Techsurvivors

Archives => 2003 => Topic started by: Audone on October 17, 2003, 05:41:45 PM

Title: Display difficulties
Post by: Audone on October 17, 2003, 05:41:45 PM
After a restart following the installation of the QuickTime update, my iMac (500mHz) display now has a fairly sizeable black border all around the outside edge of the screen.  This takes up valuable real estate on an already small screen.  I've fiddled around with the Geometry section of Displays in System Preferences with no luck in dimishing the size of this border.

Any suggestions as to what to try next?  wallbash.gif
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: pendragon on October 17, 2003, 05:53:35 PM
Have you Repaired Permissions and run fsck -y?

Harv
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: Audone on October 17, 2003, 05:56:39 PM
I've repaired permissions, Harv, but am off to do the other!   wink.gif
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: Audone on October 17, 2003, 06:07:12 PM
That didn't help either.  While running that test, the left part of the text was hidden behind this border which is about 1/4" thick on all 4 sides.  I can hide the mouse cursor under it quite easily.   unsure.gif
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: pendragon on October 17, 2003, 07:05:42 PM
I really do not understand what happened, but at this point I would look at the display settings, ensuring they are as you desire. If necessary, I would even trash my display preferences and restart.

Perhaps other also have suggestions.

Harv
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: Audone on October 17, 2003, 09:18:05 PM
Harv, where would I find those preferences for the display?  In my list there's nothing specific to displays but there are system preferences.1  all the way through to .10  and I sure don't want to trash them all!   sad.gif
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: pendragon on October 18, 2003, 07:40:48 AM
Audone, Now that I am back on an os x machine, let's try this:

1. Open Displays in System Preferences
2. Select the Display tab
3. Select the highest/maximum resolution. You may need to toggle a different resolution to select the highest number.

I just lowered the resolution on my machine and guess what, a black border appeared. So I am hoping that will work for you too. Does  it?

And FWIW, I also looked at the display preferences and indeed the list is long; and since I am unsure what preference to delete, that ill-advised (bad) suggestion should be forgotten, at least until more expertise arrives. Sorry. oops.gif
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: Audone on October 18, 2003, 08:29:12 AM
Thanks for the suggestion, Harv.  I always use 800 x 600 and selecting the higher numbers made the border even bigger!   ohmy.gif   I think it's something I will get used to, if necessary, but would rather not have to try.  I'm going to run DiskWarrior this morning, just because it's time, so will see if there's any change after that.

Audrey
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: kelly on October 18, 2003, 08:38:34 AM
Audrey. Try changing your Refresh Rate. smile.gif

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=30648
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: Gary S on October 18, 2003, 08:47:22 AM
Audrey,

Just a stab in the dark but, you may want to try to zap the PRAM from a cold boot. Zap PRAM-Start with cold boot(shut the machine down first) with Command+Option+P+R keys depressed. Hold keys until 4-5 chimes. Make sure key caps is not depressed. It won't work from a warm boot(restart).

Anyways, it resets the PCI Video settings to their defaults.
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: bil207 on October 18, 2003, 08:57:07 AM
The preference file "com.apple.windowserver.plist" is the display preference that you can try trashing and restarting. It is located in the main Library / Preferneces.
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: Audone on October 18, 2003, 09:24:02 AM
It just goes to show that you're never too old to learn!  biggrin.gif  I trashed the appropriate preference then zapped the PRAM and now there's no more black band!  I should likely have done one first, to see if it made a difference, so I'm not sure which was the one that fixed it.  Upon restart, I notice several minor issues have been fixed, so it was well worth the doing.  Kelly, there's only one option for the refresh rate as the others are greyed out.

Thanks all ... now maybe I'll get something else done this gorgeous Fall day!   thanx.gif
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: pendragon on October 18, 2003, 09:47:58 AM
All's well that... And I learned a few things too!

Harv
Title: Display difficulties
Post by: Gary S on October 18, 2003, 11:25:25 AM
I was having some problems with my 19" monitor on OSX.2.8 after the QT 6.4 update with some small black banding too. I played around with the Monitor settings and got it OK but not where I wanted it.

So after posting the PRAM post I Zapped the PRAM and walla, it's back to normal! biggrin.gif