Macbook screen not shutting off. How do you fix this?

[Ramius]

My Macbooks screen does not shut off when closed. Why not?

It is a unibody Macbook from october 2008. Running Snow Leopard.

How do I fix this?

I have already tried resetting SCram. Why is it not registering that the screen is closed down? This drains alot of battery!

 

[mfram]

Maybe there's a problem with the switch that senses when the laptop is closed. If it's a hardware problem, no amount of futzing you do with the software will help.

 

[Ramius]

But if its not hardware, what then?

 

[chown33]

Then it would probably be software, or demonic possession. Deal with those later. Confirm the hardware works first. Because if it's hardware, no amount of futzing you do with the software will help, nor will an exorcism.

 

[Ramius]

Then it would probably be software, or demonic possession. Deal with those later. Confirm the hardware works first. Because if it's hardware, no amount of futzing you do with the software will help, nor will an exorcism.

And how do I "confirm the hardware works"?

 

[chown33]

Take it to someone who can check the hardware. Like an Apple Store, or a service and repair facility.

 

[Mal]

Actually, find a magnet (doesn't need to be very strong) and place it on the left side just at the bottom edge of the keyboard, right against the edge of the laptop. That's just about where the magnetic sleep switch is placed on that model. If you do that, it should turn the screen off if the switch is working properly. Creating a test user account will help to test for software problems in this case as well.

jW