MacPro triple monitor black at boot

I have a Mac Pro (Early 2008) with an ATI Radeon HD 5770. I have connected three DVI monitors (using the expensive active adapters) and all is working fine on Yosemite and Windows 7. The problem I have is that all screens stay "off" during OS X boot. Once the boot is finished they turn on and I see my desktop. I need to blindly enter my file vault password. On windows, they turn on as soon as Windows starts. This is extremely annoying for boot selection, file vault password prompt or other things I might want to do before boot. If I unplug one of the three monitoring, it works and I see the boot again.
Does anyone have a similar situation with a Radeon HD 5770 and has fixed it or has anyone a clue or a tip or something I could try?
Thanks

You probably have a 5770 originally intended for a PC. These do not show a picture until the driver loads, which is exactly the login screen (or Desktop if you auto-login).
Many PC 5770 cards have two DVI ports. The genuine Apple card that has Apple firmware and an Apple ROM has one DVI and two Mini DisplayPorts (and no more ports) and look like the ones pictured below:

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Monitor blacks out when booting with KVM Switch in the middle

Hi
I have attached my Xserve with an iMac G5 to a KVM Switch. When I boot up the Xserve the monitor blacks out after the apple logo.
I know that the Xserve tries to autodetect the monitor. Apparently it fails in its job when the KVM is in the middle. Everything works well when I remove the KVM and connect the monitor directly to Xserve.
Any ideas how do I disable the monitor autodetect feature - or something?
Xserve (intel) Mac OS X (10.4.1) dkvm-4u KVM switch

Hi all
I did try that. No luck.. Strangely enough, I realized that when the server boots up, the login screen defaults to 85HZ refresh rate. I found a site that explains the plist file that you can change to force it to 60HZ. What is weird it if I boot the Mac connected to another LCD, then move the cable to the KVM, it works. It almost seems like when the mac is booting, it sends some sort of signal just before the login screen comes up, that screws up this KVM. Tried updating firmware, still in the process of speaking with the KVM support people...
very strange..
Enio

Triple monitor: Sapphire HD5670 512MB (*non* eyefinity version)

Those reading will know that, in order to have up to 3 displays showing content in a single graphics card, if it's an AMD card then you need a certain feature known as EyeFinity.
In particular, I am talking about tihs card:
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo … CDAQ8wIwAQ
You will notice in the picture that this one has DP, but there is another version that has VGA port in its place. I courd not for the life of me find it again, but at the time of buying the concern was CRT usage, so a VGA port was important. I did not know about EyeFinity at the time.
This guide is for people whe made mistakes like this.
This is typically the case. With my card in particular, you cannot get triple monitor in Windows, because the drivers prevent it (it is possible in Linux).
I said prevent.
If a card has 3 video outputs, each with their own RAMDAC (or none, if its digital-only), then why can you not use all 3 at the same time?
Typically in such a setup, if it does not have EyeFinity, then the connectors are usually:
VGA, DVI, HDMI (my card)
or
DVI, DVI, VGA (other cards)
or
DVI DVI, HDMI
or
HDMI, HDMI, DVI
In other words, all ef these types of card without support for EyeFinity, do not have:
DisplayPort connector
This is a rather crude way of getting it to work, but any solution is a selution still.
Well, here is a simple way I get triple monitor on my card that does not support EyeFinity:
VGA lcd in the VGA
DVI lcd in the DVI
DVI lcd in the HDMI (using HDMI-DVI adapter)
The HDMI is disconnected via a coupler, before I boot into Linux. I have a script with these commands:
xrandr --auto --output VGA-0 --mode 1280x1024
xrandr --auto --output DVI-0 --mode 1280x1024 --right-of VGA-0
xrandr --auto --output HDMI-0 --mode 1280x1024 --right-of DVI-0
(run it as a bash script)
With the HDMI (via HDMI-DVI, then a DVI coupler, then DVI to DVI going to the monitor) disconnected at the coupler, I run this script.
Of course, this script sets triple monitor, but right now only the DVI and VGA are hooked up.
Once it has done, I have dual monitor.
Then, connect at the coupler (or "gender changer") on the HDMI output. Now all 3 displays are connected, but you still have dual monitor.
Run the above commands again, and you will see triple monitor.
Now that you have solved the problem of getting tri-monitor in X, if you look at your TTYs you will notice that only one of the screens is showing. In X (usually terminal 7 or 8), simply disconnect the HDMI at the coupler for a few seconds, then reconnect it.
Now you to your TTY (Ctrl-Alt-F{1-6}), and it will show text on all 3 screens (albeit duplicated).
Thoughts,
I am not sure as to why this is possible to do. I see it as "tricking" the other incapable hardware into outputting on 3 displays, but it seems penfectly functional.
My guess is that this actually is an EyeFinity card, in the sense that it is the same base an which other cards (with DP, and thus, EyeFinity) are built, but that this particular card can be used in the same way, to get triple monitor.
Either that, or this is a "bug" in X11/XrandR (if it is a bug, please do not fix it, I like my triple monitors, I call it a feature).
I know that this certainly works in Xubuntu too, I tried it on a Live CD.
I tried removing the graphics card and trying this on the intergrated graphics (HD 4290/4250 I think), which also has the same 3 outputs, but the hardwas itself actually enforces a maximum of 2 monitors. If you have DVI and HDMI hooked up, it defaults to HDMI, but masquerades as DVI (where the drivers are concerned). You could use this hack, but then it would still not work because the hardware itself, not the driver softawre, is enforcing it.
The board is: ASUS M4a89GTD PRO
Last edited by NightCrawler03X (2012-01-17 17:45:59)

