Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Allenzi35 · Apr 30, 2005, 05:32 PM

Hello everyone,

I have a 1GHz Superdrive Ti with 1GB of ram. I just got Tiger last night and installed it. Everything went very smoothly and it seems to have speeded up system wise which is great.

The only thing that is bugging me is that now the F1 and F2 that control the screen brightness are now disabled. Nothing happens when I push the buttons and I can now longer adjust the screen brightness in System Preferences either. The option is no longer there.

The screen does automatically dim on battery when it sits without being touched but there is no more manual adjustment of brightness.

This is something that I cannot live without. Has anyone else experianced anything like this? Any ideas?

Thank you

-A

v.noir · Apr 30, 2005, 05:40 PM

Nothing happens if you use the fn key with F1 & F2 either? Brightness not even in system preferences? Did you do an upgrade install or a clean one? Sounds weird to me.

Allenzi35 · Apr 30, 2005, 05:43 PM

Even when I push fn, nothing happens. I formatted and did a clean install. Everything else is fine so far.

-A

v.noir · Apr 30, 2005, 05:51 PM

How rare! I don't know. Does system profiler say anything funny about your video card / display? Anyone else have any ideas?

v.noir · Apr 30, 2005, 05:53 PM

oo oo what happens when you use the volume keys? Does the volume thingy come up, in the same way the brightness thingy used to? Maybe the software that drives these shortcuts has fallen over.

Allenzi35 · Apr 30, 2005, 05:54 PM

System Profiler says this:

ATY,RV250M9:

Chipset Model: ATY,RV250M9
Type: Display
Bus: AGP
VRAM (Total): 64 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x4c66
Revision ID: 0x0001
ROM Revision: 113-xxxxx-106
Displays:
Display:
Type: Display
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 1280 x 854
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Not Supported
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Display:
Status: No display connected

Which looks normal to me unless I'm missing something.

-A

v.noir · Apr 30, 2005, 05:56 PM

System profiler was a long shot, I guess. If anyone knows the name of the process that handles these shortcuts, you could look it up with Activity Monitor and see if it's there, if it's frozen, etc. Also, you could try logging off - get back to the login window. Try the shortcuts then, see what happens?

Allenzi35 · Apr 30, 2005, 05:57 PM

The Volume, Eject and Expose all work BAU. I'm really confused.

v.noir · Apr 30, 2005, 06:03 PM

Just the brightness... And the slider's missing from system preferences too, in the Displays pane? Weird. I don't know, maybe someone else has any ideas? Long shot, but maybe connecting and then disconnecting an external display might do something (forcing a detect-displays)?

Allenzi35 · Apr 30, 2005, 06:24 PM

Something else I just noticed is that in system preferences, the option to change resolutions is gone also. The only option there is the native res???

v.noir · Apr 30, 2005, 07:13 PM

The plot thickens. Beyond pressing detect displays in the displays preference pane or connecting an external monitor, I don't know. I was thinking detecting displays might make Mac OS remember it has an LCD connected, which it can change the brightness for.

Mauro · Apr 30, 2005, 10:24 PM

I have the exact same problem in my PowerBook G4 Ti 1Ghz, 1GB RAM. There is a thread in the Apple Discussions support groups where others have posted with the same problem. They include older Ti G4s as well. I have also tried pretty much everything. Not only are the resolutions gone on the Displays control panel, so is the brightness control! So there is no way to reduce the brightness in my PB anymore.

I also have a very strange problem with my battery indicator (and battery?) where it reports that I have 14 hours left, and goes done from 100% to around 85% and then the computer goes to sleep. Upon plugging in, the battery is in fact completely drained... I am not sure if they are related, but they both happened when I installed Tiger. I have tried resetting the PRAM, resetting the power management switch under the keyboard, repaired permissions, and hard drive. etc.

Other than those two, I have had no problems and in fact my computer runs pretty fast now...

I have already sent feedback to Apple regarding the brightness and battery issues. You may want to do the same so that Apple realizes it may not be an isolated issue.

