How to Un-Invert A Macintosh Monitor

1. Open your Mac OS X System Preferences from under the Apple menu in the Finder, or from the Applications folder on your hard drive (Macintosh HD > Applications > System Preferences).
   
   
   
2. Click on the Universal Access icon. In case you are unfamiliar with Universal Access, it's a component of the Mac OS X operating system that provides special interface options to the blind, deaf, and handicapped. It includes four sub-components: Seeing, Hearing, Keyboard and Mouse. As you might have guessed, your inverted monitor problem falls under the "Seeing" category.
   
   
   
3. Uncheck the box that says "Black on White." What is this "Black on White" option all about? Some people with vision problems find the screen easier to see when the colors are inverted.
   
   
   
4. Presto! Your monitor should be back to normal. If not, scroll down to the next section.

So how did your monitor end up inverted in the first place? If you don't recall going into System Preferences and messing around with the Universal Access settings, then you might have accidentally pressed Ctrl-Option-Cmd-8 on your keyboard. Try it. If you are the prankster type, the next time you are in an Apple Store, go up to every display computer and press Ctrl-Option-Cmd-8. Have fun!

2 Monitors But Only 1 Monitor is Inverted

Do you have two monitors hooked up to your Mac but only one is inverted? If you toggle the "Black on White" setting like explained above, you're still going to have one inverted and one regular monitor. They will just switch. So now what?

There's a simple solution to this "one inverted, one regular monitor" problem. You need to reset the PRAM on your computer. Apple computers store a small amount of configuration information in the PRAM (Parameter RAM). But sometimes the PRAM gets messed up and needs to be cleared out. Here's how to do it.

How to Reset Your Mac's PRAM

1. Shut Down Your Computer
   Select Shut Down from under the Apple menu (Apple > Shut Down).
   
   
2. Apple + Option + P + R
   Your computer should be off right now. Prepare to press and hold down the following keys on your keyboard at the same time: Apple + Option + P + R. This isn't a sequence. All 4 keys must be pressed and held down at the exact same time. Unless you are a bass guitar player with incredible finger reach, you will most likely need both hands.
   
   
3. Turn on Your Computer
   Press the power button to turn on your computer and quickly hold down the Apple + Option + P + R keys. You must press and hold down this key combination before the gray screen appears. If you are having problems pressing the keys quickly enough, try leaving your fingers on the keys and press the power button with a spare finger or your nose. You can also ask a friend or a homeless guy for help.
   
   
4. Three Chimes
   Don't let go. After hitting the power button, press and hold Apple + Option + P + R until you hear the Macintosh startup chime 3 times. After the 3rd time you can let go. If you don't hear any chimes, then you failed to hold down the keys. Press and hold people. Don't let go of the keys until you hear the 3rd chime.
   
   
5. That's It!
   After the 3rd chime you can let go of the keys. Both your monitors should now be back to normal.

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