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A Fix for GMA950 Dell laptops


nawcom
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Currrently there is an issue with some laptop GMA950s where if:

 

a.) You use the regular AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext, you get a black screen startup and the only solution is to plug an external monitor in OR you initiate the display to sleep and then kill it.

 

b.) You use the fixed AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext, and everything works fine, except you get some annoying cursor artifacts on the screen.

 

I hate having to manually put the display to sleep, and i'd rather use one of the corners for something else :-P - so I made a small service that starts up right before login kicks in or before you autologin to your desktop. So far I have used it on 2 different laptop and it does an amazing job. I need some more people to test it out on theirs.

 

link 1: GMA950_Fix.pkg.zip (Updated)

link 2: GMA950_Fix.pkg.zip (Updated)

 

If you notice, after you install the pkg there is a GMA_Backup.tar.bz2 sitting in the root directory (/). if this installer {censored}ed everything up - you just need to extract that as root (cd /; tar xjvf GMA_Backup.tar.bz2) go into it and run the Uninstall script as root (cd /GMA_Backup; ./Uninstall). everything will be back as it previously was.

 

This is new and its just a quick fix for now! Those with issues with their laptops GMA950 try this, especially the dell laptops.

 

My plan is to add support to this to fix the resolution changing problems. I will keep up with info on how far I am from being finished.

 

UPDATE: looks like I need to move it over from SystemStarter to launchd since they slowly got rid of SystemStarter usage, which makes sense why it delays on some systems. I'm gonna see what i can do with the code without modifying loginwindow itself

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Currrently there is an issue with some laptop GMA950s where if:

 

snip

My plan is to add support to this to fix the resolution changing problems. I will keep up with info on how far I am from being finished.

 

great, I will try this asap. would you mind adding your post to the posts below on Dells with GMA950 and the sleep/wake trick to get desktop back? if I find the time I will add a link to your post there myself...

 

btw. I just looked inside your installer and noticed that the AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext is version 1.5.18.7. This must be older. My current one on 10.5.3 is version 1.5.28.21. this is the one I know works without artifacts. I know that all older kexts will lead to artifacts. I am a little confused about this. can you tell me why it's an older version? I guess I can just put my newer one back after installation? hmm ...

 

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?sho...;p=768382

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?sho...;p=768365

 

A lot of people with Dells and GMA950 are reading those and it would help them.

thank you

 

edit1: just tried to install it and wouldn't get past the apple logo on boot. I have the mouse but nothing from thereon. Now reverting back to previous settings.

 

edit2: was able to boot into system with -x -v. copied my newer version of AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext back into Extensions (kexthelper) and rebooted. Now the system boots fine. However, it takes longer than before? (maybe just my imagination) Your script is working though, there are not artifacts and the resolution is correct. One weird thing also, there is no desktop background, just plain blue. when I try to change the background, nothing happens. it's stuck with the plain blue now. Odd.. I rebooted a couple times, same thing.

guess it needs some more work?

 

edit3: got the background back. Even though it shows that I am logged in as my_user_id under the apple menu, it probably is not? When I log out and back in with my password the background comes back.

so here is what happens when I boot: system boots into blue screen, very briefly, switches to black for a while, then to blue screen with desktop. I cannot change background, always stays plain blue. Only when I logout/login background comes back.

 

edit4: ok, it's late and I probably should have realized from above to try this sooner. When I turn off autologin everything works as advertised. It doesn't seem to work 100% with autologin. system now boots into blue for a short moment, then black for a little longer and then welcomes me with user login window. After that desktop comes back with full functionality, correct resolution and no artifacts.

 

for now: make sure you have newest AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext in your Extensions and turn off autologin.

 

you're welcome

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btw. I just looked inside your installer and noticed that the AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext is version 1.5.18.7. This must be older. My current one on 10.5.3 is version 1.5.28.21. this is the one I know works without artifacts. I know that all older kexts will lead to artifacts. I am a little confused about this. can you tell me why it's an older version? I guess I can just put my newer one back after installation? hmm ...