Hello,
i get the same messages without any problems for my intel card.
You can read more about it in this thread:
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-85 … ec66f93bf2
There are a fair amount of people who have posted their /proc/mtrr there, you can compare yours to them.
In the end they come to the conclusion, that uncachable entries are not a problem, for the most systems.
However uncachable regions of 1024MB seem to be too large.
On my mtrr the biggest uncachable entry is 64MB.
So you might get improvement from solving this.

Need Xorg config file for dual graphics cards, triple monitors

Hey guys, I'm having a bit of trouble getting triple monitors working on my system. The two plugged into the graphics card (radeon x300) work fine, but the one plugged into onboard graphics (geforce 6150SE) refuses to appear in xrandr. I figure I need to make a /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-monitor.conf file but I'm confused about how to do it with separate cards. I find the wiki instructions that I can find confusing, as I've never had to deal with xorg files before (has always autoconfigured for me no problems).
Relevant code:
[greg@spacebar ~]$ lspci | grep VGA
00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2)
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV370 5B60 [Radeon X300 (PCIE)]
[greg@spacebar ~]$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 2960 x 1050, maximum 4096 x 4096
VGA-0 connected 1280x1024+1680+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 338mm x 270mm
1280x1024 60.0*+ 75.0
1152x864 75.0
1024x768 75.1 60.0
800x600 75.0 60.3
640x480 75.0 60.0
720x400 70.1
DVI-0 connected 1680x1050+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 430mm x 270mm
1680x1050 59.9*+
1280x1024 75.0 60.0
1152x864 75.0
1024x768 75.1 60.0
800x600 75.0 60.3
640x480 75.0 60.0
720x400 70.1
S-video disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
[greg@spacebar ~]$ pacman -Q | grep xf86-video
xf86-video-ati 6.14.3-1
xf86-video-nouveau 0.0.16_git20120106-1
xf86-video-vesa 2.3.0-7
[greg@spacebar ~]$ cat /etc/mkinitcpio.conf | grep MODULES=
MODULES="radeon nouveau"
I just can't seem to understand how to write the 10-monitor.conf file. I was wondering if anyone could give me a hand?
Also, the third monitor to be connected via onboard VGA is also 1280x1024 and will be left of the other two.

Depends on the motherboard. This one allows you to enable the onboard graphics only when no external card is found, or always enable. The PCI-E card initialises first, if that helps.
EDIT: Also I can confirm that it can run both cards (all three monitors) at the same time by switching to initialise the onboard card first, however that makes some weird stuff happen so I switched it back. And also the nouveau driver is shown in lsmod, and gets detected in the boot message logs.
Last edited by MisterAnderson (2012-01-26 16:56:58)

Problem solving expertise appreciated. What does a MacPro do in its initial booting phase?

