Macbook Pro not detecting external display

Question

I can't seem to make this work. I'm using a MiniDP-DVI cable which is plugged into an DVI cable plugged into an external monitor. I know it works because I have tried it on other computers and it has worked on the Macbook (erratically).
I've reset the PRAM several times and it has not fixed the problem. I did it in this order:
1. Remove adapter from computer
2. Shutdown
3. Press Option Command P R until the second chime is heard.
4. Log on as usual
5. Reconnect adapter to MBP
This is what the system log states when I plug the adapter in:
Oct 27 20:47:01 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Received display connect changed for display 0x42732c0
Oct 27 20:47:01 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Created shield window 0x66 for display 0x042732c0
Oct 27 20:47:01 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: no action for lock state 1
Oct 27 20:47:01 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Received display connect changed for display 0x3f003d
Oct 27 20:47:01 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Received display connect changed for display 0x3f003e
Oct 27 20:47:01 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Received display connect changed for display 0x3f003f
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x042732c0: GL mask 0x1; bounds (0, 0)[1280 x 800], 9 modes available
          Main, Active, on-line, enabled, built-in, boot, OpenGL-accel, Vendor 610, Model 9ccb, S/N 0, Unit 0, Rotation 0
          UUID 0x0000061000009ccb00000000042732c0, ColorProfile { 3, "Color LCD Calibrated 2012-06-28"}
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x01024301, GL mask 0x0000000f, accelerator 0x00004333, unit 0, caps QEX|QGL|MIPMAP, vram 451 MB
          texture units 8, texture max 8192, viewport max {8192, 8192}, extensions FPRG|NPOT|GLSL|FLOAT
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x003f003f: GL mask 0x8; bounds (2304, 0)[1 x 1], 1 modes available
          off-line, enabled, Vendor ffffffff, Model ffffffff, S/N ffffffff, Unit 3, Rotation 0
          UUID 0xffffffffffffffffffffffff003f003f
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x003f003e: GL mask 0x4; bounds (2305, 0)[1 x 1], 1 modes available
          off-line, enabled, Vendor ffffffff, Model ffffffff, S/N ffffffff, Unit 2, Rotation 0
          UUID 0xffffffffffffffffffffffff003f003e
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x003f003d: GL mask 0x2; bounds (2306, 0)[1 x 1], 1 modes available
          off-line, enabled, Vendor ffffffff, Model ffffffff, S/N ffffffff, Unit 1, Rotation 0
          UUID 0xffffffffffffffffffffffff003f003d
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Created shield window 0x68 for display 0x042732c0
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Created shield window 0x69 for display 0x003f003f
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Created shield window 0x6a for display 0x003f003e
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Created shield window 0x6b for display 0x003f003d
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x042732c0: MappedDisplay Unit 0: Startup Mode 1280 x 800, CGSThirtytwoBitColor, Resolution 1, IOMode 0x80000000, IODepth 0x0, IOReturn 0x0
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display added
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display removed
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x042732c0: GL mask 0x1; bounds (0, 0)[1280 x 800], 9 modes available
          Main, Active, on-line, enabled, built-in, boot, OpenGL-accel, Vendor 610, Model 9ccb, S/N 0, Unit 0, Rotation 0
          UUID 0x0000061000009ccb00000000042732c0, ColorProfile { 3, "Color LCD Calibrated 2012-06-28"}
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x01024301, GL mask 0x0000000f, accelerator 0x00004333, unit 0, caps QEX|QGL|MIPMAP, vram 451 MB
          texture units 8, texture max 8192, viewport max {8192, 8192}, extensions FPRG|NPOT|GLSL|FLOAT
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x003f003f: GL mask 0x8; bounds (2304, 0)[1 x 1], 1 modes available
          off-line, enabled, Vendor ffffffff, Model ffffffff, S/N ffffffff, Unit 3, Rotation 0
          UUID 0xffffffffffffffffffffffff003f003f
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x003f003e: GL mask 0x4; bounds (2305, 0)[1 x 1], 1 modes available
          off-line, enabled, Vendor ffffffff, Model ffffffff, S/N ffffffff, Unit 2, Rotation 0
          UUID 0xffffffffffffffffffffffff003f003e
Oct 27 20:47:02 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x003f003d: GL mask 0x2; bounds (2306, 0)[1 x 1], 1 modes available
          off-line, enabled, Vendor ffffffff, Model ffffffff, S/N ffffffff, Unit 1, Rotation 0
          UUID 0xffffffffffffffffffffffff003f003d
Oct 27 20:47:03 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: **DMPROXY** (2) Found `/System/Library/CoreServices/DMProxy'.
Oct 27 20:47:03 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x042732c0: MappedDisplay Unit 0; ColorProfile { 3, "Color LCD Calibrated 2012-06-28"}; TransferTable (256, 3)
Oct 27 20:47:04 --- last message repeated 1 time ---
Oct 27 20:47:04 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: **DMPROXY** (2) Found `/System/Library/CoreServices/DMProxy'.
Oct 27 20:47:04 SMBP.local WindowServer[80]: Display 0x042732c0: MappedDisplay Unit 0; ColorProfile { 3, "Color LCD Calibrated 2012-06-28"}; TransferTable (256, 3)

Answer 1

I had the exact same behavior and log and I solved the issue by replacing the MiniDP-DVI adapter. I tried the "broken" adapter on another set of laptop+display and it was working there, so that made me think the adapter was ok, when apparently it was not.