the laptop is suspended when i close it.

Question

Level 1

5 points

the laptop is suspended when i close it.

Hi everyone,

I have a PowerBook and i've a dout about the setup. I need run long process in my mac, but if i close the laptop then the OS is suspended and the process crashes. Do you know how can i setup my powerbook to when i close it does not suspend the MacOS (and process and network connections)?

thks

PowerBook G4 12" 1 GHz 1.5Gb RAM MacOS 10.4.11, PowerBook G4 15" 1.25 GHz 2.0Gb RAM MacOS 10.5

Posted on Dec 27, 2007 10:31 PM

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Answer 1

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Dec 28, 2007 4:57 AM in response to crakup

Hi, crakup.You can't close the Powerbook and have it continue whatever it was doing previously, unless you have an external monitor, keyboard and mouse connnected to it. When closed, it sleeps to protect itself against overheating. If you need it to keep running, you must leave it open.

There are third-party hacks that are designed to prevent this protective sleep. Don't use them — you'll wreck your Powerbook.

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Answer 2

crakup Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 28, 2007 1:16 PM in response to eww

Thanks for your answer, the reason sounds right and logical.

But i have new doubts. The heat generated for the hardware components is the same when has a Monitor and keyboard connected and when has not, mabe the only difference is the heat generated for the display but that is eliminated if only the display is suspended. I've an usb aluminium cooler to reduce the heat of the powerbook, and works fine, mabe if i could close the laptop with the cooler plugged the heat might be diminished.

what do you think?

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Answer 3

crakup Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 28, 2007 10:09 PM in response to eww

thank you very much for your opinion.

Sorry, i'm thought that the computers are make for resolve the necessities of the human and not the humanity is created to adapt to the computer capacities. 😉

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Answer 4

Network 23

Level 6

12,351 points

Dec 29, 2007 12:06 AM in response to crakup

Apple probably wants to make sure that a running laptop cannot be placed inside a bag, where it will overheat, or a bump will crash the hard drive, or both. When a keyboard, mouse, and monitor are attached, the laptop cannot be put in a bag, so it is assumed that sufficient ventilation is available around the unit.

I guess the real question is, why do you need to close the lid, instead of letting the process run and simply let the screen go dark?

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Answer 5

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Dec 29, 2007 5:48 AM in response to crakup

Yes, and automobiles are built to transport people, but they don't do well climbing vertical walls or driving underwater. You accept those limitations without complaint. Your Powerbook has lots of other limitations that you accept without thinking about them. Accept this one too, and believe what Network23 has written below.

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Answer 6

crakup Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 29, 2007 8:47 AM in response to eww

Network23: you rigth. my intention isn't put the powerbook in a bag, i'm conscious about the heat. I'm only want to avoid dust from falling on it that's why i want to close it. Thanks.

The question was becose other laptops can do it without plroblems with windows or linux, i don't think that the problem is the hardware, i think that the problem is the MacOS... but i'm going to install ubuntu for PPC and try this practice, and i'm going to coment in this forum the results of this test.

eww: there ARE vehicles that climb vertical walls and dive in the water (do you know the "jeep" or have you heard about amphibious vehicles?)

if nobody ever had needs or curiousity of things there wouldn't even exist the wheel

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Answer 7

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Dec 29, 2007 9:15 AM in response to crakup

Have it your way: Jeeps can climb vertical walls and amphibious cars can dive underwater. Both statements are untrue, but if you want to believe them, I guess you will, just as you believe your Powerbook can do anything you might wish for. Good luck with that magic lamp, Aladdin!

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Answer 8

Network 23

Level 6

12,351 points

Dec 29, 2007 1:10 PM in response to crakup

crakup wrote:
Network23: you rigth. my intention isn't put the powerbook in a bag, i'm conscious about the heat. I'm only want to avoid dust from falling on it that's why i want to close it. Thanks.

Dust is not a concern. I have an old PowerBook connected to my stereo. It's open because I need to see iTunes on the laptop screen. It's been that way for months and I don't clean it often. It is an extremely reliable computer with many weeks of continuous uptime. If dust was going to cause a problem, it sure hasn't happened.

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Answer 9

PBookie

Level 2

216 points

Dec 29, 2007 6:30 PM in response to crakup

Saludos crakup,

Estos hombres han dado muy buenos consejos, y solo estan tratando a ayudarte, mejor darles gracias!

Mas probable ellos no viven en nuestra parte del mundo donde mucho pulvo siempre lleva una grave problema.

Mi sistema es una limpiesa con frequencia para evita la coleccion de pulvo y una pedaso de tela delgada sientada ensima de la trackpad y teclado. Vea como funciona, si cubre el teclado y trackpad cuando esta encendido y no estas usandola con un algo asi.
Con frequencia (como cada semana) apagela e pasa una trapo bien suave y un poco humido para lava su monitor y teclado etc. Luego secala bien con un trapo suave. Tambien puedes compra unas latas de aire compresada si esta disponible en tu area para hacer una limpiesa cada semana.