My MacPro 3.1 (2008) with 20 Gb Ram does no longer want to boot. I checked the harddrive (startup disc), it is OK (my MacBook) boots from it. I checked the ram, it appears to be OK. When I push the power button the fan begins to work, red lights appear shortly on the RAM circuit boards and they go out again but then nothing happens. Monitor does not wake up, there is no start up chime, machine appear unresposive to any keyboard commands.
Anyone can tell what may be wrong, what the cause is why the MacPro does no longer want to boot and what could possibly be done about it?
So some Problem solving expertise and advice is higlhly appreciated. I really like to know what exactly does a MacPro do in its initial booting phase? Information that could bring life b to my well respected grand-old lady.

Conventional wisdom is that you get nowhere until you get the chime.
For that reason, the approved method is to remove everything that could possible be dragging down power and test the absolute minimum configuration, hoping to get the chime. Once it chimes, you slowly build it back up. adding one part at a time until you find something faulty or it "comes clean".
Disconnect AC power and remove:
graphics card
All other PCIe cards
All Hard drives
All Optical drives
All RAM -- then check for the power light blinking
next step is to restore one pair of DIMMs and try for the chime.
Then more DIMMs
Then graphics card, etc.

T420 - Triple Monitors/Enable Optimus?

I have a T420, and am trying to run 3 monitors (2 external + the laptop display). I am have hooked up one monitor to the VGA and another to the display port on my docking station, and am able to run 2 monitors in any combination. However it won't let me do 3.
According to what I read here http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Options-Accessories/Mini-Dock-Plus-Series-3-with-Triple-Monitors/td-p/57..., I should make sure Optimus is enabled. How exactly do I do this? I saw one note regarding the bios, but I didn't see the setting there that referenced Optimus.
Thanks!

exlim wrote:
I have a T420, and am trying to run 3 monitors (2 external + the laptop display). I am have hooked up one monitor to the VGA and another to the display port on my docking station, and am able to run 2 monitors in any combination. However it won't let me do 3.
According to what I read here http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Options-Accessories/Mini-Dock-Plus-Series-3-with-Triple-Monitors/td-p/57..., I should make sure Optimus is enabled. How exactly do I do this? I saw one note regarding the bios, but I didn't see the setting there that referenced Optimus.
Thanks!
Which model T420 do you have?

G5 HP Monitor blacks out, says No Input Signal

This happens when the computer warms up, goes away after sleep, but always comes back. Problem compounded by the computer telling me my GeForce FX 5200 graphic card status is "No display connected." What stupid thing have I done or not done. Computer's new, a dual 1.8, so I don't know my way around it; not that I'm at all tekkie. Any obvious help come to mind? Thanx.

I get the video back by either turning "Source" on the monitor off and then clicking it back on, or turning the monitor power off and then turning it back on. In either case, I'll usually get another five to eight minutes before the monitor blacks out again. If I repeat the process, the interval between blackouts gets shorter and shorter until I cave in, put the computer to sleep and come back in fifteen or twenty minutes, after which I get a pretty good run again, fifteen to twenty minutes. Because I do a lot of writing, it's a process of mental harrassment having my train of thought broken. I'm developing a flinch in anticipation, which sure don't make for limpid prose.
I've only had the computer for two months, so it has never occurred to me to vacuum it. You really think that might help?
Can't say how grateful I am to you experts for your attention and advice.
Will

Portg Z30-A-1E1 - External monitor blacks out randomly

Very annoying problem - every now and then the monitor blacks out for 2 seconds and comes back.
Monitor is powered all the time.
HDMI cable changed twice and does not solve the problem.
Seems like a change of resolution or a reset - can the problem be in the graphic card? Otherwise maybe the HDMI port itself detecting strange stuff?
Please help I'm getting crazy as I work 90% of the time on external monitor.
Thanks
MAx

Originally Posted by ammtosh
I would try the French service, Toshiba is an international company. If you have a problem with your Italian car in France you go to the French workshop...
Yes maybe you are right. Still, annoying not being a fluent French speaker to have to deal with them.... and with 90% possibility that they'll say "if you bought in Italy you should talk to them". I'll try.
PS: another ridiculous thing: you buy a product that has a problem, and you need to pay to call the support service? Really not acceptable....
The dark side is strong.... actually, I start wondering which is the real dark side. Theory of relativity!

