iBook power questions

L

lnoelstorr

Registered
Hi, I have a couple of questions regarding my iBook, both to do with power.

Firstly, is there anyway I can set my iBook up so that when I close it, it does not power down.

I have it connected up to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse, and so there is no need to have it open, plus it seems a waste to power its display when it's not actually being used/looked at.


Secondly, is there any way to set it up so that the firewire port does not power down when the iBook goes to sleep. It's a pain having to switch my iPod to connect to the mains to charge when my iBook is sleeping, and then connect it back to my iPod to sync again.

I'd like to be able to have it charging from my iBook whether the iBook is on or not.


Thanks in advance for any help (though I'm not too optimistic that there will be a solution).
 
I'm not sure if there's a specific way to keep your iBook from sleeping when you close it, but you can take some interim steps. First, change the Energy settings so it will shut off the screen and spin down the disk after so long, but not go to sleep (I set this on my iMac so I can use OpenGL when I come back to it—if it sleeps, OpenGL games freeze for some reason). Then close the cover most of the way, until you feel it trying to close completely. If you want to set something on top of the iBook, put a pen or other small device on the wrist rests to keep the top from latching.

As for the Firewire issue, I don't think there is any way to directly control it, but the method above will keep the bus active as long as the computer doesn't close.
 
It looks like there's a magnet on the bottom half that pulls the hook out from the top half which latches onto the bottom half. Maybe even a piece of paper put in between the 2 (maybe something a little thicker like a notecard) will prevent it from hooking. At least that's how I think the iBooks determine if the lib is closed. It's possible that it measures the angle on the hinge in the back side.
 
There's no way to charge the iPod while your mac is asleep...the mac needs to be awake to power the firewire port.
 
Do you have a clamshell or a snow iBook? I'm not sure how the clamshell detects that it's closed; does the snow have a hook or latch? If so, the I believe this pushes a button when it's closed to signal the sleep cycle.
 
actually, I can push my iBook down most of the way without hooking, and it will go to sleep. What's interesting is that at the Apple store I went to recently they had a powerbook closed hooked up to a display that worked perfectly.
 
Well, in case you missed the other related thread, here's the reason your Book goes to sleep when you close it.

The flatscreen in a laptop is highly susceptible to heat. When you close a laptop, you bring the screen in close contact with the hot part of the computer, the CPU section. Apple made the computer sleep so the CPU section powers down, and you don't destroy your screen over time. It's actually pretty ingenious. In this vein, don't try to get your computer to close without falling asleep.
 
Originally posted by arden

The flatscreen in a laptop is highly susceptible to heat. When you close a laptop, you bring the screen in close contact with the hot part of the computer, the CPU section.
Click to expand...

Ooh, thanks for that, I guess I better stop propping it open at an almost shut level then.

One question though, how come if this is the case, most PC laptops, and apparently the PowerBooks, allow you to run them whilst closed?
 
The same reason they run Windows, and have multiple latches to open them, and so on... they're PC's. The Powerbooks shouldn't do this, unless they're in Target Disk Mode. I'm not sure what accounted for Mike's observations.
 
There's no way to charge the iPod while your mac is asleep...the mac needs to be awake to power the firewire port.
Click to expand...

Hm, I am able to charge my ipod even if my ibook is switched off.
At least it I think it is charging 'cause the charge symbol appears next to the battery indicator.
 
How's it set up?
Click to expand...

My ibook is (nearly always) connected to a power source and the ipod is connected to the ibook (standard apple 6pin firewire cable)

I doesn't know how the ipod is able to 'drain' the power out of the firewire port when the ibook is turned off. I mean even the USB ports aren't powered. I had a 5GB for 1 year and it charged without problems over night when connected to my ibook which was switched off.
(Hm, it might charged over day when my ibook was on, but I would like to know why the charging icon apears next to the battery indicator. And there are a lot of situations when I simply take my ipod with me and listen to it the 'whole' day and then charge it over firewire)
 
In order to use your 'Book closed with an external monitor, you must, first, have the monitor, mouse, and keyboard hooked up. Shut down. Then, press your power button to turn it on, then QUICKLY close your 'Book. Let it continue starting up. Somewhere within the startup sequence, it will realize it should use the external monitor, and not the internal one. Once it is done starting up, you can open your book without fear of it's internal screen going on.

At least, that's what I have done when I wanted to use an external screen, but not the internal one.
 
Ifrit: Hmm, I really don't know. If I had to guess, I'd say that the iBook's power system was diverting power to both your battery and your iPod through the firewire port. Since it charges your iBook's battery when the computer's off and still plugged in, it might see the iPod as a battery and charge it as well. This is all speculation, but it sounds likely, doesn't it? If anyone can confirm or deny...
 
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