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Proteus4 · Oct 23, 2005, 12:10 PM

Recently my ibook does not seem to want to display to external displays. I have tried hooking up my ibook to a 17" crt. The first time I click on Detect Display... I get some flicker on the CRT but that is about it.

Same thing happens when I use the TV adapter on my 27" Sony Wega... it wont display anything on the external screen.

This is driving me mad... Any solutions or maybe the latest drivers for the ATI Mobility Radeon 7500??

seanc · Oct 23, 2005, 05:14 PM

Try wiggling the connector to see if it makes any difference.
My iBook seems to have a loose connector as I sometimes get purple, green, normal output or no output.
Giving the connector a wiggle seems to sort it out.

Proteus4 · Oct 23, 2005, 05:17 PM

No luck with the wiggle.

seanc · Oct 23, 2005, 05:36 PM

Is there any sign of life, e.g through boot up?

It could be a sign of a failing logic board.

Proteus4 · Oct 23, 2005, 07:28 PM

Yes, when I reboot the iBook during the grey start up page you actually see a grey screen on the external monitor. Of course there is no apple symbol in the middle.

Then it blanks out as soon as it boots into OSX.

Just so you know I am using the latest build of Tiger.

seanc · Oct 24, 2005, 06:40 AM

Well then it's definitely a software problem rather than a hardware problem.
Do you have the screen spanning hack installed?

I'm not sure how to un-install but try zapping the pram - hold down cmd+option+p+r after the startup chime and wait for another chime,
This may disable the screen spanning (if installed) and may also fix the problem.

You could also try re-setting the PMU, there may be a button above the headphone port that you need to press while the machine is off with the battery and power and disconnected.

If there isn't a button then check this page Link

Proteus4 · 08:35 AM

Thanks for your help but I have already tried those options and nothing. Ohh, and I never tried using screen spanning.

Was working one day and not the next. To be honest, I can't remember if I installed an update or anything like that but since this isn't a widespread issue I doubt that an update is the cause.

Next stop... re-install tiger??

seanc · Oct 24, 2005, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by Proteus4

Thanks for your help but I have already tried those options and nothing. Ohh, and I never tried using screen spanning.

Was working one day and not the next. To be honest, I can't remember if I installed an update or anything like that but since this isn't a widespread issue I doubt that an update is the cause.

Next stop... re-install tiger??

I wonder whether the screen would work if you booted from the installation CD?

It sounds like an install of Tiger is your only option now but what happens with the external display plugged in and you click on displays in preferences?

This usually causes the display preferences window to be brought up on both monitors.

Proteus4 · Oct 24, 2005, 10:54 AM

When I use display preferences the first time I click on Detect Display the ibook's monitor fades to black then to blue and then back to my screen but nothing happens on the crt monitor except for a half second "static charge" sound like something is about to be displayed on the screen.

There is definitely information travelling from the ibook to the monitor but something must be corrupted.

seanc · Oct 24, 2005, 11:28 AM

Have you tried repairing permissions?

I've just noticed that my external monitor doesn't work in OS 9 on my iBook 500, don't know why.

Proteus4 · 01:17 PM

Yup, tried repairing permissions and just finished an Archive & Install.

Nothing.

This is perplexing...

Should I try an erase and install??

seanc · Oct 24, 2005, 03:02 PM

Try another PMU reset and also reset the pram but wait for 2 or more chimes.

Something has obviously gone wrong somewhere whether it's software or hardware.

Do you have any other monitors you can try?

Proteus4 · Oct 24, 2005, 03:55 PM

I will try both again.

Besides my monitor I tried my 27" sony Wega with the TV adapter that I have. Same problem and nothing has been resolved.

Also have a 19" LCD on the way. Hopefully it will arrive in the next couple of days and I can test that out.

seanc · Oct 24, 2005, 04:08 PM

What OS were you using prior to Tiger?

Maybe you could give that a whirl to see what happens.

Proteus4 · Oct 24, 2005, 04:11 PM

I was on a Panther previously. Hmm...

Just tried the PRAM and PMU again with no results.

Would an erase and install do it? With an archive + install it does save all the user settings and I guess it could be possible the problem is there.

Thanks again for all your help. I have done several searchers for this problem and have turned up pretty much nothing everywhere I go.

seanc · Oct 24, 2005, 04:12 PM

:Smiley w/ light-bulb above head!:

Try a new user account!

