Stop MacBook from sleep on lid close

[forumBuddy]

Hi,
Is there a way to configure my MacBook so that it doesn't go to sleep when attached to external display and I close the lid? I find it very annoying as MacBook is my only computer at the moment and I really use it as a desktop. Whenever I close the lid it goes to sleep and I have to press a key on keyboard to wake it up, very annoying

Another thing I hate is that when shutting down, iMacBook will also attempt to go to sleep if lid is closed, rather than continue shutting down like my g/f Toshiba laptop does.

 

[amoda]

Hey,

I remember reading a way to do it, if you give me a minute i'll start searching for it. I do however want to let you know that it is highly unrecommended. Since the mbs/mbps usually get really hot and having the lid closed will only make them hotter and potentially damage the screen.

Edit: Found it, a program called InsomniaX. It allows you to close the lid without putting the computer to sleep. One problem though it appears that apple's latest OS update, 10.4.8, has disabled it somehow. So you'll need to run 10.4.7 untill the creator can create a patch if you really want to use it.

Download from: http://semaja2.net/insomniaxinfo/

Edit 2: Yeah agree with you about the shutdown/sleep thing. It's annoying having to wait till it shuts down completely before you can start packing it up. I haven't heard of a fix for this however but if i do i'll let you know. Cheers

 

[Eraserhead]

Another thing I hate is that when shutting down, iMacBook will also attempt to go to sleep if lid is closed, rather than continue shutting down like my g/f Toshiba laptop does.

True, that is very irritating.

 

[forumBuddy]

Damage the screen, really? That's unfortunate - you would think that they design it with a sufficient cooling to run with lid closed. Does it says so in the manual?

 

[amoda]

Hmm...i doubt it says so in the manual since this is a hack and not offically supported by apple.

And to tell you the truth i don't see why they would try and design it with sufficeient cooling to run with the lid closed. This is a laptop you know, and you tend to need the screen open to be able to use it. I don't think they had people like you in mind during the design process.

There is a warning on the lifehacker download page, where i got the link from, and where the people usually know abit about computers. Here it is:

You may not want to use InsomniaX all the time, as the excessive heat isn't necessarily great for your closed laptop, but this could definitely come in handy from time to time

 

[Mernak]

Damage the screen, really? That's unfortunate - you would think that they design it with a sufficient cooling to run with lid closed. Does it says so in the manual?

I thought that they added the ability to be in clamshell mode (i.e. lid closed) in the MB/MBP by ventilating more of the air out the back of the computer, unlike in the iBooks venting air through the keyboard. But just to be safe I would use a notebook cooler or something.

Here is apple article on clamshell mode.

 

[MiniMan.]

i use an external screen aswell but what i do is connect the screen sleep the computer clsoe the laptop screen then wake the computer but then to protect the screen i open the laptop with the switched off screen !

 

[MiniMan.]

Then it lets good airflow to the system

 

[Mac'Mo]

i believe i have a thread on this already.

 

[aristobrat]

Over the last year-and-a-half, I've had a 15" PowerBook, a 15" MBP and a MacBook.

I've run all three in clamshell mode (hooked to an external monitor) for fairly long amounts of time (days, in some cases). None of them were any hotter than normal when opened.