Macbook Pro 2011 won't detect external display.

Firstly - I've searched this problem several times now and I've found this problem in four of five discussion topics on this board, each with 4 or 5 pages of people adding "I'm having the same problem" but in all of that there wasn't a single response from Apple, instead they just 'archived' the discussions and hoped that people would just go away.
That's pretty ******* disgusting customer service, considering the amount of money we're paying for your products. You owe us at least for them to ******* work properly - not just ignore major problems, which are clearly present for quite alot of your customers.
For months I've had no problems just plugging my MBPro into an external monitor by DVI using the Apple certified DVI-thunderbolt connector.
For some reason, a few weeks ago, the MBPro stopped detecting the monitor.
I have to spend about 20 minutes ******* around, unplugging and replugging in the leads, restarting with and without the leads plugged in, resetting the p-ram, reinstalling OSX 10.7 and it always seems to be just a random time when it decides to start working.
I'm not just some kid ******* around with an expensive computer for the fun of it. I make a living using this system and I need the big screen for the work I do. I don't have the time to spare every sodding day to be ******* around with **** that doesn't work properly.
At first I thought the problem was restricted to just my work display as it appeared to work fine on all other displays. However, last week I was giving a presentation at work to a company who were potentially about to spend mega bucks giving us some work. I turn on the screen and plug in my computer to show the presentation. Nothing happened. luckily I was able to quickly transfer the presentation to another working computer (a PC) and continue on.
But seriously, please justify spending over £1000 on a computer that can't perform the simplest of tasks without spazzing out?
And secondly - stop ignoring this problem and get fixing it. Now!

Hi, I'm having the same problem, tried to connect both a Viewsonic and a Hanspree. Was happy to find your response here, but I just got the Moshi adapter with the macbook pro so it seems silly it would have gone bad. :/
I suppose I'll take it into the Apple Store and see what they say. Thanks!
^_^

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I have a brand new 2011 MacBook Pro, 17" that I use with a 24" Dell E248WFP monitor. I purchased a Moshi HDMI to DVI adapter, and at first everything worked fine--I would use the MBP with the lid closed, everything would show up on the display, and everyone was happy. Then I disconnected my MBP one day and took it somewhere, and when I came back I couldn't get the external display to connect. But then I tried some things and it did. The next time I disconnected my MBP from the display I had problem again, but after 10 minutes of fiddling around it finally worked again.
Over time, I found that different things would work, but not consistently. That is, sometimes I could merely click on "detect displays" and that would fix the problem. Other times I would put the computer to sleep, then shut the lid and move the external mouse or press a key on the external keyboard, and that would work. Sometimes if I just left it alone for a half hour I would come back and the external monitor would suddenly work for no apparent reason. But it was rarely consistent. What worked one time would not work the next.
This week, I went somewhere with my MBP, and when I came home I couldn't get it to connect. I have now been trying to fix this for two days and although I have tried hundreds of things I can't get the monitor to connect. Yes, the monitor is on. Yes, the monitor works otherwise and appears to be in fine functioning order.
I have tried restarting, resetting PRAM, shutting down, starting up with the monitor unplugged and then plugging it in, starting up with the monitor plugged in, shutting the lid while restarting, not shutting the lid while restarting, putting the MBP to sleep and then shutting the lid and then pressing a key on the external keyboard (it wakes up my MBP but nothing comes up on the external monitor), I've verified that the internal and discreet graphic modes are both working, and many other things. I have no idea what else to try, but I do know it doesn't seem to be working.
What I have not tried is connecting the MBP to a different monitor, but given that I already had problems before wherein the monitor would work, not work, work, not work, etc., I'm inclined to believe it's a software issue with the MBP, as opposed to any hardware problem with the monitor, although I suppose it could be something with the MBP.
I've examined many other threads from people seeming to have this problem, except none of them seem to have run into such a dead end as I have. And while I would love to have an excuse to buy a 27" Mac display for $1,000, I'd also love to have an excuse not to. If anyone has more things I can try to fix this, please let me know.

Hi, I'm having the same problem, tried to connect both a Viewsonic and a Hanspree. Was happy to find your response here, but I just got the Moshi adapter with the macbook pro so it seems silly it would have gone bad. :/
I suppose I'll take it into the Apple Store and see what they say. Thanks!
^_^

New macbook pro 15" won't detect external display using vga adapter

Hi there
I've tried multiple monitors and connectors but i can't get my mac to detect an external display. it responds as if nothing is connected. I'm fully up to date software-wise.
any ideas?
thanks for any help!!

