Hi,
Does anyone have the same problem as me? I have had my Mac Mini for about a month, and it is starting to have a problem that I think is hardware based. What happens, after about 10-20 minutes of using it, the screen fades to blue, and back to the desktop, then back to blue, and so on, until it just hangs on the blue screen. I have re-installed Mac OS X but to no avail. I ran the apple hardware test and it found no problems. I don't think it could be the heat, because I can hear the fan working. Does anyone have any ideas, I don't want to send it back to Apple just yet!

Thanks.

Have you installed all the available system updates?
Otherwise, I'd be thinking something is seriously wrong there...

I suppose the other thing is, after you reinstalled, did you install all your apps again before it started reproducing the problem? Or did you leave the system clean for a while to see if it still did it? It's possible some software you've installed is doing it... though it's unlikely.

Everything the Mac Mini has installed (including all updates) are on my ibook G4, so i don't think it is software-based. Could it be loosely seated RAM?

maybe... try re fitting it, or if you have replaced the defult one, then put that back in and see if it works.

id be inclined to think it was more a video problem that is causing the display to act weirdly.

have you tried things like a PRAM reset? or pressing the cuda button after installing RAM?

they could clear out any corruptness that may exist in some RAM module or something...

W2ttsy

Honest to god advice, ring a apple centre and ask if they know whats wrong with it. They may tell you how to fix it without taking it in. Also, like W2ttsy said, reset the PRAM. That generally fixes quite a few problems. Failing that, I would suggest taking it back to the apple centre. I know its a pain, but its probably ur best shot after that

Sounds a lot like it's trying to change desktop mode. Check the connection between the monitor and the mini.

If that's not the problem, and you experience the same problems with another monitor (I think the connection isn't stable enough that the mini thinks it's the primary display), I'd take it into an Apple Centre.

I find with my mac mini sometimes the screen (LG LCD 17" DVI) will fade slightly (like the powerbook does if you put your hand over the light sensor) then bump up to full brightness again.

Does it every now and again and doesn't bother me greatly but it's still odd. I have a PC connected to the VGA input (it's a dual input screen) as the 2nd monitor for my PC and I've never experienced this brightness instability with the PC.

Have you tried checking Energy Saver's display preferences? There may be something stuffed up there. Or, have you tried replacing the DVI cable? It may be missing a pin or something? Is it seated properly?

Otherwise, it could be a dodgy graphics card. You probably still have warranty left on it, so you could probably get it replaced.

Yeah.... that blue screen you mentioned sounds very much like it is trying to change resolutions, like when you unplug and plug in a monitor.

I'd look at trying out another monitor, or at least change the cable and see what happens... you could probably try removing the cable from both the monitor and the machine, and just re-fit it. It might not be sitting right, or something.

pipsqeek

I'll second pip's post.. try another display and display cable.. maybe not both at the sametime.. confirm if its the display or display cable (or both) as the issue.

My mac mini has no such problem on my Benq 737S LCD connected by VGA, or my 20" Apple Widescreen using DVI.