How to make external display primary on iBook G4

[Chrispy]

Hello. I recently purchased an iBook G4 1.2GHz with Panther installed. I installed the monitor spanning hack and it works just fine for letting me span across two monitors. However, I want to use only my external at 1280x1024 resolution. When you use monitor spanning the graphics memory is split 16 and 16MB. I want to be able to have all 32MB allocated to the external monitor. Has anyone been able to make this happen. I also want to be able to keep the lid partially open for cooling. Thanks!

 

[maya]

clamshell mode , <--- google that for the iBook and that is your solution.

 

[Chrispy]

I have tried using clamshell mode in the hack just to see if it would at least allocate all 32MB to the external display, but I does not work. In clamshell mode, when I close the lid I only see the extended desktop (display 2). What would be optimal is to get the iBook to think the external display is the only acting display so all 32MB of memory are being used. Any thoughts?

 

[Ensoniq]

Clamshell

Chrispy is right...on the iBook, even with the current hacks available, the pseudo-clamshell mode still splits the video memory 50/50 ...

If ANYONE knows how to get the iBook to ignore the internal display and apply all video RAM to the external screen only, please reply.

(I have an iBook 12" 1.2 GHz too and want the same info Chrispy does...)

 

[punkmac]

external as primary

Did you move the menu bar to the external in display preferences?

I don't know if this will bypass the clamshell mode with the spanning hack. I thought there were still a few bugs with ibook clamshell mode.

It works flawless on my iMac.

Good luck.


I.

 

[Chrispy]

Yes. I have changed the side the bar is on and that does make using the external monitor work. However, I am still limited to 16MB of graphics memory since the computer still keep the laptop LCD active.... I really want to just disable the monitor completely on the laptop when external is hooked up. Any advice on this would be great!

Thanks!

 

[26139]

Hmm...

Buy a powerbook.

 

[Chrispy]

Buy a powerbook.

Haha. Good call. May have to end up doing that if I can't find a workaround.

Oh, and please everyone resist letting this become a powerbook vs. iBook thread

If anyone has any ideas please let me know.

 

[slooksterPSV]

Do you know how to program? If you do you could allocate 32MB of RAM and have that act as video memory for the iBook while the 32MB Video Memory would be allocated towards the extended desktop. I don't know how to do this, but I have a general idea:

1. Allocated 32MB of RAM for FAKE-Video Memory
2. Set it up to where when you close the iBook's lid it allocates the remaining REAL-Video Memory to extended desktop
3. There you go.

If someone made that, they'd make a ton of $$$.

 

[Chrispy]

It is time to put this thread to rest. Thank you for all your replies everyone. It seems that what I want to do is not possible. I have placed an order for a Powerbook and I will just cancel it if there are updates at MWSF (custom orders from apple take forever so this is not a problem). I loved the iBook and it performed outstanding, but I need that external monitor support without the hack. Thanks again all you have been helpful.