T410 triple monitor capability??

Hi all,
I currently use my T410 (w/ NVS3100MS optimus tech) with a LCD via DisplayPort.
I have another monitor at home with RGB connector.
I've tried connecting 2 external monitors to have a triple monitor but it did not work.
I went through the web and looks like for any T410 model, to make a triple monitor i have to have a mini dock.
Is that the only option??
Hope anyone knows about this issue. Thanks a lot

If you had the Tx20 series you would be able to do it without a dock.

Triple Monitor on T500 with RC and beta drivers...

Hello all I was running a beta driver from the beta Lenovo website and was able to run triple monitors.
Now with the RTM I cannot...
I was hoping that someone might have the old version of the beta drivers that Lenovo had on the beta site last year aroung May/June...
This was running without any extra hardware, it allowed windows to "see" both display drivers and allow them to be used.
If someone want I can send you a pic as proof, but could you please send me the old drivers for the "switchable graphics" ( I think that was the thing.)
This is a laptop T500 w the ATI 3650 HD and the intel express graphics card built in.
Thanks in advance.

What display are you using? Are you using a direct HDMI connection or are you using an adapter?

MacPro3,1 triple monitor setup

Hi there!
I'm looking to expand my Apple 30" monitor setup with two (very cheap but highly acclaimed) Dell UltraSharp™ U2311H monitors. However, I'm unsure if I do or do not need an additional video card and if so, which one. I have an NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT with (I think) two DVI-I Dual Link ports. I've read that there are DVI-splitters, but I have been unable to find any conclusive information.
Does anyone know how I can do this?
Friendly greetings, D, Amsterdam.

Hi Grant!
Thanks for your help earlier ;-)
I hope you might be able to shed some light on a little problem I have with my triple monitor setup. I bought the following items:
Two Dell Professional P2411H 61cm (24") LED monitors.
Two MiniDisplayPort to DVI adapters.
I've took your advice on the card and also got one ATI RADEON HD 5770 1GB-ZML card.
The monitors, in combination with the adapters and the card ... it all works, but there's one limitation I believe shouldn't be there.
The problem is this: either the hardware or software is only allowing me to connect two displays in total. If I connect all three displays, only the Dell monitors are able to connect. If I disconnect one Dell monitor, the Apple 30" display goes live. So, whatever in whatever combination or order I try to connect the displays, only two screens are connecting simultaneously.
Do you, or does someone else know how to fix this? Would be great to fix this soon and become the pixonaut of my own digitale cockpit!

Triple Monitor Display for Laptops

Im looking for a triple monitor bracket like the one MSI uses in their advertisement for the 4 monitor Matrix display.. Laptop in Middle, monitor on left and right, and one up high. Any help, links, advice would be great.
Thanks,
Brett
MSI GT70-20D Stock the one with the 24gb of ram.. Etc etc

that will be more then likely referring to a Falcon Tango Monitor Matrix (The 1 over 3 Monitor Matrix) (Quad monitor stand) without the central monitor attached!
you can only get them from the manufacturer as they are custom made stands and run around $440US http://www.tradingcomputers.com/TCarrays.html
MSI do not make stands like that they will just have been illustrating it like that for Marketing just to show how it could be used

