Macbook and external display

[Cue]

Hi there,

I now have exactly the opposite question to "How to disconnect external monitor".

I think it's the 2nd time that I get this so I believe that I must be doing something wrong and hence the question. Although I've been doing the exact same procedure over and over again and it seems to work just fine.

The macbook was under sleep mode. I connected the power cable, then ethernet and monitor cable and finally a USB keyboard (I have a BT mouse). I hit some keys on the keyboard so that it would wake up and show up on the big screen but instead I got just a light blue background with nothing on it (seemed like the macbook was in a "extended monitor mode").

I tried pressing F7 to switch between the different modes but nothing happened. I even tried opening the lid but the display was blank. I noticed that when opening the lid, the white light in-front of the macbook would turn off. I even tried disconnecting it from the monitor plus the power cord but to no avail.
Finally I had to hold down the power switch to make it shutdown and power up again.

So again, what's the proper way of doing it?

PS. As you can understand this is my first mac so excuse me if my questions sound silly.

 

[Chundles]

Hi there,

I now have exactly the opposite question to "How to disconnect external monitor".

I think it's the 2nd time that I get this so I believe that I must be doing something wrong and hence the question. Although I've been doing the exact same procedure over and over again and it seems to work just fine.

The macbook was under sleep mode. I connected the power cable, then ethernet and monitor cable and finally a USB keyboard (I have a BT mouse). I hit some keys on the keyboard so that it would wake up and show up on the big screen but instead I got just a light blue background with nothing on it (seemed like the macbook was in a "extended monitor mode").

I tried pressing F7 to switch between the different modes but nothing happened. I even tried opening the lid but the display was blank. I noticed that when opening the lid, the white light in-front of the macbook would turn off. I even tried disconnecting it from the monitor plus the power cord but to no avail.
Finally I had to hold down the power switch to make it shutdown and power up again.

So again, what's the proper way of doing it?

PS. As you can understand this is my first mac so excuse me if my questions sound silly.

I think the problem could be your BT mouse. Go to the Bluetooth preferences in the System Prefs and check the "Allow Bluetooth devices to wake this computer" is checked.

Then, just to be on the safe side, turn off the MacBook and disconnect the monitor. Plug the monitor back in and restart the MacBook. When you've got it running and the external monitor is working too, close the lid and wait for it to sleep. The wiggle the mouse etc and see if that works.

 

[Cue]

Thanks for the reply.

I think the problem could be your BT mouse. Go to the Bluetooth preferences in the System Prefs and check the "Allow Bluetooth devices to wake this computer" is checked.

It is already checked. I would press any keys on the keyboard/mouse and nothing would happen.

Then, just to be on the safe side, turn off the MacBook and disconnect the monitor. Plug the monitor back in and restart the MacBook. When you've got it running and the external monitor is working too, close the lid and wait for it to sleep. The wiggle the mouse etc and see if that works.

Well that is what I eventually did as I said on my first post. But I don't see why I should shut down the macbook, turn it back on and then put it to sleep in order to output on the external display.

 

[Chundles]

Well that is what I eventually did as I said on my first post. But I don't see why I should shut down the macbook, turn it back on and then put it to sleep in order to output on the external display.

I was just suggesting it to be on the safe side. Sometimes a re-boot can work wonders. You shouldn't need to do it all the time, I was just giving your Mac a quick clean out.

Does it work now? Can you just close the MacBook, wait a second till it's asleep and then wake it up with the lid closed - outputting the video to the external display?

 

[Cue]

Well yes. The external display does work most of the time.

It is just that sometimes while in sleep mode, if I connect the external display and try to wake up the macbook, it will just show the light blue background and I will be forced to shut it down and turn it back on like you suggested.

 

[Chundles]

Well yes. The external display does work most of the time.

It is just that sometimes while in sleep mode, if I connect the external display and try to wake up the macbook, it will just show the light blue background and I will be forced to shut it down and turn it back on like you suggested.

Ah right, yeah the display has to be connected before you sleep the computer. You can't plug it in while the machine is asleep.

 

[Cue]

So do you have to shutdown your macbook first, then connect the external display and finally start it up?

Cause as I said on my first post, I have done this before. Plug in the display/power/keyboard while in sleep and then wake up the macbook with just the external display on that is.

I think it's the 2nd time that I get this so I believe that I must be doing something wrong and hence the question. Although I've been doing the exact same procedure over and over again and it seems to work just fine.

 

[Chundles]

So do you have to shutdown your macbook first, then connect the external display and finally start it up?

Cause as I said on my first post, I have done this before. Plug in the display/power/keyboard while in sleep and then wake up the macbook with just the external display on that is.

That's not what I said. I said the display must be plugged in BEFORE you close the lid on the MacBook - you can't plug in the display while the MacBook is asleep, it must be awake to recognise the display.

Here's the process:

1. MacBook is on (and awake - lid open) with the display plugged in + keyboard and mouse.

2. Sleep the MacBook by shutting the lid.

3. Wake it up by pressing a key on the keyboard.

You MUST have the display plugged in before you sleep the MacBook - there is no need to shut it down etc but you can't plug the display in while the MacBook is alseep. This is what is causing your problem.