has changed, it's the same as before : (

(also, during boot up, it doesn't make it to the user account sign-in screen before the screen blacks out. This pattern seems to have occured in about 50% of previous attempts).

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Answer 12

BDAqua

Level 10

239,195 points

Jul 9, 2015 3:31 PM in response to Lovegasoline

Well, if you want to take a chance, I think those settings are held in the hidden file...

/Volumes/CVBRaid0/YourUserName/bd8b/Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences.plist

And/or...

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Preferences/ByHost/.GlobalPreferences.<12digitHex#>. plist

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Answer 13

Lovegasoline Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 9, 2015 3:51 PM in response to BDAqua

Hmm.

I'm not sure what I would do with the settings were I to access them?

Also, previously the booting process would take me to the user sign in screen. But then the screen would black out anyway after I dente red my user ID. So I'm not sure sign-in has any bearing on the issue.

??

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