How to setup triple monitor in Dell E5430

I'm trying to set two monitors plus the onboard display to work as triple monitor, but I'm getting "xrandr: Configure crtc 2 failed". I can get both monitors working together. Does someone know what is wrong? Thanks in advance!
What xrandr says about my hardware:
$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 3200 x 900, maximum 32767 x 32767
LVDS1 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
1366x768 59.99 + 40.00
1024x768 85.00 75.03 70.07 60.00
1024x768i 86.96
832x624 74.55
800x600 85.14 72.19 75.00 60.32 56.25
640x480 85.01 72.81 75.00 59.94
720x400 85.04
640x400 85.08
632x395 108.01
640x350 85.08
504x378 80.97
248x155 113.26 82.19
VGA1 connected 1600x900+1600+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 443mm x 249mm
1600x900 60.00*+
1152x864 75.00
1024x768 75.08 60.00
832x624 74.55
800x600 75.00 60.32 56.25
640x480 75.00 60.00
720x400 70.08
HDMI1 connected primary 1600x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 443mm x 249mm
1600x900 60.00*+
1152x864 75.00
1024x768 75.08 60.00
832x624 74.55
800x600 75.00 60.32 56.25
640x480 75.00 60.00
720x400 70.08
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VIRTUAL1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
My onboard graphics card:
$ lspci -vvv -s 00:02.0
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Dell Device 053c
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 0
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 46
Region 0: Memory at f6400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
Region 2: Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
Region 4: I/O ports at f000 [size=64]
Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: i915
Kernel modules: i915
output:
$ xrandr --output LVDS1 --auto --rate 60.32 --output VGA1 --auto --right-of LVDS1 --output HDMI1 --auto --left-of LVDS1 --verbose
screen 0: 4566x900 1207x237 mm 96.05dpi
crtc 0: 1600x900 60.00 +0+0 "HDMI1"
crtc 1: 1600x900 60.00 +2966+0 "VGA1"
crtc 2: 1366x768 59.99 +1600+0 "LVDS1"
xrandr: Configure crtc 2 failed
crtc 0: disable
crtc 1: disable
crtc 2: disable
crtc 3: disable
screen 0: revert
crtc 0: revert
crtc 1: revert
crtc 2: revert
crtc 3: revert

Any luck?
I have a similar issue. I currently have a triple monitor setup, a 1920x1080 + the laptop at 1920x1080 + another on 1600 x 900. this works fine. When I swap out the 1600x900 for another monitor at 1920x1080, i get the same error. I can get any combination of 2 monitors working, and I can get all 3 working if the 3rd is at a reduced resolution (1400x900), but at full resolution i just get the error. The same setup works fine in windows at 1920x1080.

[Solved] gs60 ghost pro triple monitor setup??

any one try to put a display port hub on the gs60 ghost pro something like the 3d-club MST
link: http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mst-hub-1-3.html
i have a triple monitor setup for my desktop machine and i was wondering if it is possible to just plug my gs60 into a USB hub for sound, keyboard, and mouse. then a MST display port hub just dock and game. from what i read online the GTX 870M will work in this configuration i just want to know if anyone here has tried it?

Quote from: Yippyyay;104043
any one try to put a display port hub on the gs60 ghost pro something like the 3d-club MST
link: http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mst-hub-1-3.html
i have a triple monitor setup for my desktop machine and i was wondering if it is possible to just plug my gs60 into a USB hub for sound, keyboard, and mouse. then a MST display port hub just dock and game. from what i read online the GTX 870M will work in this configuration i just want to know if anyone here has tried it?
Yes, it works.

Hp pavilion monitor go's black after boot screen

when i start my pc the boot screen will appear on the monitor but after that it go's black. i can hit one of the f keys to take me to the boot page or diagnostics page but when i change the boot path and hit save then enter it just go's back to the black screen i have also hit the f9 key to go to the diagnostics page and ran the on board hp diagnostics tool which says everything has passed when i try to go back the screen go's black again! at first i thought it was a graphics card issue so i replaced the old one with a new one same thing, i also tried plugging into the three different slots on the graphics card i started with the dvi slot with an adapter on my cable it will not even show the boot page it just go's strait to no signal so i switched to the VGA slot that's were i can get to the boot screen, last i tried the hdmi port and again i can get to the boot screen but then it go's black i removed the ram and cleaned it, and was going to try and go strait from the mother board to the monitor but i got scared when i saw the black cap with the words DO NOT REMOVE on it! i have tried 2 different monitors just to eliminate that probability but now I'm just lost any ideas would be appreciated!
This question was solved.
View Solution.

I think your right i'm thinking the hard drive to, thanks for your reply!

MacPro triple monitor black at boot

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