Display problem, clean install from boot?

M

moxmox

Registered
First post here... First real problem I've had with my mac in a few years of smooth sailing. I'll take that as a good thing.

Anyway, my Mac Mini (PPC, 10.4.11) always just recognized the exact model/native resolution for my display... One day booting up it decided to boot into 800x600 for some reason. When trying to switch back in the system pref the native 1440x900 had DISAPPEARED from the list...

Long story short, I modified some files in the Terminal and now I get NOTHING on the monitor at all.

Is there any way to do a fresh install from the boot up?
 
You can do an "Archive & Install" procedure, which will retain your user account, settings and applications by booting from the Mac OS X Install CD/DVD. You will then need to re-apply any system updates you want (10.5.1, 10.5.2, etc.).
 
I figured as much, but how do I boot up from the CD? I'm used to the XP method of just having the CD in at boot up... Is there a key I have to press or something?
 
Well you asked about nuking your OS X to fix the problem and i pointed you to the best way to do so, on a Mac. Now if you really want to see if the problem is hardware or software then you have to check it, so follow these steps:

1. Reset Your PRAM

2. Make a new user (System Preferences->Accounts) and see if it has the same problem.

If you have the same problem after testing it with a new test user account then it may well be hardware. So let us know.
 
I modified some files in the Terminal and now I get NOTHING on the monitor at all.
Click to expand...
What files, and what modifications did you make?

That would be extremely helpful in troubleshooting the problem. It could be as easy as restoring some files using Pacifist from your OS X install CD/DVD, without having to reinstall anything.

Er, I guess without a monitor that would be a little difficult... but not impossible. Leopard allows you to use the Terminal to navigate your hard drive when you boot from the OS X Install CD/DVD, so that would be one way to do it without having to reinstall.
 
Well to make myself more clear, after modifying the files I get nothing on the screen at all. When I boot it up I get the Apple logo, then it says Loading OS X of course, as soon as the desktop loads up the screen says "Mode not supported" and shuts off. It is as simple as switching back to the other mode but I can't see the screen to do it. This is why I wanted to just start fresh from the boot but I don't know how to boot directly into the OS X install without going through OS X.
 
thanks for the replies guys. I'll try some of these out and report back with the results.

Much appreciated.
 
Try a "Safe Boot", which has been known to let you bypass monitor mode settings.

Hold "Shift" as Mac OS X starts up and keep it held down until you are notified that you're doing a "Safe Boot", as indicated on the screen. You can then visit the "Displays" pane of the System Preferences and possibly select a resolution that's compatible with your display.
 
I will try that one, too. Thank you very much.

As a secondary problem, what might cause OS X to "forget" my display settings? It detected the exact model of my screen before.
 
Okay, tried holding "C." Nothing, the machine still went into OS X before the cd started to spin. The frustrating part of this is that I know the Install OS X icon is right there but I can't see it to click on it.

Holding shift didn't do anything, either.
 
Nope.

And, again, what files, exactly, did you modify, and in what way did you modify them?

Stop the suspense! ;) It's like taking a car to the shop and telling the mechanic, "I stuck something in somewhere, but I'm not gonna tell you what or where!"
 
Okay, well I managed to get it to boot from the CD and I did an fresh erase/install of OS X 10.4.0... (Holding down shift+windows key+delete+control did the trick for some reason.)

So all is suposed to be well and good, right? Well the display is still unable to produce the native resolution of 1440x900... I am beginning to think this is a problem with the display. It is giving me a very blurry and distorted 800x600 on a widescreen display.

:(

I really appreciate the help, guys. I am a complete novice here, so I wouldn't have been able to do this on my own.

Does anyone have any solution to the secondary problem?
 
It is definitely a problem with the display. I detatched it from the Mac Mini and hooked it up to my little Linux Netbook. It seemed to work fine as an external display. When I plugged it back into the Mini it was immediately recognized. What an ordeal.

Couldn't have sorted this out on my own. Really appreciate it guys. Good support community here.

-mox
 
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