Computer crashes whenever plugged into HDMI cable/in full screen mode

[eagle1990]

Hello,

I have a macbook pro 15-inch, Early 2011 model and am operating on 0SX 10.8.2. Before updating to 10.8.2, I would hook my computer up to my flat screen via hdmi connection. It was working perfectly until I upgraded to 10.8.2. Now, whenever I try to plug in my computer, both screens will flicker and become fragmented, followed by computer screen showing either lines of white or blue and subsequently freezing. I've already ran disk warrior on it and verified/fixed the permission and disk (everything appeared to be OK). I also downloaded and installed gfxCardStatus and when I tried to switch from Dynamic Switching to "integrated" or "discreet", my screen again froze (blue lines appeared again) and froze. The one time it actually switched to "integrated," my computer froze and "lined out" when I tried to go full-screen in netflix or itunes (this is when the HDMI cord isn't even plugged in). When I tried to switch it again to "dynamic switching," same malfunction. The only programs I've downloaded recently was Google Music Manager, and I recently deleted Spotify from my computer. It definitely is not a cord issue or external screen issue (since I've used the cord to connect my sister's mac and it worked fine, and I've tried connecting my own computer to multiple screens and I get the same problem).

This problem wasn't there when I was operating on 10.8.1. I have no idea what could be going wrong or what I can possibly to do fix this. I've tried everything and have reset p-ram as well. Nothing works.

This is a rather long post, so thank you ahead of time for taking the time to read through it!

I don't know if this is important, but my graphics card information is as follows:

Intel HD Graphics 3000:

Chipset Model: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Type: GPU
Bus: Built-In
VRAM (Total): 384 MB
Vendor: Intel (0x8086)
Device ID: 0x0116
Revision ID: 0x0009
gMux Version: 1.9.23
Displays:
Color LCD:
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 1440 x 900
Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Built-In: Yes

AMD Radeon HD 6490M:

Chipset Model: AMD Radeon HD 6490M
Type: GPU
Bus: PCIe
PCIe Lane Width: x8
VRAM (Total): 256 MB
Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
Device ID: 0x6760
Revision ID: 0x0000
ROM Revision: 113-C0170H-521
gMux Version: 1.9.23
EFI Driver Version: 01.00.521

I also did some digging around in "Console," and the following was logged while I was trying to use the HDMI cable/switch between graphics cards using gfxCardStatus. I'm not the most knowledgable when it comes to interpreting this stuff, so I'm not even sure if this will be of any help.

Thank you

12/10/12 11:17:33.462 PM Finder[193]: CGSGetCurrentDisplayMode: Invalid display 0x042728c0

12/10/12 11:17:33.561 PM WindowServer[97]: Display 0x4b80081d: MappedDisplay Unit 1; ColorProfile { 3, "HD 709-A"}; TransferFormula (1.000000, 1.000000, 1.000000)

12/10/12 11:17:35.270 PM WindowServer[97]: Created shield window 0x6c for display 0x4b80081d

12/10/12 11:17:40.273 PM WindowServer[97]: Display 0x4b80081d: MappedDisplay Unit 1: Startup Mode 1280 x 720, CGSThirtytwoBitColor, Resolution 1, IOMode 0x80000002, IODepth 0x1, IOReturn 0x0

12/10/12 11:17:40.274 PM ALSPlugin 235.55[47]: LuxDisplayBacklightManager::updateALSIdleTimer Failed to get current linear brightnes

12/10/12 11:17:40.274 PM ALSPlugin 235.55[47]: Failed to get brightness for displayID 0x042728c0

12/10/12 11:17:40.274 PM ALSPlugin 235.55[47]: Failed to get displayid

12/10/12 11:17:40.280 PM WindowServer[97]: Display 0x4b80081d: GL mask 0x2; bounds (0, 0)[1280 x 720], 33 modes available
Main, Active, on-line, enabled, OpenGL-accel, Vendor 4f2e, Model 22, S/N 9d, Unit 1, Rotation 0
UUID 0x00004f2e000000220000009d00000000, ColorProfile { 3, "HD 709-A"}

12/10/12 11:17:40.280 PM WindowServer[97]: GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x01021b07, GL mask 0x00000007, accelerator 0x0000323f, unit 0, caps QEX|QGL|MIPMAP, vram 256 MB
texture units 8, texture max 16384, viewport max {16384, 16384}, extensions FPRG|NPOT|GLSL|FLOAT

12/10/12 11:17:40.280 PM WindowServer[97]: Display 0x003f003e: GL mask 0x4; bounds (2304, 0)[1 x 1], 1 modes available
off-line, enabled, Vendor ffffffff, Model ffffffff, S/N ffffffff, Unit 2, Rotation 0
UUID 0xffffffffffffffffffffffff003f003e

12/10/12 11:17:40.280 PM WindowServer[97]: Display 0x003f003c: GL mask 0x9; bounds (2305, 0)[1 x 1], 1 modes available
off-line, enabled, boot, Vendor ffffffff, Model ffffffff, S/N ffffffff, Unit 0, Rotation 0
UUID 0xffffffffffffffffffffffff003f003c, ColorProfile { 4, "Color LCD Calibrated"}

