Disable 1.2ghz ibook's default LCD

Just get Screen Spanning Doctor and use both the displays. You'll split the VRAM but you can run both displays separately. Just make sure you don't enable clamshell mode - iBook's can't run with their lids closed but they can run two displays without mirroring with this script.

 

The Screen Spanning Doctor is available here.

It's certainly worth downloading, and theres been no problems with my 21" external monitor hooked up to the iBook in my sig.

::20ROGERSC::

 

I think keith wants to just use a single display, which the iBook doesn't support. The magnet thing is just a way to close the lid, but IIRC the screen is still lit even if you're not using it, and I don't think you can have a higher resolution AND keep all your Vram with the lid closed. Apple decided iBook didn't need to support what you want, and only Powerbooks do it.

 

Yes... you can.

Even though the iBook does not officially support clamshell mode (closing the lid and using an external keyboard/mouse/monitor) the hardware is every bit capable of the task. Apple, in an attempt to differentiate between their low end line and high end line has disabled this feature, along with screen spanning, via firmware flags. (as far as i understand it)

Now we have a great utility called SwitchResX. It is not free... but a modest $15 shareware fee. At first you may say why not just make little hack like that free? And in truth there probably is a little script out there to do this for free. But SwitchRes brings a lot more to the table.

From contextual menu control to screen spanning, clamshell mode to resolution profile sets, this utility will handle everything you need it to when it comes to managing your external monitor from your iBook or iMac.

I don't work for these guys... they just saved my $1500 iBook investment from being a waste. So they get my plug.

I bet this little app will solve your problems.
http://madrau.free.fr/html/SRX/About.html


-ciphex

NOTE: also take into consideration that even though the iBook will fall asleep and wake fine via external keyboard, the USB ports are not powered when the Power Adapter in not present. So if your external keyboard requires power (wireless etc.) then your power adapter will have to be plugged in. this part confused the hell out of me for a good 20 minutes.

 

if youre scared about overheating just close the ibooks lid just enough for it to sleep, on mine the lid is about 1" from being closed and it still goes to sleep. I wouldint worry about overheating either, the ibook has hardware monitoring so if it does exceed its temperature limits it will turn off. AFAIK clamshell mode in Spanning doctor doesnt make the ibook stay awake when its closed, it just allows it to be waked up with a external KB and mouse while its closed or thinks its closed.

 

I've been using my iBook in clamshell mode for a good while now with an external monitor and keyboard... overheating doesn't seem to be an issue at all. This iBook runs a lot cooler than older models and a lot cooler than the powerbooks by far.

Mine is a late 2004 Model 6,5.

Use the great app SwitchResX!