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anti-microsoft

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Dec 15, 2006
1,665
6
Edinburgh, Scotland
I want to connect an external display to my MacBook, but I wan't to close the lid. Every time I shut the lid it goes to sleep and I wan't it funcioning all the time. How do I do this?
 
I want to connect an external display to my MacBook, but I wan't to close the lid. Every time I shut the lid it goes to sleep and I wan't it funcioning all the time. How do I do this?

I think you need a keyboard and mouse plugged in too.
 
Or if you have a Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse, make sure in the system prefs that you have enabled "Wake from bluetooth device" or something like that.
 
If you want to use your MacBook with the lid closed, you'll obviously need to have an external mouse and keyboard to operate it.


Starting with the lid closed shut, just wiggle your mouse around or press a key on the keyboard to wake up your computer. Despite the lid still being closed, you can still use your laptop that way.

If you want to use an external mouse, but use your MacBook keyboard, AND have the MacBook LCD turned off while the external LCD is on (why would you need your MacBook screen turned on if you only plan on using the external LCD, right?), then do what I described above, but once the computer is turned on, wait around 5 seconds, then open the lid of your laptop and just start using the keyboard. The MacBook LCD should remain off if you do this.
 
If you want to use your MacBook with the lid closed, you'll obviously need to have an external mouse and keyboard to operate it.


Starting with the lid closed shut, just wiggle your mouse around or press a key on the keyboard to wake up your computer. Despite the lid still being closed, you can still use your laptop that way.

If you want to use an external mouse, but use your MacBook keyboard, AND have the MacBook LCD turned off while the external LCD is on (why would you need your MacBook screen turned on if you only plan on using the external LCD, right?), then do what I described above, but once the computer is turned on, wait around 5 seconds, then open the lid of your laptop and just start using the keyboard. The MacBook LCD should remain off if you do this.
Thanks!
 
What's the Advantage of turning off macbook monitor?

If you want to use your MacBook with the lid closed, you'll obviously need to have an external mouse and keyboard to operate it.


Starting with the lid closed shut, just wiggle your mouse around or press a key on the keyboard to wake up your computer. Despite the lid still being closed, you can still use your laptop that way.

If you want to use an external mouse, but use your MacBook keyboard, AND have the MacBook LCD turned off while the external LCD is on (why would you need your MacBook screen turned on if you only plan on using the external LCD, right?), then do what I described above, but once the computer is turned on, wait around 5 seconds, then open the lid of your laptop and just start using the keyboard. The MacBook LCD should remain off if you do this.

Why do you want to turn off the macbook monitor? Does it improve the appearance on the big screen monitor?
 
Why have the MacBook's LCD turned on if I'm only using my 20" external LCD? I don't plan on using 2 displays simultaneously.

Besides, the 64 MB of (maximum) RAM allocatable to the GMA 950 integrated graphics would be divided evenly between the 2 monitors (ie: each monitor gets a maximum of 32 MB of RAM). With both monitors on, you may experience some lag when you do fancy things like Exposé, as the monitors may not have the maximum 32 MB of RAM allocated to each one.

Yes, technically speaking, you need a minimum of around 8-10 MB of memory to operate a 1920 x 1200 monitor (eg: the 30" Apple display), but nobody in their right mind would try to use their monitor with the minimum. Since the maximum RAM available for 2 monitors is 32 MB for each monitor, there's actually a chance that less than 32 MB is being used by any one monitor at any moment in time, which explains the lag you may experience sometimes.
 
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