 

That's odd. I am running 10.5.3 right now. perhaps there was a mix up when i was playing the AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext game before.

 

I'll be sure and pull the correct one from the update and fix this outdated kext.

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Bout to mirror my HD to usb and give this a try encase it bricks my install. Will let u know how it goes...

 

BTW - Does this support 1440X900? The big problem with other fixes (deceiver eg.) is it boots into a weird resolution that my screen can't handle...

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Bout to mirror my HD to usb and give this a try encase it bricks my install. Will let u know how it goes...

 

BTW - Does this support 1440X900? The big problem with other fixes (deceiver eg.) is it boots into a weird resolution that my screen can't handle...

 

weird to you, common for others ;) mine is 1280x800

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Ok so after looking at this, it isn't really anything new. All it does is run a bash script to sleep/wake the display automatically. If the 'sleep corner' trick didn't work for you then this won't work either.

 

 

Though I'm still not sure why my display doesn't wake...even when at 800X600...its definitely running as I can VNC to it :-S My lappys a 640m btw.

 

Cheers

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acer 4710 laptop with gma950. laptop display and vga out works with complete resolutions changes, qe, ci and absolutely no artefacts. using natit. updated to 10.5.3 using kalyway update and also had the graphic updates done from apple site.

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acer 4710 laptop with gma950. laptop display and vga out works with complete resolutions changes, qe, ci and absolutely no artefacts. using natit. updated to 10.5.3 using kalyway update and also had the graphic updates done from apple site.

 

no surprise, you got the better behaving laptop there. This is specific to Dell laptops.

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  • 9 months later...

GREAT! I'm running a iDeneb install 10.5.5 and had a TERRIBLE flickering screen problem on this Gateway MT6705. SO bad that i almost flopped into epileptic seizures while trying to troubleshoot. Any way, your GMA fix pkg worked wonders. The laptop did not boot after install of that--it just stops at the apple screen the little grey pinwheel stops turning. SO i rebooted with option -x safe boot, and it boots to a LOVELY solid screen....... but now what? i don't want to boot all the time into safe boot, i want a normal computer, and i'm sure someone else could benefit from knowing this too. So now what? ;) hehe.

 

 

Edit 1: So, i booted in verbose mode -v. And can see the errors that i am getting on a normal boot:

sandbox_init error Could not set Mach Lookup policy Err=1100 for all the following files:

 

com.apple.bsd.dirhelper

com.apple.distributed_notifications.2

com.apple.ocspd

com.apple.mDNSResponderHelper

com.apple.SecurityServer

com.apple.SystemConfiguration.configd

 

Edit 2: {censored}. I repaired disk permissions in safe boot, did a lot of repairing of gma950 kexts and such, including the newest AppleFrameBuffer file that i dropped in. Well, i verbose restart, still have the errors in edit 1, but it actually boots to login now, and i can log in. but the FLICKER is back with an evil vengeance and i can't work on this thing! please help!!

 

Edit 3: um, weird solution here. I installed OVER the ideneb install with a fresh copy of iPC. Then i went to sleep, evidently, the install was interrupted half way, cause when i woke up in the morning, the laptop was just off. When i turned on the laptop i just booted from the hard drive (forgot the install might need to have use accounts setup and what not), well if booted with new ipc boot screen and made it to the SAME user account as i had on ideneb (this is when i realized something was wrong). so i logged in, and it all works fine, no screen problems, all resolutions available, and no flicker! just i realized shortly though, that my user account was not admin.... and i had no admin access or control. To fix this i just rebooted to the install (ipc) cd and i did password reset using the utility. I rebooted and then gave administrative rights to my account, then logged into my main account. now everything seems great.

 

Now on to audio fix and search for SD reader fix, and Ethernet and wifi. it will be a complete computer.... soon.....i hope this helps someone. oh yeah, and just for kicks, ai did a verbose boot, and no more of the errors mentioned in edit 1. (but you should have expected that.)

