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Clamshell mode on MBP + Thunderbolt Display is broken with latest updates

Hi,

I have an early 2011 13" Macbook Pro running Lion with all the latest updates, hooked to a Thunderbolt Display with a USB Apple Keyboard and Ethernet cable plugged in. I'm also using a Bluetooth Magic Mouse with the Macbook.

Everything is working fine in clamshell mode when the computer is on : the problems occur when it's sleeping with the lid closed.

I'm expecting that pressing a key on the external keyboard should wake it up.

This actually used to work at some point between September (when I got the display) and October (when, I think, the latest Thunderbolt/SMC updates were released which broke this again)

It doesn't work anymore : pressing a key does nothing. I have to open the Macbook for it to wake up, and here's the real problem : the Thunderbolt display doesn't turn on even then, and the external keyboard is still unresponsive.

I have to either plug/unplug the Thunderbolt Display, or power cycle it for things to work again.

This is extremely annoying, especially since I'm using a vertical "BookArc" stand and need to remove the MBP from it every time to open it and wake it up.

And also because it actually worked at some point between the numerous Thunderbolt updates, and it's the last one that broke it.

Has anyone seen this ?

Posted on Nov 26, 2011 5:45 AM

51 replies

Rmignano

Level 1

0 points

Jul 10, 2012 5:33 PM in response to renaud Guérin

Great news all you clamshell mode haters!! (I have been one since the beginning,

I bought a new non retina MBP 15 and NO PROBLEM with Clamshell mode.

I will be afraid to do any firmwaure updates for fear of coming back to this forum.

Good luck or invest anotehr 1799!

pdeslaur

Level 1

0 points

Jul 24, 2012 7:12 PM in response to pdeslaur

I just went ahead and upgraded my Lion to Mountain Lion using the final version. To my great deception, I still have the same issue as before.

When I tested Mountain Lion, a few months ago, I was running on a second partition and on a clean install, so I'm thinking that a clean install might solve the issue..

For now I will try to reset as many settings to default and try to pinpoint the problem, this is getting really annoying.

zpjet

Level 1

16 points

Jul 24, 2012 9:02 PM in response to pdeslaur

You have to delete windowserver.plist in main Library. If you upgraded it is messed up. You have to do it in single user mode. I even posted a guide but in another forum.

I did a clean install and it worked straight away. Then I found John May's post up here about the plist and it very much makes sense as the file is responsible for displays. My old one was ca six times larger than fresh new one.

pdeslaur

Level 1

0 points

Jul 25, 2012 4:32 AM in response to zpjet

I did delete the file but not in single user mode. I will try and keep you posted.

By the way, I found a little temporary fix: sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0

It disables the safe sleep feature that prevent the computer to loose his state on power loss. (I think it's not really a problem with a laptop since we have a battery)

southr6

Level 1

0 points

Sep 11, 2012 5:24 PM in response to zpjet

I have rebuilt from scratch and the windowserver.plist file doesn't exist at all under ML.

I have the issue in the office on 2 thunderbold displays when connected to multiple macbook airs. I seems like it is a firmware issue or a PSU issue.

What is painful about this is that there is no Apple store in my city and i need to keep taking to some chumps up the road who can't replicate the issue. Logic board has been replaced, it gets a new PSU next time. After that Apple said they will likely give me a new one.

The issue i see is if we are getting the issue on multiple monitors, will a new one actually fix it...

Dec 28, 2012 2:21 PM in response to renaud Guérin

Thank you for this post. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with my display. Connected the display and my macbook would freeze up. Only a reboot would make it work.

I removed the Logitech UR for my keyboard and mouse from the display. The display works as advertised. Thank you everyone!

Clamshell mode on MBP + Thunderbolt Display is broken with latest updates