Disable iBook LCD display - Mac OS X Hints

While trying to patch my 600mhz dual USB iBook to run in dual display mode /clamshell, I ran across this by accident. Apparently, it is possible to use only an external display at a much higher resolution than available to the iBook's built-in display. I have only tried this under 10.2, so i'm not sure if it works under panther. Here's how:

Apply iBook patch with 00000008 instead of 00000000
Download Sleepless version 1.5
Close the iBook display so it enters sleep-mode
Wake the iBook from sleep via an external keyboard/mouse.
Open Sleepless 1.5, and toggle 'Allow sleep with lid closed' to false, and toggle 'Allow display to sleep' to true.
Open the Displays panel under system preferences, and set your display to the desired resolution (mine is 1280x1024).
Open the iBook's lid.

The Displays panel now only detects my external display, and runs it perfectly as my primary display. This should resolve any heat-dissipation issues that result from running the iBook in clamshell mode.

[robg adds: We covered the iBook dual monitor patch in a previous hint; please read the hint and comments, as well as the cautions on the linked patch page, before you try the patch.]

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Disable iBook LCD display
Authored by: TheSpoonman on Wed, Jun 23 2004 at 10:53AM PDT

Is there an option to do this with a Powerbook? The screen on my 12" Powerbook is nice on the road, but I'd love to just use my 21" screen at home.

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Answering the age-old question: which is more painful, going to work
or gouging your eye out with a spoon?
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Disable iBook LCD display
Authored by: spoier on Wed, Jun 23 2004 at 1:04PM PDT

I'm using my Powerbook closed with an external monitor at 1600x1200 right now. If its closed and sleeping, simply plugging in the external monitor and a USB keyboard and mouse into the USB ports will wake it up and start using the external monitor WITHOUT opening it. Sometimes I have to run "Detect Displays" a couple of times for it to recognize the model of external monitor.

Shutting down is a bit of a pain, because once you've done this, on mine at least, if you open the PB the LCD doesn't activate. I unplug the USB kb and mouse, then open the PB. Use the trackpad to put the PB to sleep, then close the PB and unplug the external monitor.

It also seems to lose the background wallpaper sometimes when switching back and forth from my "docked" environment using only the external monitor to the "standalone" with the LCD at home.

Skye

Disable iBook LCD display
Authored by: TheSpoonman on Thu, Jun 24 2004 at 4:19PM PDT

That did it, thanks! One other point for those who need it: make sure you plug your PB into power, too. It won't come out of sleep unless you do. :)

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Answering the age-old question: which is more painful, going to work
or gouging your eye out with a spoon?
www.workorspoon.com

Not working
Authored by: aitikin on Fri, Nov 4 2005 at 3:58PM PST

Ok, so I've tried this on OS X 10.4.3 and everytime I try to click on the display pane it crashes. Am I SOL for now or is there something I've done wrong? I have sleepless and screen spanning doctor.

Not working (display pane crashes)
Authored by: TSergay on Wed, Jan 4 2006 at 10:28AM PST

I am in exactly the same situation: trying to use my iBook G4 with a Belkin Omnicube and a Neovo 19" LCD monitor. I got the Belkin to connect keyboard, mouse and monitor, but I can't touch the display preferences: it crashes every time. I sent a report about this to Apple. I can use the iBook, but I get a fuzzy resolution setting and a great big black border around the Mac screen, which I can't seem to change using the monitor's own settings buttons. The border obscures part of the Mac display, requiring me to resize the active window. I want the iBook to display with beautiful sharpness at a resolution greater than 1024 x 768. Screen Spanning Doctor 0.3.3 is supposed to enable this, but no dice. Have you or anyone else succeeded at overcoming this hurdle?

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