Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > which key sequence to reset graphics card?

which key sequence to reset graphics card?
Thread Tools
Le Flaneur
Senior User
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, TX 78751
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 17, 2010, 02:27 PM
 
I read somewhere (and used) a key sequence that will reset the graphics subsystem in a MacBook Pro unibody. This is not to be confused with a PRAM reset or a SMC reset. I think it was also published in a Cnet article, but a Google search reveals nothing.

Does anyone know what this key sequence is?
     
ibook_steve
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 17, 2010, 02:50 PM
 
Never heard of such a thing. What is it supposed to do and why do you need it?

Steve
Celebrating 10 years and 4000 posts on MacNN!
     
Spheric Harlot
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 17, 2010, 02:55 PM
 
The "M" key would reset the graphics on a PowerMac G5, IIRC.

Never heard of it working on laptops.
     
Le Flaneur  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, TX 78751
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 17, 2010, 02:55 PM
 
Originally Posted by ibook_steve View Post
Never heard of such a thing. What is it supposed to do and why do you need it?
It exists. I'd just like to try it -- even with a new MacBook Pro (mid-2010) and a new 27" Cinema display, I still experience problems in moving from closed-clamshell mode with an external display to using the built-in display: the internal display remains blacked-out in the worst-case.
     
Spheric Harlot
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 17, 2010, 02:56 PM
 
How are you switching displays?
     
Le Flaneur  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, TX 78751
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 17, 2010, 03:40 PM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
How are you switching displays?
I unplug the mini-DP and USB cables from the MacBook Pro. The display in the MBP comes on temporarily even though the lid remains closed; when it turns off I put the MBP in my backpack.

This works 85-90% of the time, but 10-15% of the time, the MBP doesn't go to sleep properly (i.e. the display remains on).

After all these years, Apple still hasn't perfected the switch between external and internal displays
     
tooki
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 18, 2010, 07:38 AM
 
Actually, you're not running into any problems with the display switching. You're running into problems going back to sleep after waking.

For whatever reason, Apple decided that all USB device changes (plugging/unplugging) should force the machine to wake up. So if you put the machine to sleep and THEN unplug USB, the machine wakes up.

So just unplug all the USB stuff before you put it to sleep.
     
Le Flaneur  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, TX 78751
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 18, 2010, 08:02 AM
 
Originally Posted by tooki View Post
Actually, you're not running into any problems with the display switching. You're running into problems going back to sleep after waking.

For whatever reason, Apple decided that all USB device changes (plugging/unplugging) should force the machine to wake up. So if you put the machine to sleep and THEN unplug USB, the machine wakes up.

So just unplug all the USB stuff before you put it to sleep.
But I'm not putting the machine to sleep and then unplugging USB -- I'm unplugging usb and then waiting for the machine to sleep, which should happen because its lid is closed. But there are also problems (see above) with the internal display actually turning on after the ACD has been disconnected.
     
Waragainstsleep
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 18, 2010, 08:33 AM
 
I never heard of this key combo either. Nor the pressing M on a G5 tower. It was never in any of the literature Apple gave me or the literature I found myself. Pretty sure I would have needed it at least once in 4 years of troubleshooting for an AASP.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
Le Flaneur  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, TX 78751
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 20, 2010, 06:15 PM
 
It's given in an Apple Discussion forum.

Here's it is:

"Force the display to restart Press these keys to force the display to reset:

control-shift-eject

(you may have to press some keys to restart the display after it shuts off)"
     
AKcrab
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Wasilla, Alaska
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 20, 2010, 06:20 PM
 
All that did was put my display to sleep.

?
     
Le Flaneur  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, TX 78751
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 20, 2010, 06:31 PM
 
That's the reset, apparently. Notice the line, "you may have to press some keys to restart the display after it shuts off"
     
amazing
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 20, 2010, 09:35 PM
 
control-shift-eject puts the computer to sleep.

nothing more than that.

it just so happens that when the mac wakes up, the video problems may be cured.
     
Le Flaneur  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, TX 78751
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 20, 2010, 11:15 PM
 
Originally Posted by amazing View Post
control-shift-eject puts the computer to sleep.

nothing more than that.

it just so happens that when the mac wakes up, the video problems may be cured.
Command-option-eject invokes sleep. Ctrl-shift-eject is different.
     
Waragainstsleep
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 21, 2010, 10:09 AM
 
OK, so does it help with your issue?
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
amazing
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 21, 2010, 02:45 PM
 
Originally Posted by Le Flaneur View Post
Command-option-eject invokes sleep. Ctrl-shift-eject is different.
Oops, you're completely right! I awoke it too soon, didn't wait long enough for the display to come back up.
     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Dec 21, 2010, 05:24 PM
 
Ctrl-shift-eject works to shut down the display on my iMac, at least. Interesting. wonder if it works on my old iMac G5 as well? That one had problems with an Apple converter from the mini-VGA to something that I used on occasion.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:20 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,