iBook sleeping when lid is closed ....

There is a hack somewhere but I would not reccomend doing what you want to do. Some heat from your iBook is let out from under your keyboard, and if you close your iBook when it is still on it can cause screen damage.

Also, your iBook's hard drive is spinning when it is "awake" and is more vulnerable to damage.

Actually people.... I did not post this to discuss what can happen. I am aware of the fact that this could potentially damage the iBook.

I just want to find out how to do it.

There is hack that enables you to use an extended desktop with your ibook this hack used to have a function to enable 'clamshell' mode have a look here.

I think that the potential damage that could be caused is just FUD. I've never heard of any case of heat damage actually occuring. (correct me if I'm wrong) TiBooks function just fine in Clamshell mode with an second display attached. iBooks will work just fine in that mode if they are hacked. The hacking only enables features that are disabled by default in the iBooks, but enabled by default in the TiBooks. I think it's a way to get people to spend the extra money for a TiBook if they want screen spanning and the ability to Clamshell it.

I don't know if the Screen Spanning Doctor app will allow you to know if your computer is still running or not with the display closed (no sleep light I presume) so another way to close the display without having the computer go to sleep would be to simply remove the sleep switch magnet. This is a part that the Apple technicians sometimes forget to put back in the computer when they work on them. It is located in the upper right corner of the right hand palm rest area. It actuates a switch mounted in the display bezel, when the display is closed. If you remove this magnet you could then close your display without the ibook going to sleep and you would have the Apple logo lit up on the backside of the dsiplay to let you know that your ibook is still booted up and running so you don't forget and think it is Shut Down. Perhaps Screen Spanning Doctor will do this but I have not tried it.

I think the main reason they go to sleep is in fact to protect the hard drive. As far as the TiBook and PowerBook working in clamshell mode, my theory is that those two models have much better heat dissipation properties than a plastic shell would. I used to use my PowerBook in clamshell all the time and the entire thing would get pretty warm.

But that is what the "Sudden Motion Sensor" is for.
I am using an IBM Thinkpad with the same technology
for years and had never any hard drive damage. The
drive is switched immediately if a sudden motion is
detected.

The Sudden Motion Sensor is more for if you were to drop your iBook or carry it violently, like in a back back, car ride, etc.

i dont recomend you do that because the it will heat up the computer witch may cause a problem

"I think the main reason they go to sleep is in fact to protect the hard drive. As far as the TiBook and PowerBook working in clamshell mode, my theory is that those two models have much better heat dissipation properties than a plastic shell would. "

Heat or no heat, don't they want to protect the hard drive in the Powerbooks also?

I must also warn against it, to protect your hard drive. My iBook too stopped going to sleep when the lid was closed. Within a month or two after that, my HD started making funny noises and had a hard time reading, and it eventually died completely. Of note, this happened after one time where I forgot to manually put it to sleep. I had put the iBook in its bag, and the bag was moved quite a bit during a trip. So far, I'm convinced that the spinning HD (which continues to spin if the machine does not sleep) got warped due to the gyroscopic forces encountered when quickly changing the direction of the axis of an object spinning at a few thousand rpm (such as quickly lifing the bag/computer from a horizontal to a vertical position). The still spinning disk will have a natural momentum, trying to prevent it from tiliting its axis. When you forcefully (relative to the rigidity of the HD disk) tilt the axis, the disk can warp. Apple's new and patented drop-protection technology should help prevent this on newer portables.

iBook (16 VRAM) Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Regardless of the reason, Apple says, "Don't do it."

If that isn't a good enough reason, at least one person reported using the hack to enable using it while closed, and the heat buildup destroyed his display. So, definitely be aware that bad things can happen.

As has been mentioned, the PowerBook (which allows for this behavior) dissipates heat through the metal case much better than the iBook does through its polycarbonate one.

If you don't mind frying your iBook, go right ahead.

And here's the way to do it:

If you type:

sudo pmset -a lidwake 0

in Terminal it will disable sleeping when the lid is closed

sudo pmset -a lidwake 1

will put it back...

Try the command at your own risk, of course. I've not used it. I believe it is ill-advised to do so.

I'd recomend to do this rather than the screen spanning doctor. Screen spanning doctor first of all, voids your warrenty, second can cause the fan on your ibook to not work correctly, running at much lower rmps than needed to cool your machine when it gets to 70ºC/158ºF and above (only around 25rmp rather than the needed 100-200rpm.