Tanto pulvo es un precio que pagamos para vivir donde vivimos y es muy danino a nuestra equipo!

Suerte

PB

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Answer 10

crakup Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 29, 2007 11:50 PM in response to PBookie

Network23: thanks for your advice, i'm going to do this until i'll find an alternate solution.

PBookie: Gracias, en verdad que aprecio las respuestas de todos. Muchas gracias por la tuya, tengo algunos "aire compreso" y franelas con las que regularmente limpio mis equipos, tendre que usarlas 😉 gracias. Si conoces a los latinos, sabras que regularmente siempre buscamos algo que vaya mas alla del horizonte... eso nos hace buenos para la creatividad pero hace molestar a algunas personas. Suerte amigo.

eww: if something that i wrote here was a motive to turn you angry, i'm sorry, my intention never was that. I'm a Mac user only and have doubts. I didn't ask a stupid question like: "what happen if i kick my laptop and put underwater and then i try to poweron it with a lightsaber"... i'm not a fool. Try to understand (putting away the angry) that other normal laptops can do it and not for that those live in a "fairy tales". Please, don't take this like a personal thing, we don't compile the operating system of Mac.. ok?... My question only was because if other laptops can do it and not appeareance an extraordinary or special caracteristic, why my mac can't do it?. Thanks for your opinion, and take it easy friend, we don't have all answers and not everithing has one.

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Answer 11

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Dec 30, 2007 7:50 AM in response to crakup

Other laptops may run just fine with their lids closed, but they can't run Mac OS X. Your Powerbook runs OS X, but goes to sleep when you close its display, because there's a hardware switch inside it that makes it do so. Of necessity, we choose products whose limitations we can live with, rather than wait for products that have no limitations. Leave your Powerbook open and clean the dust from it periodically.

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Answer 12

crakup Author

Level 1

5 points

Dec 30, 2007 8:18 AM in response to eww

other laptops CAN run Mac OS X, i installed tiger for intel on a Dell. PowerBook can run other OS different of MacOS and works fine, i installed ubuntu on a PowerBook with PPC and i configured dualpartition with windows in other PowerBook with intel.

You (eww) have not all answares, can you underestand it?.Don't worry, nothing happends for that. The PowerBook with MacOs mabe can't close the display without suspend activities, but you can't OPEN your mind and your judgment. Good Luck.

Ok everybody, the next week i'm goging to install ubuntu and test it about this topic. That will be only for test, if i'll want linux i know that its better a laptop with AMD processor. I'm happy with my Mac.

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Answer 13

tjk

Level 9

51,192 points

Dec 30, 2007 8:31 AM in response to crakup

Hi all,

My better judgement tells me to stay out of this, but oh well.

crakup, obviously this is your machine, others have voiced knowledgeable opinions for you to consider, and now you can do with your machine what you want. This isn't an argument that anyone has to win (or is going to). Personally, I tend toward the side of safety with my like-new Ti 867. Like eww, I wouldn't consider the hack which would allow me to run it while closed and potentially fry the logic board and/or other components. That said, you make a good point that Apple does indeed say it's ok to connect a keyboard, mouse and monitor and use the PB while closed. What you're suggesting doesn't sound significantly different than that. So why then has Apple purposely prevented the PB from operating closed without the keyboard, mouse and monitor attached? I believe Network 23's idea that it's to protect from overheating in a case and/or HD damage is right on. I'm one who likes to know what's happening out there, and it sounds like you're going to do what you're going to do, so I'd like to hear about how it worked out sometime in the future. Good luck to you whatever your choice.

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Answer 14

crakup Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 7, 2008 11:03 AM in response to tjk

Hi everyone,

Finally i complete the tests with ubuntu in a PowerBook 12" PPC, the results are:

1) There isn't a hardware switch inside to the PowerBook to suspend it.
2) The OS is who says when the computer should be suspended.
3) The heat generated for the computer with the display close is lightly more than when the display is open (not significant)
4) When the MacOS is suspended for the action to close the display, the hardware (mabe for protection) keep with energy all ports including the USB port. For that reason, you can plugin a cooler and the heat is minimum when you work in the PowerBook with o without the display open.

I don't know what is the Apple's reason to don't includes the capacity of MacOS to switch off the auto-suspend when the display is closed, but i think was to protect the hardware like said Network23, to prevent that "a running laptop cannot be placed inside a bag".

Thanks everyone for your time and your comments.

Happy New year for all

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Answer 15

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Dec 28, 2007 5:38 PM in response to crakup

I think you should use your Powerbook as it was designed to be used, instead of looking for a way to circumvent its engineering.

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