Turning off Macbook Display when using External Display on Lion

Hi,

I have a 2010 MBP, it's on the left border next to the "fn-key" ..

like you can see here:

But I prefer a little bigger and thiner type of magnet like you can see on the next picture.

It's a part of an magnet-bookmark with paper on it, so it won't damage the display if I accidently close the lid without thinking about the magnet.

The way you find the posission of your "magnet-switch" is not that complicated.

Because the 2nd magnet is somewhere in the border of your display, just take a little magnet and "slide" arround your display border with it.

But becarefull to not scratch anything. If the magnet is reacting you may have found the possision.

In the case of an 2010 MBP you will find 3 magnets in de display .. 2 on the top border (for holding the lid closed) and 1 on the left side.

So if you have the magnets found, just put your little magnet on the possion on your macbook, were the displaymagnet would be if you close it and see, if it goes into clamshell mode..

!! I am NOT responsible if you damage or destroy something! Do this on your own risk!!!

Btw: Sorry for my poor english! .. 😉

In case of the magnet I use I think it would be no problem for the HDD because its very weak.

But on the 2010 MBP there is no problem like you can see on the picture because the HDD is placed far away of the magnet switch.

Another fact is, that the macbook-own magnets would damage the HDD also if my little weak magnet would do it.

Btw: there is one of the lid "close-holding" magnets next to the HDD.. 🙂

Hi Dr Benru

As you can see, you're not alone! This bug is affecting many other people (myself included) who have been using just an external display in exactly the same way (using clamshell mode and re-opening the MBP lid for improved cooling, without the internal display re-activating).

Please help by submitting a bug report here - it's one of the best ways to get our concern as near as possible to the top of Apple's queue for fixes:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

This workaround dates back to at least 2006. I'm guessing the location for magnet positioning may be similar to then, but I'm personally not keen on the idea of calling Apple support when some problem arises with my MBP and I have to confess that I stuck a MAGNET on it! For this reason alone, I'm inclined to wait for an official fix!

Please keep those bug reports flooding in to: http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

One old source of the current interim solution:

Re: disable my MB display while using an extenal LCD?

Nov 12, 2006 4:35 PM (in response to eckndu)

If you place a small magnet on the edge of the palm rest just above where the Kensington lock hole is located you can do this. You can leave the lid open all the time but the MB will think it is closed all the time.

Support are quoting Apple's engineers as saying it is "expected behaviour" under Lion for the MBP's internal display to reactivate upon opening the lid, even if you want to use only your external display. A new version of the clamshell mode-related knowledgebase article (replacing HT3131) is due shortly confirming this.

This is despite:

- the obvious temperature-related benefits that were achievable (under Snow Leopard) by opening your MBP lid whilst continuing to output solely to, say, a 27" cinema display
- the waste of energy and inefficient use of graphics processing power in needlessly running two active screens (ie if running your MBP in clamshell mode would otherwise make it too hot and/or noisy)
- the negative longer-term impact on the battery and other components from running the MBP any hotter than it needs to be.

So if you would like to have the previous behaviour restored, please lobby Apple to change how Lion handles clamshell mode. Options available to them include changing Lion's expected behaviour or adding a user-selectable option within System Preferences.

Feedback can be submitted here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

1. The madness of magnets

You don't have to be old school to be concerned about the sheer madness of users feeling obliged to experiment with passing magnets over the top of their expensive Apple computers and sticking them on here, there and everywhere in a desperate effort to find a short-term workaround. The sooner this problem is fixed at source (ie within Lion), the better. On which note, pls see point 2 below.

2. A possible proper solution - Apple is listening!!

Please see a post in the following thread and reply to it as you wish. Apple has reportedly requested us to provide evidence in support of our desire to have the open lid option reinstated (eg significance of operating temperature differences, reduction in wifi reception, etc). They may then address our concerns with a software update.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3190417?start=60&tstart=0

Here is where to place the magnets for the Macbook Air 2011 running lion.

Here are the image examples:

MBA is powered on

MBA is now asleep

Just place the magnet right next to the "Enter/ Return" key

(Note: I used a small piece of paper under the magnet to protect from scratching my MBA)

I also made a video:

And you should really read a much older post on Macworld:

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20110901113922148

Oh wait! That hint *does* reference the source of the trick, which is......... in this very thread right here:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3190417?answerId=16059565022#16059565022

post by Chenga.8.

Works perfectly for me, ever since the 31st of August.

agree. this is the 7th. main version of OS 10. Why can't we control the display by ourselives, just like windows?

I don't always need two display on (macbook and external), but use the isight. Wait for a good solution.

Without having the lid open my fan runs all the time! I have a 27" screen and really don't need the internal screen when at my desk. Please provide some workaround or additional controls to switch off the internal screen!

Lowering the brightness won't help as the screen is extended to the internal screen then which I don't want. iStat only shows statistics, it can't help to lower the temperature by fighting laws of physics ;-)

Turning the screen black isn't the same. You loses your mouse every minute by accidentally sliding to the left/right.

I now put my display under "display arrangement" to the lower left, so there is only a one pixel area to let the mouse slide through but anyway, the video memory is (ab)used and you can't close the lid because the fans start to spin like ****.

Please Apple, give us an option to control it manually!!!

I'm trying at the moment to fool the laptop into thinking it's closed even though it's open.

I can get the laptop open by around an inch before the laptop monitor shuts off. Going to see if this keep it cooler like when it's open.

Do MacBooks have different fan maps for when the computer is closed and open?

I was too using my Macbook Pro this way, having my external display on with the whole UI and my MBP with the open lid and the screen off. This really helped the computer in terms of airflow.

Now I'm stuck in clamshell mode while using my external display... Beh. Apple, come on, it's an upgrade. Users should at least have the capability of choosing how to use their external display, just like we had in SL.