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  • 8 months later...

How did you patch your AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext,??.

Cuz I probe your Fix but it doesn't work for me.

 

I have an Acer Aspire 3680 Laptop

With Mac OSX 10.6.2 Snow Leopard Retail Install - with Empire EFI, and some kext in /Extra/Extensions

 

When I use the native AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext, when the PC finished to load the O.S. I hVa a Gray Screen, and Then when I plug an External Display, I See the Video with QE / CI Enabled.

 

 

The Hardware of the Graphic Card ID is This:

 

8086:27a6 Mobile 945/GMS,943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller -- (Internal Display)

8086:27a2 Mobile 945/GMS,943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller -- (External Display VGA Connector).

 

 

 

Thanks.

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How did you patch your AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext,??.

Cuz I probe your Fix but it doesn't work for me.

 

I have an Acer Aspire 3680 Laptop

With Mac OSX 10.6.2 Snow Leopard Retail Install - with Empire EFI, and some kext in /Extra/Extensions

 

When I use the native AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext, when the PC finished to load the O.S. I hVa a Gray Screen, and Then when I plug an External Display, I See the Video with QE / CI Enabled.

 

 

The Hardware of the Graphic Card ID is This:

 

8086:27a6 Mobile 945/GMS,943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller -- (Internal Display)

8086:27a2 Mobile 945/GMS,943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller -- (External Display VGA Connector).

 

 

 

Thanks.

 

*Generate DSDT with DSDT Patcher, delete any other Output (CRT, CRT0 ...) out from GFX0, so only LCD (Device LCD) is there.

 

*Add GMA950 EFI String to com.Apple.boot.plist:

 

	<key>device-properties</key>
<string>6d0000000100000001000000610000000200000002010c00d041030a00000000010106000002
7fff0400100000006d006f00640065006c0000000b000000474d4120393530200000004100410050
0
04c002c00480061007300500061006e0065006c0000000800000001000000</string>
<key>model</key>
<string>GMA 950</string>

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*Generate DSDT with DSDT Patcher, delete any other Output (CRT, CRT0 ...) out from GFX0, so only LCD (Device LCD) is there.

 

*Add GMA950 EFI String to com.Apple.boot.plist:

 

	<key>device-properties</key>
<string>6d0000000100000001000000610000000200000002010c00d041030a00000000010106000002
7fff0400100000006d006f00640065006c0000000b000000474d4120393530200000004100410050
0
04c002c00480061007300500061006e0065006c0000000800000001000000</string>
<key>model</key>
<string>GMA 950</string>

Thanks, I'll Probe This Method, But I suppose that with this method I can only use one device at the same time, Or LCD or CRT.

 

By now, I solve the problem putting a SMBIOSResolver.kext in /E/E , and Natit.kext in /S/L/E.

 

With that kexts I have functionally Both Monitors :thumbsdown_anim:

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The other outputs should still work, the DSDT Fix is only for entering the GUI with the right display, the String Fix has LCD Panel Info. I think that, if you get a gray screen entering the GUI, then you need the Panel Fix / HasPanel (Natit for Intel does the same thing) and if you get a blue screen entering the GUI, then you need the DSDT Fix. Its possible to solve these Problems with an older AppleIntelIntegratedframebuffer.kext, but with that Method its possible that it produces some mouse/cursor artifacts.

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  • 3 months later...
Thanks, I'll Probe This Method, But I suppose that with this method I can only use one device at the same time, Or LCD or CRT.

 

By now, I solve the problem putting a SMBIOSResolver.kext in /E/E , and Natit.kext in /S/L/E.

 

With that kexts I have functionally Both Monitors :P

 

 

Hi,

 

I am for a few days trying to find the right information to get the possibility to change the resolution and hopefully reach the 1400 one. So i read your message with interest and decided than after the 20's or more install i gone through it was time to ask a question in a forum.

