Stubborn, blank external monitor acting like a teenager.

October 5, 2007 5:48 AM

My external monitor was working yesterday, now it is not. All of a sudden! It's turned on, plugged in to my Macbook, but I get a blank screen and clearly there's no syncing. But I KNOW that deep down IT knows the macbook is there, plugged in...

I know this because when it's plugged in i can't even drag a window "out of" my live laptop screen and into the blank screen - but when i unplug the cable, the external screen then gives me a "Check Signal Cable" message. Then it floats around, taunting me! Where to begin?

posted by snortlebort to Computers & Internet (12 answers total)

Did you try hitting F7?
Or going into the Display settings under System Preferences and clicking Detect Displays?
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 5:54 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: Yes! neither does anything. :(
posted by snortlebort at 6:02 AM on October 5, 2007

Does it say "digital" check signal cable or "analog?" If it says analog, you may have accidentally pushed something called the "source" button or something similar.
posted by milarepa at 6:17 AM on October 5, 2007

Maybe the macbook does not know it is there. Did you try rebooting? That is a fairly trivial way to fix many wrongs.
posted by hariya at 6:23 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: It does say analog! how do i fix this source button problem
posted by snortlebort at 6:31 AM on October 5, 2007

Best answer: What kind of monitor do you have? Try finding a button named source or something like that and pressing it. The reason it is not working is because it is looking for an analog signal, I think. You need to show it who's boss and make it start looking for a digital signal.
posted by milarepa at 6:38 AM on October 5, 2007

Is it cold where you are?

There are issues with video cards and temperature on Macs (this is an issue I've had with G5's and dual monitors - and is well documented - although I can't find the link for you just now).
posted by strawberryviagra at 6:44 AM on October 5, 2007

Not too long ago I came across a blog post somewhere about the 'physical virus' for Macs -- a projector with a crappy cable was bending pins on Macs, so they'd stop working with projectors.

Check the pins -- maybe one got bent?
posted by fogster at 7:24 AM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: Thank you. Bossness has been re-established. Even though somehow i feel like a moron.
posted by snortlebort at 7:34 AM on October 5, 2007

Don't feel like a moron. The reason I could answer your question was because it happened to me about a month ago.
posted by cuban link flooded jesus at 7:44 AM on October 5, 2007

What I meant to say, was the reason I came in here to answer your question because it happened...
posted by cuban link flooded jesus at 7:50 AM on October 5, 2007

If it helps, I have a 23" cinema that does this periodically

Take a flashlight or desk lamp up close to the monitor... if it's only the backlight that's out, you should be able to see normal screen content.
posted by TravellingDen at 10:24 PM on October 5, 2007