12/10/12 11:17:47.276 PM WindowServer[97]: Display added

12/10/12 11:17:47.276 PM WindowServer[97]: Display removed

12/10/12 11:17:47.281 PM WindowServer[97]: Display 0x042728c0: GL mask 0x9; bounds (0, 0)[1440 x 900], 39 modes available
Main, Active, on-line, enabled, built-in, boot, Vendor 610, Model 9ca3, S/N 0, Unit 0, Rotation 0
UUID 0x0000061000009ca300000000042728c0, ColorProfile { 4, "Color LCD Calibrated"}

12/10/12 11:17:47.281 PM WindowServer[97]: GLCompositor: GL renderer id 0x01021b07, GL mask 0x00000007, accelerator 0x0000323f, unit 0, caps QEX|QGL|MIPMAP, vram 256 MB
texture units 8, texture max 16384, viewport max {16384, 16384}, extensions FPRG|NPOT|GLSL|FLOAT

12/10/12 11:17:47.281 PM WindowServer[97]: Display 0x4b80081d: GL mask 0x2; bounds (1440, 56)[1280 x 720], 33 modes available
Active, on-line, enabled, OpenGL-accel, Vendor 4f2e, Model 22, S/N 9d, Unit 1, Rotation 0
UUID 0x00004f2e000000220000009d00000000, ColorProfile { 3, "HD 709-A"}

12/10/12 11:19:42.802 PM gfxCardStatus[402]: CGSGetDisplayBounds: Invalid display 0x4b80081d

12/10/12 11:19:42.776 PM gfxCardStatus[402]: _NXGetScreenRect: error getting display bounds (1001)

 

[pendlewitch]

Hello there,
Your problem has been reported by lots of unhappy souls and appears to be related to the OS update and this fix is recommended by Apple support.

"Go to Finder.

In the root directory (MacBookPro or whatever your HD is called), go to Library, go to Preferences, find com.apple.windowserver.plist and put it into Trash

In your own user directory, go to Library (in Finder, click Go menu and hold Option key down to get to Library), go to Preferences, go to ByHost directory, find com.apple.windowserver.OE35739etc,etcxxxxxxxxxxx.plist, and put it into Trash.

You do not have to empty Trash.

Reboot computer.

The HDMI should be working now, and permanently so."

Hope it helps

Reference https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4312536?start=0&tstart=0

 

[eagle1990]

Thank you for the info! I was able to remove the root directory .plist file, but I'm having trouble finding my user library folder. I can't see a "go" option when I click on finder. I know it's probably a really easy thing to spot, but if you could help me find my user library folder, that would be wonderful!

thanks for all the help so far

 

[eagle1990]

Actually, I was able to find the folder! Only thing is that when I went to the "by host" folder, the only .plist windowserver file I was able to find was labeled "com.apple.windowserver.CCA16DF2-D895-58BE-8809-13DCC318AFEF"

is it safe to delete this file?

thanks

 

[pendlewitch]

Thank you for the info! I was able to remove the root directory .plist file, but I'm having trouble finding my user library folder. I can't see a "go" option when I click on finder. I know it's probably a really easy thing to spot, but if you could help me find my user library folder, that would be wonderful!

thanks for all the help so far

Hi in Finder menu bar view it should be between 'View' and 'Window' click Go and then press the alt key and Library will appear in the list. Any problems I'll post an image.

 

[pendlewitch]

Actually, I was able to find the folder! Only thing is that when I went to the "by host" folder, the only .plist windowserver file I was able to find was labeled "com.apple.windowserver.CCA16DF2-D895-58BE-8809-13DCC318AFEF"

is it safe to delete this file?

thanks

If it has a plist extension you should be good to go.

 

[eagle1990]

Thank you so much! It worked like a charm. I plugged in my HDMI cord, and it is now working beautifully. So far, so good (let's hope it remains that way!).

Thank you again!

 

[pendlewitch]

Thank you so much! It worked like a charm. I plugged in my HDMI cord, and it is now working beautifully. So far, so good (let's hope it remains that way!).

Thank you again!

Waheyy! Great news.Thanks you.

 

[eagle1990]

Darnit.

Unfortunately I spoke too soon. Everything worked fine until about 10 minutes in when both screens suddenly went black. I unplugged the cord and even when I closed my MPB shut, it wouldn't go to sleep. The .plist files got deleted when I emptied my trash (I had to empty music from my bin as well); is there a chance that this is causing the screens to go completely black?

thank you

 

[eagle1990]

An update:
I tried resetting PRAM again, and when I opened up system preferences to uncheck "automatic graphics switching," the computer froze and the screen turned into a bunch of dark blue vertical lines. I am scared that this update will affect my ability to use programs like Lightroom, Photoshop, Pixelmator, etc. I work as a photographer and graphic designer and I make all of my income off of this computer.

Any further advice would be great.

Thanks

 

[pendlewitch]

Hello again,
I've been out for a few hours. Your MBP will have automatically built a new plist file when it rebooted.

You say earlier "I also downloaded and installed gfxCardStatus and when I tried to switch from Dynamic Switching to "integrated" or "discreet", my screen again froze (blue lines appeared again) and froze."

I think you've got conflict here also. Why do you need this software as I'm not familiar with it and can you remove it? There are no such options in OS..it looks like something to help you MBP detect a display? Can you uninstall it? Did you install it when you discovered that you were having problems after the update? It is quite possible that it is not 10.8.2 compatible.