I explain :

- My notebook is a HP NC6400 with a GMA945GM/GMS intel graphic card (8086:27a2 and 27a6).

- 1/ Installing iAtkos 10.5.7 : didn't get anyhting else than 1024`768 and other trouble i don't remember ...

- 2/ Installing ideneb (the tiger one version so not leopard) : excellent as I had straigh away the 1024 resolution so it prooves to me it was possible

- 3/ Then i tried to install iHazard in 10.6.0 and 10.6.2 and had much trouble to find the correct option to be to start (more than 20 installations jees ). Finally got it started at first in 10.6.2 only with arch=i386 and not the -v (which was weird, because why the verbose mode could gave me a kernel panic i don't understand...). Anyway now i am using the iHazard 10.6.2 but only in 1024`768.

Using this one I tried to install different kext and also the the string in com.apple.Bool.list :

<string>6d0000000100000001000000610000000200000002010c00d041030a000000000101060000027

fff0400100000006d006f00640065006c0000000b000000474d41203935302000000041004100500

0

4c002c00480061007300500061006e0065006c0000000800000001000000</string>

and no good result. One gave me an almost black screen cause i could see that i was doing some stuff (opening menu ...) but just by few pixels.

Also I found someone giving a boot file which i tried and this gave me a weird reso : 1280`800 (also it was not chameleon but the pc efi bootloader instead)

 

I also tried to generate a DSDT.aml file then decompile it bnut whn i tried to recompile it i had more than 200 errors (even without modifing nothing inside) which is very annoying.

 

Except that :

- sound works great (didn't choose any option in ihazard)

- wifi works like a charm

- usb excellent

 

- ethernet (broadcom 5753) not working so i used instead a usb-ethernet adapter bought for my wii and it works excellent (and bought it in china for just around 10 euro so can live without the 5753 working)

- also put a usb audio card and was also recognized straigh away so could help some people having audio trouble.

- tried an ethernet pmcia card but without any result.

 

 

OK, now my questions (please help :) ) :

- what kext have you put exactly (version, patched or stock) do you use to get the resolution change feature ?

- have you used a DSDT file ?

- what have you put in your com.apple.Boot.plist

- what reso can you reach ?

- are you (still) able to use dual screen or use external screen when needed ?

- what bootloader do you use ?

 

In brief, can you GUIDE me (or anyone else also) because i thing all the current kext for gma950 i found are patched for 27ae and not 27a2/27a6.

 

Thanks to all in advance (I normally prefer to find in forum than to ask but sometime i think that's not the best way if i want to keep my hair (in french : le peu qu'il m'en reste).

 

 

other information on my current situation :

-GMA950 : no kext installed yet

-SMBIOSResolver.kext = 1.0.5

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Hi,

 

I am for a few days trying to find the right information to get the possibility to change the resolution and hopefully reach the 1400 one. So i read your message with interest and decided than after the 20's or more install i gone through it was time to ask a question in a forum.

I explain :

- My notebook is a HP NC6400 with a GMA945GM/GMS intel graphic card (8086:27a2 and 27a6).

- 1/ Installing iAtkos 10.5.7 : didn't get anyhting else than 1024`768 and other trouble i don't remember ...

- 2/ Installing ideneb (the tiger one version so not leopard) : excellent as I had straigh away the 1024 resolution so it prooves to me it was possible

- 3/ Then i tried to install iHazard in 10.6.0 and 10.6.2 and had much trouble to find the correct option to be to start (more than 20 installations jees ). Finally got it started at first in 10.6.2 only with arch=i386 and not the -v (which was weird, because why the verbose mode could gave me a kernel panic i don't understand...). Anyway now i am using the iHazard 10.6.2 but only in 1024`768.

