Which is worse?

[krissel]

I need to choose between the lesser of two evils.

I know the recommended way to restart the system is via the software commands in the menu (OS 9). This is preferred over the three finger restart via keyboard.

BUT, when I do that I have to turn off my monitor, wait a second til the light goes out and then turn it back on. If I don't do that I get just a black screen. For some reason having to do with the video card, I lose the connection on a software restart. However on a keyboard restart the video comes back without turning off the monitor.

So, which is worse, doing a keyboard restart or turning off and on the monitor?  

[Gregg]

Take my advice. Turning off the monitor is worse. Do the keyboard restart.

(I have no techincal back up for that, just want you to rest easy.)

[tacit]

When you say "keyboard restart," what do you mean? If you mean hitting the power switch, waiting for the "Do you want to shut down your computer?" dialog, and pressing R or clicking the Restart button, then it is the same as the menu restart.

If you mean resetting the computer--DON'T DO THIS. Doing this does not write out the contents of the cache to disk and does not close down the filesystem properly. Every time you reset your computer this way, you run the risk of corrupted disk directory entries or damaged files.

[krissel]

By keyboard restart I mean the Command, Control, Power restart that is usually reserved for when the machine is otherwise frozen.
Usually referred to as the three finger salute.

 

Would it make any difference if I manually close down all the open apps then do the key restart?

Of course all this wouldn't be necessary if I could figure out how to overcome the dropping of signal to the monitor and inability to reconnect without turning it totally off.  

[jepinto]

Why have an off switch on the monitor if it's not intended to be used?

Monitor switch off vote here.

[Xairbusdriver]

I vote for turning the monitor off and doing the software restart. At least until you can get the monitor disconnect problem fixed. Perhaps a visit to the video board's maker might reveal some kind of upgrade )software or firmware).

As for why the monitor has a power switch, it's probably the same reason there's one on the Mac - 'that's just the way we've always done it!' and we have all these switches in the warehouse...

[krissel]

Thanks for the input.

My concern in frequently turning the monitor off and on is whether it will have a negative impact on the longevity of the CRT, not to mention the switch itself. I can hear that "poing" sound when the monitor is turned back on and I can only imagine it taking its toll.

I suppose it is akin to the argument over whether leaving the computer on all the time or turning it off will lead to longer lasting life?

When the computer is restarted via the keyboard I do have the Disk First Aid window come up that tells me the computer wasn't shut down properly, blah blah, and it then checks and repairs before loading extensions. So I'm not saving any time this way but it beats having to turn the monitor off and on, which needs to  be done before the ATI extension loads.  

[Gary S]

Krissel,

I still don't understand why you have to turn your monitor off and on again after shutting down the proper way via the Menu->Shut Down or the power switch->Are you sure you want to shut down your computer now?

[kelly]

It's no different than someone hittting you with a hammer to put you to sleep.

The joy of all those extra PCI Slots.

Of course you Zapped the PRAM first thing?

[krissel]

QUOTE(Gary S @ Jan 30 2004, 10:07 AM)

I still don't understand why you have to turn your monitor off and on again after shutting down the proper way ...

 Shutting down is not the problem since I turn the monitor off anyway. It's using the restart system command that loses sync.

Here's another oddity... if I use the Startup Disk and restart via that to another partition, no problem. It keeps sync and the monitor comes back on of its own accord. It's only if I restart to the same system. And some installations that require a restart will also bring back the monitor, not all, but many will.

Why would zapping the PRAM have any affect under these circumstances? But anyway I've zapped the PRAM a few times over the past year and it hasn't made any difference. I've just been putting up with this annoyance for all that time..

Man, this is really perplexing.    Guess I'll have to live with it.  

[kelly]

Why PRAM?

It's the first thing I would do.

Make sure it's not a matter of Corrupt PRAM Settings.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=31040

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25289

Why would you not think that?

Have you done the Patented Gary Deep PRAM Zap?

[krissel]

OK, just to satisfy all curiosities I went through the entire procedure outlined in the til article, zapped PRAM, restarted with extensions off, dumped prefs and restarted.

What happens when I zap PRAM is the main monitor doesn't light up at all and the system loads on my second monitor (which is usually off). So after all the messing around and resetting monitor prefs I'm back to square one.

QUOTE

On earlier computers, the resolution is stored in PRAM and is read at system startup time by the video driver in ROM. Later versions of Apple Displays software rely on a preference stored on the hard drive to set this resolution instead of the PRAM setting. This preference is read during the startup sequence, and is applied either during system startup time, or when the Finder starts up, depending on the video controller.
Different video cards and built-in video handle resolution preference loading at different times, depending on when the driver for the video card and built-in video is loaded.

What usually happens is the startup screen is at 800x600 res until the ATI extension loads then it switches to the selected res (1024x768) for the rest of the startup process. Only difference I noticed after zapping, etc. is the res didn't switch until just before the desktop loaded. I haven't restarted again to see if the switch of res goes back to it's former point.
It's not a matter of selecting unsupported resolutions either as the card supports up to 1920x1080.

Nonetheless the screen remains dark unless I turn off the monitor and then turn it back on. The second monitor loads a pattern OK but it's not the one chosen for the system. I'm afraid it's just some anomaly with the video card (Original Mac Radeon 32 MB) combined with that particular monitor (Mitsubishi Diamond Plus 91).

 

[chriskleeman]

Hi Kris,

I recently had the same problem with a refurbed monitor... the monitor wasn't picking up the start signal from the card... and exhibited almost exactly the same symptoms. I'm not running a Radeon, but it is an ATI Rage. this seems a possibility, especially if your second monitor is picking up the start signal. If you have some  electronic contact cleaner, take the VGA connector off from the Mitsubishi and spray on the contacts both on the card and on the cable. Exercise the contacts a couple of times (plugging, replugging, etc) and see if it picks up the start signal properly. If that doesn't make it work, my vote is for an intermittent cable on your Mitsubishi. I know this sounds a little simplistic, but I was able to isolate the problem to the monitor when this happened before.

Hope this helps.

CK

[kelly]

krissel. I didn't guarantee that would fix it.

It just needed to be done.

I hope CK's tip helps.

[Gary S]

Krissel,

QUOTE

Have you done the Patented Gary Deep PRAM Zap?

This may help. I don't know what kind of PRAM zap you did but here is the one that will
reset your Video card to the manufactures original settings and it works very well.

You must Zap the PRAM from a cold boot.

•1-shut down the machine.
•2-boot the machine with the Command-Option-P-R keys as usual and keep them depressed for 5-6 chimes.
•Don't forget to reset your start-up disk.

™Gary Deep PRAM Zap