Proteus4 · Oct 24, 2005, 04:19 PM

Bah god!! I didn't think of that.

Proteus4 · Oct 24, 2005, 04:29 PM

Tried it and nothing... :/

seanc · Oct 24, 2005, 04:33 PM

Try leaving the battery and power disconnected over night.
This may reset some things and may fix the problems.

The only other thing I have to suggest is to try an erase and install of Tiger and failing that Panther.

Proteus4 · Oct 24, 2005, 04:52 PM

Thanks... unplugging the battery and power overnight and reinstalling Tiger are pretty much all that is left.

Proteus4 · Oct 25, 2005, 03:18 PM

Just did an erase and install of OSX Tiger. Doesn't work... I think it is hardware. The connection port looks pretty dirty.

Proteus4 · Oct 26, 2005, 08:44 AM

Tried cleaning the port and still nothing.

I am just going to assume the port is dead. Thanks for everything.

seanc · Oct 26, 2005, 09:34 AM

Well it's not dead as it brings up the grey screen on boot up.

One thing I have remembered is to go into Open Firmware and reset the nvram etc.

1. Hold down Command+Option+O+F
2. Type: reset-nvram
3. Type: reset-all

The mac should now reboot.

Any changes?

Proteus4 · Oct 27, 2005, 12:38 AM

Tried it... nothing...

Proteus4 · Oct 27, 2005, 01:03 AM

Display:
Type: Display
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 1024 x 768
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Not Supported
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Display:
Status: No display connected

------------------------------

Is that Mirror: Off
supposed to be that way??

seanc · Oct 27, 2005, 10:56 AM

Mirror off will be that way if it's not being mirrored to an external monitor.

This is mine:

Color LCD:
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 1024 x 768
Depth: 32-bit Color
Built-In: Yes
Core Image: Not Supported
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Display:
Online: No
Status: No display connected

Have you got OS 9 cd's?

Proteus4 · Oct 27, 2005, 11:55 AM

Nope, no OS9 cds. Well, classic on Panther but that is about it.

seanc · Oct 27, 2005, 01:04 PM

Could you install classic? You should be able to boot from it.
It would be useful to see if the external monitor works in OS 9.
I think the grey screen at the beginning is rendered in the same way as things are in OS 9 if that makes any sense.

Like I said earlier, my 15" monitor wouldn't show the grey start screens or OS 9 but my 17" would.

Proteus4 · Oct 28, 2005, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

Could you install classic? You should be able to boot from it.
It would be useful to see if the external monitor works in OS 9.
I think the grey screen at the beginning is rendered in the same way as things are in OS 9 if that makes any sense.

Like I said earlier, my 15" monitor wouldn't show the grey start screens or OS 9 but my 17" would.

Haven't tried it before but can I install just classic from the panther discs??

seanc · Oct 28, 2005, 02:25 PM

I'm not sure since I don't have any Panther cd's just the iBook restore cd's.

You could at least have a look on them.

Proteus4 · Oct 28, 2005, 04:11 PM

Tried it... no love.

Every problem has a solution... right??

Proteus4 · Oct 29, 2005, 10:05 AM

Just tried the Apple Hardware Test disc that I found and it didn't show anything wrong.

seanc · Oct 29, 2005, 12:22 PM

Every problem has a solution... right??

In theory it does.

Do you still have your original discs that came with your iBook?

There should be an OS 9 install disc in there somewhere.

Proteus4 · Oct 29, 2005, 03:16 PM

Yeah, I managed to install OS 9. Had no luck with it at all.

seanc · Oct 29, 2005, 03:20 PM

Well i'm completely out of idea's now.

Did you get that LCD yet?
Have you tested it?

Proteus4 · Oct 29, 2005, 03:24 PM

Yes, tested it with the LCD and still nothing.

Thanks for your help. I am at a loss as well.

seanc · Oct 29, 2005, 04:19 PM

Is your iBook covered under the Logic Board Exchange Program?

The fact that there's no output to an external screen could be the signs of failure or the board just may be defective.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that you may be able to get the board replaced.

Or it could be some strange PRAM/PMU issue.

It may also be worth your while going into the Apple Store to see if you could try another one of those little white cables which connects the iBook to the monitor.

Proteus4 · Oct 30, 2005, 12:01 AM

Yes, I am covered under the logic board exchange warranty so I am definitely going to read over the documentation and see if this kind of issue is covered.

Think I might take a trip down to the Apple store and talk to a Mac Genius.