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l008com · Dec 15, 2010, 11:22 PM

I have this old 900 Mhz 14" G3 iMac kicking around that I've been trying to find some use for. Anyway without giving away any details, one of my thoughts would require running it 24/7 with the lid closed. Wasn't there some firmware hack to prevent sleep when you close the lid? I could always open it up and tear out the lid sensor but that would be a pain.

imitchellg5 · Dec 15, 2010, 11:29 PM

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l008com · Dec 15, 2010, 11:31 PM

I'm looking for a more free solution. I vaguely remember there being some open-firmware command you could use to disable lid-close-sleep. But it's been so long, i can't remember any details about it.

OreoCookie · Dec 16, 2010, 01:56 AM

You can find instructions on this website: search for clamshell mode. It's been a while since I tried them, but they always worked flawlessly for me back in the day.

l008com · Dec 16, 2010, 03:39 AM

That didn't work. I mean, it might work for what it claims, which is enabling clamshell mode on iBooks. But I'm not trying to enable clamshell mode. I'm trying to completely disable sleep on lid-close. Clamshell mode won't help me, there will never be an external keyboard or monitor attached to this iBook. All control will be done remotely over the network.

OreoCookie · Dec 16, 2010, 04:42 AM

Probably there is a firmware hack for that as well, but I haven't come across that particular situation before. Can't you connect a keyboard to the machine and wake it? Does the iBook go to sleep when you disconnect the keyboard again?

l008com · Dec 16, 2010, 04:48 AM

True clamshell mode only works when you have an external monitor connected. Which I don't have.

l008com · Dec 16, 2010, 04:49 AM

I might just end up opening up the case and removing the hardware sensor. That might be the easiest way to go.

Waragainstsleep · Dec 16, 2010, 05:11 AM

Take the back off the display and look for a magnet somewhere around the edge of the frame. In the G4s it was about halfway up on the same side as the CD slot. Its been a while since I took a G3 to bits though. The display housing is only four hex screws to get off. You may as well have a look.

ibook_steve · Dec 16, 2010, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep

Take the back off the display and look for a magnet somewhere around the edge of the frame. In the G4s it was about halfway up on the same side as the CD slot. Its been a while since I took a G3 to bits though. The display housing is only four hex screws to get off. You may as well have a look.

+1.

It's a lot easier to take off the back of the display of the top case and remove the magnet than it is to remove the sensor itself in the bottom case.

Steve

l008com · Dec 16, 2010, 07:27 PM

I'm having a hell of a time getting Apache2/PHP5/MySQL5 on this old bastard. I might just smash it to bits and call it a day.

l008com · Dec 19, 2010, 03:20 PM

So
I got the server stuff I wanted, up and running.
I just took the back off the ibook to find the magnets. No magnets. The reed switch is in the display bezel, and the magnets are in built into the top case. I really don't feel like taking apart an ibook to it's top case.

So does anyone know how a reed switch works? When the magnet is applied to the switch, is that creating a circuit, or breaking a circuit? I'll just cut the switch off and that will be that.

l008com · Dec 19, 2010, 10:17 PM

OK I was bored so I just went for it. I used a soldering iron to remove the actual reed switch from the reed switch board. Then I re-assembled everything. Computer has been running like a champ, closed, ever since. Problem solved