Preventing my 17" Powerbook from sleeping when I close the lid...

if anyone knows the answer, could they say if it might also work with an iBook (800 combo). i have been wondering the same thing, as most of my use for that sort of abiliy would allow me to use my ibook instead of an ipod (space is usually not that much of an issue)

with an external mouse it will turn on when plugged into usb, but i think what your after is keeping it on while closing?

anyone got an idea?

AFAIK, there's no obvious way to prevent it to go to sleep. There's only this "workaraound", where you have to close the lid, then plug somthing in, a mouse, for example, which will cause the powerbook to wake up. But this won't really help you in this case, I think.
You could plug an external display in, then close the lid, plug in a mouse (which will cause it to wake up). Then you can start iTunes or what you want and unplug everything.
I don't know, if this helps, but it's been worth a try...

isn't the problem with that is overheating them? My iBook quits working when it gets too hot, and since it vents through the keyboard, that's probably a bad idea.

Originally posted by big
isn't the problem with that is overheating them? My iBook quits working when it gets too hot, and since it vents through the keyboard, that's probably a bad idea.

Click to expand...

it does? i thought it vented through the vent-looking thing on the side of the ibook with all the ports. or maybe you have an older model? or maybe i really just don't know what the vent-looking thing is. it feels kinda warm anyway...

such a good question. i wish i knew how to do that as well. i have been wondering how to do that since the day i got my powerbook, but never thought to ask.
i hope somoene has the proper knowledge on this topic.

The only way that I think anyone has found as to getting either a powerbook or iBook to operate without the screen flipped down is by hooking up an external monitor and mouse. This obviously isn't the bed work around.

BUT!!!!

Be careful doing this as both the powerbook and iBook get VERY hot while playing MP3's for hours on hours (especially in a car even if the AC is on, the sun will do it). This WILL damage your LCD screen (ever seen the pics of that lady who baked her powerbook?). Your obviously not going to have the same amount of damage that she did, but don't expect to have the correct colors coming out of your screen if you do this. Even Apple has a warning in the manuel somewhere about running the computer with the screen closed as it will void your warrenty if you screw up your screen while doing it.

My reccomendation would be just to go buy and iPod and save yourself the aggrivation of ruining your laptop.

BEN

What i do is lower the brightness all the way down (once setting it up) and the machine on "longest battery life", while playing music, OSX will turn the LCD off, but the screen is still up so i'm half there because i wanted to close the lid as well without having the machine going into sleep mode on my iBook.

I could turn that feature off in windows...

that does even work on the iBook 800. There is no workaround because you shouldn't do it. Even if you "trick" the machine it wil lshut down as soon as your USb device goes inactive like leaving it for a secodn wil lrestart the sleep process.

Originally posted by Kwyjibo
that does even work on the iBook 800. There is no workaround because you shouldn't do it. Even if you "trick" the machine it wil lshut down as soon as your USb device goes inactive like leaving it for a secodn wil lrestart the sleep process.

Click to expand...

not always. you could disable "sleep after x minutes of inactivity" to make it only sleep when the lid is being closed, no other time.

still not a good solution.

i would put it on the seat next to me but you could always slip a small chunk of styrofoam in there or something to keep it from triggering the sleep mode... depending on where the sensor is. this might also help alleviate heat issues...

pnw

Getting it to work

I had the same idea as you when I purchased my 12". Unfortunately this little bugger gets too hot and I think it may screw up the screen. But I have got it to work. I have found two methods with varying success. What will work is to put the mouse on top of the play button for itunes and then close the lid. Then plug in a mouse and click once. This method works but not always. In order to get it to work I think you have to have something plugged into the headphones jack or you may have to plug in the external monitor plug once or twice. I don't know which of those additional actions make it work more reliably. I would try to put something in between the screen and the computer because I do not know how hot it gets and it may be very bad for the screen. What is the best way to get it into your stereo. I bought that FM transmitter iRock or something and it is a piece of cr*p. I have a cross country trip to do in the coming weeks and am trying to find a way to do this as well.