Hi, I'm having the same problem, tried to connect both a Viewsonic and a Hanspree. Was happy to find your response here, but I just got the Moshi adapter with the macbook pro so it seems silly it would have gone bad. :/
I suppose I'll take it into the Apple Store and see what they say. Thanks!
^_^

MacBook Pro 2011 does not detect external monitor

I have a MacBook Pro 13'' early 2011 runing Lion 1.7.2.
I have an HP v185ws external monitor connected via an Apple Thunderbolt to VGA connector.
Since last month's Thunderbolt firmware update, my external monitor is no longer detected.
Does anybody has a solution to this problem?
Thanks.

I have a problem connecting external display (Dell U2311H) to my 13" MacBook Pro (Early 2011).
I use Tecklink Mini DasplayPort to HDMI adapter (http://www.techlink.uk.com/products/wires_cables/wiresmedia/wiresmedia_media/wir esmedia_mini_displayport_plug_to_hdmi_plug), but since U2311H doesn't have HDMI input, I also use Manhattan DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (http://www.manhattan-products.com/en-US/products/8101-displayport-adapter).
And nothing.
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I even reset PRAM, and installed 10.8.2 Supplementary update.
I also plugged and unplugged all I could, with no luck.
As I can see on Apple discussion, it is a common problem with 2011 MacBook Pro's.
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Thanks! This is really starting to make me angry.

If 10.7.0 or later...
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Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
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I've tried restarting, resetting the PRAM and everything. I don't know what else to do. Help!

Thanks for the reply, but tried everything and it still won't work. Rebooted, installed updates, cleared PRAM, everything. It will not detect the displays at all. Maybe there is something wrong with my VGA cable.

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I am surprised no one asked you the following question regarding your response.
What if I don't what 2 displays and I only want to support the external monitor? Can I be in extended mode and have only 1 display?
The reason why I ask is because I am going to buy a dock for my MacBook (2012). The dock forces the MacBook to close thereby rendering the internal display useless.
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Hi,
my Macbook has the dreaded random shutdown thing happening, often it can't even get through the startup sequence. If I reset the PMU and PRAM and check the disk every week I can keep it running. Applecare are making not particularly helpful suggestions like "run it in safe mode" - hello people, random means it can take days to happen again... I use this computer for work so I need it at full capacity every day!!!
Anyway, enough angry ranting. The casualty of today's RS and subsequent PRAM PMU resetting is my external display (Viewsonic LCD). The macbook is no longer sending signals to it (display says "no signal"). When I ask the macbook to "detect displays" nothing happens. I have restarted the macbook several times and unplugged and replugged the display connection it doesn't help. Yes, I have the AC power cable plugged in on the Macbook (I know it doesn't like talking to the screen if I don't).
The display and macbook have always worked fine together in the past...
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You don't mention ever having brought the problem to Apple's attention, or what resulted from your request for Apple's help with it. This isn't a universal or widespread problem. It may be a hardware fault in your own equipment that needs to be resolved with a repair, or it may be a software problem (corrupt file, incompatible software conflict, update needed, etc., etc.). You seem to think Apple should have fixed it for you without your lifting a finger, and you're eager to complain about Apple's lack of support. But you've offered nothing to indicate that Apple even knows you need support. You do have to ask for it. Have you done so?
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I have a problem connecting external display (Dell U2311H) to my 13" MacBook Pro (Early 2011).
I use Tecklink Mini DasplayPort to HDMI adapter (http://www.techlink.uk.com/products/wires_cables/wiresmedia/wiresmedia_media/wir esmedia_mini_displayport_plug_to_hdmi_plug), but since U2311H doesn't have HDMI input, I also use Manhattan DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (http://www.manhattan-products.com/en-US/products/8101-displayport-adapter).
And nothing.
The display is not detected, no picture or even external monitor presence at all.
I even reset PRAM, and installed 10.8.2 Supplementary update.
I also plugged and unplugged all I could, with no luck.
As I can see on Apple discussion, it is a common problem with 2011 MacBook Pro's.
It seems like the problem is in Thundebolt port, it somehow does not work properly.

Macbook Pro 2011 won't detect external display.

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