Problem using external monitor with MBP lid closed

[mc73]

Hi folks. I'm stumped, but I'm hoping someone here can help me. I have a 15" MBP, about 1 month old, and a 20" Dell widescreen monitor. I was able to figure out how to get it all hooked up so that I could use the Dell monitor as my main monitor and close the lid on the MBP (close lid, wait for it to fall asleep, wake it back up with external mouse or keyboard, and use from there).

A few days ago, I shut the MBP down in this mode as a precautionary measure during a lightning storm. Now I can't get the MBP to do that anymore. I turn on the MBP, let it get started up and stuff, then close the lid, wait for the MBP to fall asleep, move my mouse around, and a few different things happen:

1) instead of having the Dell monitor as the main monitor, it "wakes up" in extended display mode;

2) the MBP does wake up, but it wakes up only for about 1-2 seconds, then it falls back asleep again;

3) when I open up the MBP again to go back to using the laptop monitor, it is still "asleep" (i.e., the screen is totally dark) and I can't wake it up by pressing buttons or touching the trackpad. I basically have to power down by holding down the power button and then start all over again.

Anyone have any hints?? This is getting pretty frustrating.

Thanks.

 

[MarkMS]

3) when I open up the MBP again to go back to using the laptop monitor, it is still "asleep" (i.e., the screen is totally dark) and I can't wake it up by pressing buttons or touching the trackpad. I basically have to power down by holding down the power button and then start all over again.

When you open the MBP again - is it still connected to the monitor?

Also have you tried this:

1. Remove display connection to MBP.
2. Power down the MBP.
3. Turn on the MBP without monitor hooked up.
4. Make sure the display is working fine.
5. While it's still on, hook up the monitor.
6. Close lid, let it go to sleep and then wake it up to see if it connects to the monitor.

 

[mc73]

When you open the MBP again - is it still connected to the monitor?

I have opened the MBP again both connected and not connected to the monitor.

Also have you tried this:

1. Remove display connection to MBP.
2. Power down the MBP.
3. Turn on the MBP without monitor hooked up.
4. Make sure the display is working fine.
5. While it's still on, hook up the monitor.
6. Close lid, let it go to sleep and then wake it up to see if it connects to the monitor.

I think I have tried it. I have
- disconnected the MBP from the monitor,
- shut it down (because the display won't wake up anyway),
- restarted the MBP unconnected to the monitor,
- found the MBP screen to work fine,
- hooked it up to the monitor again,
- made sure it detected the displays,
- closed the lid,
- woke it up,

and STILL had the problem. I even tried it in mirror mode and extended display mode, in case for some reason that made a difference. No luck.

Is there any way to remove the display connection other than to simply unplug the monitor?

 

[stiphone]

I could not remember where i read it before but that was the old way of using external monitors. There was an update not too long ago that changed that. I had the same problem. To resolve it,

1. Connect your external monitor to you laptop
2. Power on the laptop
3. Immediately, close the laptop's lid before your laptop starts up
4. It'll start up with the external monitor.

I tried that and it works for me. Except that it's pretty troublesome as I cannot use my laptop some where else in the house and hook it up to my external monitor and use it immediately. I'll have to power down and power up to use it solely with the external monitor.

Not sure if this helps ou but i think it's worth a try. If you need additional help or question, PM me and i'll see what i can do to help. Cheers!!

 

[mc73]

It worked, Stiphone! It must have been a really recent change. Like I said, less than a week ago, it was working with the "old" method, and then suddenly it wasn't. Weird.

And why did they come up with this new method of connecting an external monitor when the old one worked fine (and arguably better) than this one? It'll be a pain not to be able to just be somewhere else and then connect the monitor. I hope Apple figures that out and fixes it.

Anyway, thanks again!

 

[amusiccale]

Thanks for posting this solution--I've been having the same problem with my external display!