Using this one I tried to install different kext and also the the string in com.apple.Bool.list :

<string>6d0000000100000001000000610000000200000002010c00d041030a000000000101060000027

fff0400100000006d006f00640065006c0000000b000000474d41203935302000000041004100500

0

4c002c00480061007300500061006e0065006c0000000800000001000000</string>

and no good result. One gave me an almost black screen cause i could see that i was doing some stuff (opening menu ...) but just by few pixels.

Also I found someone giving a boot file which i tried and this gave me a weird reso : 1280`800 (also it was not chameleon but the pc efi bootloader instead)

 

I also tried to generate a DSDT.aml file then decompile it bnut whn i tried to recompile it i had more than 200 errors (even without modifing nothing inside) which is very annoying.

 

Except that :

- sound works great (didn't choose any option in ihazard)

- wifi works like a charm

- usb excellent

 

- ethernet (broadcom 5753) not working so i used instead a usb-ethernet adapter bought for my wii and it works excellent (and bought it in china for just around 10 euro so can live without the 5753 working)

- also put a usb audio card and was also recognized straigh away so could help some people having audio trouble.

- tried an ethernet pmcia card but without any result.

 

 

OK, now my questions (please help :( ) :

- what kext have you put exactly (version, patched or stock) do you use to get the resolution change feature ?

- have you used a DSDT file ?

- what have you put in your com.apple.Boot.plist

- what reso can you reach ?

- are you (still) able to use dual screen or use external screen when needed ?

- what bootloader do you use ?

 

In brief, can you GUIDE me (or anyone else also) because i thing all the current kext for gma950 i found are patched for 27ae and not 27a2/27a6.

 

Thanks to all in advance (I normally prefer to find in forum than to ask but sometime i think that's not the best way if i want to keep my hair (in french : le peu qu'il m'en reste).

 

 

other information on my current situation :

-GMA950 : no kext installed yet

-SMBIOSResolver.kext = 1.0.5

 

 

Hi , use my guide posted here : http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=214808

It worked perfectly for me .

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  • 3 weeks later...
Currrently there is an issue with some laptop GMA950s where if:

 

a.) You use the regular AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext, you get a black screen startup and the only solution is to plug an external monitor in OR you initiate the display to sleep and then kill it.

 

b.) You use the fixed AppleIntelIntegratedFramebuffer.kext, and everything works fine, except you get some annoying cursor artifacts on the screen.

 

I hate having to manually put the display to sleep, and i'd rather use one of the corners for something else :-P - so I made a small service that starts up right before login kicks in or before you autologin to your desktop. So far I have used it on 2 different laptop and it does an amazing job. I need some more people to test it out on theirs.

 

link 1: GMA950_Fix.pkg.zip (Updated)

link 2: GMA950_Fix.pkg.zip (Updated)

 

If you notice, after you install the pkg there is a GMA_Backup.tar.bz2 sitting in the root directory (/). if this installer {censored}ed everything up - you just need to extract that as root (cd /; tar xjvf GMA_Backup.tar.bz2) go into it and run the Uninstall script as root (cd /GMA_Backup; ./Uninstall). everything will be back as it previously was.

 

This is new and its just a quick fix for now! Those with issues with their laptops GMA950 try this, especially the dell laptops.

 

My plan is to add support to this to fix the resolution changing problems. I will keep up with info on how far I am from being finished.

 

UPDATE: looks like I need to move it over from SystemStarter to launchd since they slowly got rid of SystemStarter usage, which makes sense why it delays on some systems. I'm gonna see what i can do with the code without modifying loginwindow itself

Hi nawcom!

Thanks for the trick for the GMA 950 wake from sleep issue! I m using it for my Dell Inspirion 640m with 27A2 GPU. Unfortunately, it does not work in snow 10.6.3. I have this error message in my logs :

5/4/10 7:49:21 PM	SystemStarter[22]	/Library/StartupItems/GMA_Sleep
5/4/10 7:50:42 PM	SystemStarter[22]	GMA950 Startup Utility (83) did not complete successfully

 

Please could you recompile/update for snow ? Or I m missing something ?

