macbook/display newb question

[evets227]

New to Mac and absolutely love it. I have a Macbook and a 20" cinema display. It's all great except if I close my laptop completely it goes into sleep mode, even with the display attached.

How can I correct this? Is it a setting? Thanks!

 

[119576]

InsomniaX will do what you need.

 

[bjett92]

Or there's caffeine: http://osx.iusethis.com/app/caffeine

 

[4God]

You mean System Preferences doesn't do this? I always thought once you "woke" a lappy with your keyboard or mouse (and lid was closed) you could view on your external display with no problem. I didn't know that you had to actually keep it from going to sleep again. Am I missing something?

 

[bjett92]

You mean System Preferences doesn't do this? I always thought once you "woke" a lappy with your keyboard or mouse (and lid was closed) you could view on your external display with no problem. I didn't know that you had to actually keep it from going to sleep again. Am I missing something?

I think if the lid is closed the laptop can't be woken until the lid is opened, even if you move you mouse or type something.

 

[119576]

You mean System Preferences doesn't do this? I always thought once you "woke" a lappy with your keyboard or mouse (and lid was closed) you could view on your external display with no problem. I didn't know that you had to actually keep it from going to sleep again. Am I missing something?

Even if you have your Prefs set so that an external keyboard and mouse can wake the machine; if you open your MacBook lid again, detect displays, use the MacBook display + external display, then close the MacBook lid, the machine will go to sleep. The two apps mentioned above stop that from happening.

 

[4God]

So this happens when you're in "closed lid" mode? I don't understand the OP's question then, I thought that the OP meant that he/she couldn't wake the MacBook when closing the lid. As I understand it, you can put your laptop into sleep mode then with your external keyboard and mouse you can wake your laptop (with external monitor attached and on of course) and continue to operate in "closed lid" mode.

 

[bjett92]

So this happens when you're in "closed lid" mode? I don't understand the OP's question then, I thought that the OP meant that he/she couldn't wake the MacBook when closing the lid.

I think the OP just wanted a way to keep the laptop from going to sleep when the lid is closed.

 

[119576]

So this happens when you're in "closed lid" mode? I don't understand the OP's question then, I thought that the OP meant that he/she couldn't wake the MacBook when closing the lid.

The OP meant that when using an external display alongside the MacBook display; closing the MB lid would sleep the system.

 

[4God]

Yeah, but my cousin's Macbook doesn't do that. She wakes it up with her keyboard, then continues to work in closed lid mode using the external display, and it doesn't go to sleep on her. In fact that's the reason I'm ordering one today. I plan on connecting my 24" Display to it when at home and working in closed lid mode.

The OP meant that when using an external display alongside the MacBook display; closing the MB lid would sleep the system.

Yeah, it's supposed to. You can close the lid or manually put it to sleep and close the lid. Then, with lid already closed, you wake it with external keyboard and work using your external display, right?

 

[119576]

Yeah, but my cousin's Macbook doesn't do that. She wakes it up with her keyboard, then continues to work in closed lid mode using the external display, and it doesn't go to sleep on her. In fact that's the reason I'm ordering one today. I plan on connecting my 24" Display to it when at home and working in closed lid mode.

Yeah, it's supposed to. You can close the lid or manually put it to sleep and close the lid. Then, with lid already closed, you wake it with external keyboard and work using your external display, right?

Yeah, you're completely right. However, if you're browsing the internet while using both displays, closing the lid (and thus sleeping the system) will drop your internet connection. Then you have to wake the system up again and reload the page etc. It gets annoying when you have to keep doing it.

It's not a matter of wanting to close the lid and THEN wake up the MacBook. It's a matter of not wanting the MacBook to sleep at all when switching between the two setups.

 

[4God]

Yeah, you're completely right. However, if you're browsing the internet while using both displays, closing the lid (and thus sleeping the system) will drop your internet connection. Then you have to wake the system up again and reload the page etc. It gets annoying when you have to keep doing it.

It's not a matter of wanting to close the lid and THEN wake up the MacBook. It's a matter of not wanting the MacBook to sleep at all when switching between the two setups.

Ah, gotcha. Here's a link (not quite the answer here but may help) for the OP or anyone else for that matter.