Originally Posted by Allenzi35

Hello everyone,

I have a 1GHz Superdrive Ti with 1GB of ram. I just got Tiger last night and installed it. Everything went very smoothly and it seems to have speeded up system wise which is great.

The only thing that is bugging me is that now the F1 and F2 that control the screen brightness are now disabled. Nothing happens when I push the buttons and I can now longer adjust the screen brightness in System Preferences either. The option is no longer there.

The screen does automatically dim on battery when it sits without being touched but there is no more manual adjustment of brightness.

This is something that I cannot live without. Has anyone else experianced anything like this? Any ideas?

Thank you

-A

Kyros · May 1, 2005, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by Mauro

I also have a very strange problem with my battery indicator (and battery?) where it reports that I have 14 hours left, and goes done from 100% to around 85% and then the computer goes to sleep. Upon plugging in, the battery is in fact completely drained... I am not sure if they are related, but they both happened when I installed Tiger. I have tried resetting the PRAM, resetting the power management switch under the keyboard, repaired permissions, and hard drive. etc.

That just means your battery is dead. Nothing fixes that, you'll need to buy a new one.

Allenzi35 · May 1, 2005, 08:03 AM

Thank God I'm not the only one. I did find the thread over at Apple discussions.

This is defintely and software/driver issue. I installed Panther on an external drive and brightness keys work fine like they always did. I called Apple and they did a whole bunch of things that didn't work and then told me to archive and install. That didn't work either.

This is something that they have to fix on there side. I cannot wait for 10.4.1

RussianTiger · May 1, 2005, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by Allenzi35

I cannot wait for 10.4.1

I can't wait for 10.4.9, probably then it's will function as at suppose to be.

cambro · May 1, 2005, 09:14 AM

For the record...

I have a very early (i.e., 2002) 1 Ghz TiBook, 1Gig RAM, Combo drive.

I did an archive and install of 10.4 over 10.3.9 and have had none of the issues raised in this thread. Very strange indeed...

Randman · May 1, 2005, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by RussianTiger

I can't wait for 10.4.9, probably then it's will function as at suppose to be.

10.3.9 had lots of problems for many people.

RussianTiger · May 1, 2005, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Randman

10.3.9 had lots of problems for many people.

You mean Java died after update?

They fixed it. I have tried Tiger for a week, and come back to 10.3.9 more stable and I like old search engine better. Maybe you know how to sort things you found in Spotlight?

I have tons of files and need to sort them by date or size, old engine has a better interface, after a week understood that it's actually much faster to find what I want with old engine, maybe it's just me.

ibook_steve · May 1, 2005, 12:38 PM

Reboot and reset the PRAM (hold command-option-p-r at boot until you hear the startup chime twice). The system needs to redetect your display and clearing the PRAM should accomplish this.

Steve

Allenzi35 · May 1, 2005, 01:48 PM

Thanks Steve but this has already been done several times. It didn't help. Apple is going to have to release an update of some sort to fix this. I've tried everything.

-A

ibook_steve · May 1, 2005, 11:24 PM

The problem is this may be hardware and not software. Your machine is not detecting the display correctly. For kicks, just to make sure, try setting up a separate test user account and see if you still have the problem. If so, this could definitely be hardware. If it is indeed Tiger, though I would doubt it, try going back to Panther with an external disk if available.

Steve

sworthy · May 2, 2005, 03:06 AM

For the record, I have this issues as well (no brightness control) and I have a 12" rev b powerbook with external ACD running in clamshell. However, this is NOT NEW WITH TIGER. I have been experiencing this problem since sometime late in 10.3. (maybe 10.3.7?) Also, it only happens sometimes. I can't seem to figure out the pattern.

Allenzi35 · May 2, 2005, 08:30 AM

Thanks for all the replys

This is what I have tried:

I have formatted and reinstalled and still the same thing. This is NOT HARDWARE RELATED. I ran the hardware test and everything is fine.

This powerbook came with Jaguar and I bought Panther afterwards. Brightness and resolution settings works in both of the previous OS, but not in Tiger. I have set up a new user account and it is the same problem.