Thanks for your help

Cius

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Hi everyone,

 

I would like to share with you my issue as I didn't find anyone talking about it anywhere ...

 

I have installed snow leo on my NC6400 with iHazard. Even in the final version which now include driver for the GMA950, driver are not working. I guess they still not work for those who have a GMA950 0x27a2.

So I have some drivers for GMA950 working as I can have the 1280*800 reso which is good.

 

But my problem is that it gives me trouble with WORD and other office stuff but mainly with word.

I tried with OFFICE 2004, 2008 and even 2011 beta 2. The issue is that WORD is managing the cursor pointer and it has problem to change it so the cursor freeze, or double itself regarding where the mouse is on :

- on a graphic : no problem

- on cells : no pb

- but on text : bingo. So it is hard to select text or to click in the text ... A trick is to right click to have a popup then move the mouse which in that case move ok with the popup opened and then click where you wanted in the text.

 

I tried the different version of office without the GMA950 installed so with the basic 1024.768 reso and word has no problem to manage the ursor pointer. So really it comes with the GMA950 driver.

 

Anyone has working with GMA950 (0x27a2) + Word 2008 (don't like the 2004) + Snow leo 10.6.2 or 10.6.3 ?

If yes, any chance to share the drivers ... ?

 

 

ps: i have often some application crashing and don't know if it is not due to the GMA driver also ...

 

Thanks for your help

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this is a well documented problem and all over the place for the gma950, nothing new. You are using an incorrect intelappleframebuffer.kext that leads to artifacts.

 

running 10.6.3 here with gma950 0x27a2 and stock drivers. no artifacts.

 

good luck

 

Hi everyone,

 

I would like to share with you my issue as I didn't find anyone talking about it anywhere ...

 

I have installed snow leo on my NC6400 with iHazard. Even in the final version which now include driver for the GMA950, driver are not working. I guess they still not work for those who have a GMA950 0x27a2.

So I have some drivers for GMA950 working as I can have the 1280*800 reso which is good.

 

But my problem is that it gives me trouble with WORD and other office stuff but mainly with word.

I tried with OFFICE 2004, 2008 and even 2011 beta 2. The issue is that WORD is managing the cursor pointer and it has problem to change it so the cursor freeze, or double itself regarding where the mouse is on :

- on a graphic : no problem

- on cells : no pb

- but on text : bingo. So it is hard to select text or to click in the text ... A trick is to right click to have a popup then move the mouse which in that case move ok with the popup opened and then click where you wanted in the text.

 

I tried the different version of office without the GMA950 installed so with the basic 1024.768 reso and word has no problem to manage the ursor pointer. So really it comes with the GMA950 driver.

 

Anyone has working with GMA950 (0x27a2) + Word 2008 (don't like the 2004) + Snow leo 10.6.2 or 10.6.3 ?

If yes, any chance to share the drivers ... ?

 

 

ps: i have often some application crashing and don't know if it is not due to the GMA driver also ...

 

Thanks for your help

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi I'm new to all of this, never considered my self to be that great with computers before this week!

I have a Dell latitude d620 graphics card intell 950gma, kalyway 10.5.2.

 

Basically had every thing working; sound, wireless, usb (after installing a new network card a variety of kexts).

 

But i got cocky and thought I'd try fixing the fuzzy resolution (I only have options of less than 1024x768 and I need 1280x800) after using the kext helper to install this kext http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=143340 (v3) I rebooted (yes I know i should have performed some intermediate steps but I didn't because I'm an idiot, I also know now ths s not designed for laptops... so lets except that and move on...)

 

I'm at my wits end because when I boot now all I get after the apple loading screen is complete black. Please help! I have assignments on that computer that are due next week and no way of accessing any of my files etc. I've tried booting in safe mode, to no avail.

 

I'm happy to keep the fuzzy resolution, I just want my screen back!

 

PLEASE HELP!

 

ps. I wish I'd found this fix prior to installing the the one which I did... but now I need my screen back and then I can try this fix.

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