Weird Monitor Problem Options

[gavinf]

Hi

Can someone help?!?!? Please?!? I have this annoying thing where I switched monitors a while ago, and found when I booted my G4 into 9.2 with the new monitor the startup got about 10% through the bar (before any extension icons) and then flickered twice, then the bar moved a little more, and the screen goes black. Sometimes it won't reboot from the switch from there. Tried another monitor (original monitor gone). No change.

Funny thing is, it boots fine into 10.2 and in Classic, and it boots fine from a CD.

Tried base set of extensions. No change.

I tried an in-place reinstall of 9.1 (couldn't find the 9.2 disk). No change. Reinstalled 10 over that. No change. It's driving me completey bonkers.

Gavin

[larryhuller]

Yikes, lepetitmartien, I don't know about holding down the CUDA switch while you're starting up (that's what the switch near the battery is called). I've _always_ been told to do it while the computer is off but plugged in. It disconnects the battery electrically and lets whatever current is left in there flow out. This erases all the settings that your computer relies on the battery for, like the clock and everything that's in PRAM.

gavinf, clearing your PRAM is always a good idea when you're having trouble, but I have another suggestion: Have you been able to get into system 9 _at all_ since this started? If not, it might be that the monitor settings in 9 are out of the acceptable range for your monitor. Strange that this occurred over two monitors, but possible. This also is almost certainly not true if "in-place" install of 9.1 means you got rid of 9.2 and put 9.1 on instead of it. But it's worth investigating. Unfortunately this setting is not in PRAM, but you can change it with an Applescript if you download the Jon's Commands Applescript extension (go to versiontracker.com). Write an Applescript to set your monitor to 640x480, 65hz, 256 colors, (which any monitor should be able to handle), and stick it in your OS 9 startup items folder. You still won't have any video until the finder loads and the script is opened.

Also, and more importantly, if you haven't already, post over at macfixit.com. That's where you should be asking these kinds of questions. We're just musicians here! Good luck!