So I have installed Panther again on my external HD and the brightness and resolution works when I boot to Panther but not when I boot to Tiger. So with it working in Panther on the external HD, I did a archive and install to Tiger on the external HD preserving all settings and Tiger kills brightness and resolution settings still.

For the guy with the 12in. Your problem may be different since you had a problem before Tiger but for us Ti users, this is something that Tiger is doing because again, going back to Panther makes it work fine which in my eyes cancels out the possibility that it could be hardware related.

This blows!!!!!

So as it is now, I can go back to Panther and use a fully functional out dated OS or stick with Tiger that I just paid $130 for and have an up to date SEMI functional OS. It's a lose, lose situation for me. Having the screen stuck at full brightness just KILLS my battery life.

-A

Allenzi35 · May 2, 2005, 08:39 AM

Also, I called Apple support and I have an open case with them, they can't figure it out either.

They had me open the keyboard and push that reset button and then restart, holding down the option + apple + o + f. Which took me to some command prompt, then had me type in a bunch of reset codes.

Then they had me hold down the apple, option, p, r, combo and let it chime 4 times and then boot. None of this fixed the problem.

Allenzi35 · May 2, 2005, 08:42 AM

Sworthy,

Without the external monitor plugged in, are you able to control brightness on the powerbook screen itself???

-A

sworthy · May 2, 2005, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Allenzi35

Sworthy,

Without the external monitor plugged in, are you able to control brightness on the powerbook screen itself???

-A

Yea, that works. This is just a problem with the external. Any ideas?

Mauro · May 2, 2005, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by sworthy

Yea, that works. This is just a problem with the external. Any ideas?

Actually, I have this problem without the external screen plugged in.

Sworthy, do you remember what commands you were asked to type by Apple? I have done a PRAM, and NVRAM reset from the open firmware login (the option +apple+o+f) but that didn't work for me either. I have also resetted the battery, pressed the power management interrupt switch below the keyboard, reset the PRAM until I heard 5 startup chimes, created a new user from scratch, etc. It was working perfectly well with Panther, so it is a Tiger install bug for me.

PowerBook G4 Ti, 1Ghz, 1GB RAM. I did an archive and install from 10.3.9

iBorg · May 5, 2005, 11:57 PM

Anyone have a succes story in solving this? It appears to mainly affect Titanium PowerBooks (like my 1 GHz TiBook), and I hear rumors about 10.4.1 coming in mid-to-late May. For now, though, I'm afraid to use the Tiger 10.4 disk that I ordered upon announcement, since I can't afford to lose more battery duration if I can't dim the screen, and can't do without a couple of programs that need to have a different screen resolution.

Maybe I'll just stick with 10.3.9 on the PowerBook, and go with 10.4 on my newly ordered 20" iMac G5 2GHz ...... Too bad that I spent the bucks on 10.4 already (I would've waited, had I known that Apple would give me the revision B iMac G5 that I've lusted after for the past 6-8 months!)

iBorg

Allenzi35 · May 6, 2005, 07:51 AM

Borg, I still have the problem and have not found a resolution nor has Apple.

iBorg · May 8, 2005, 09:46 PM

After fearfully waiting to install Tiger the past week (I have an early Titanium 1 GHz TiBook, purchased 11/02, and the Titaniums were reported to be most affected), I finally took the plunge ...... and it's working great!

I did the following, to upgrade from 10.3.9 to 10.4:
1. Ran Disk Warrior
2. Repaired permissions
3. Restarted with Tiger DVD, then ran it's Disk Utility, then used it again to repair permissions
4. Did an Archive and Install
5. Restarted, then repaired permissions

Except for twice having Safari "quit unexpectedly," everything has worked flawlessly: my F1/F2 screen brightness keys work, I have all the screen resolution choices I had previously, my fans run the same as before (I uninstalled Virex prior to installation, since it's incompatible with 10.4), Now Up-To-Date/Contact runs fine, etc.

If problems develop, I'll post a followup, but at this point, I'm happily exploring the various new features of Tiger!

iBorg