Force borked LCD 165c to Boot w/ External Monitor . . .

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

. . . as the active desktop?

I've never had a PowerBook with Video Out until recently and haven't even played with one as yet! :-/

Is there a magic key combo that'll get this borked PB165c to boot with the active desktop on an external monitor? :?:

Gotta figure out where all my DevNotes & Service Manuals are cached! :

 

[Anonymous Freak]

I don't have a 1xx series with vid-out to test out on handy at the moment; but try with the lid closed, using an external keyboard.

Works on the Duos (with minidock, of course,) and 500-series.

If you don't have an external keyboard to "permanently" dedicate to it, just boot it with the external KB connected, then open the lid once it's up and running and unplug the external KB.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Nope, didn't work . . .

 

[LCGuy]

I tried this a few years back with my previous 180c (which had a busted display cable)...anyway, there is no way to enable "clamshell" mode on these old machines, clamshell mode didn't come in until at least the PowerBook 500 series. No matter what you do, if you have an external monitor attached, the PowerBook will always assume that there are two displays, even if the internal is completely disconnected. The only way I was able to get mine to run with just the external monitor was to boot it off a floppy with just the System and the PowerBook Display control panel, open the Control Panels folder entirely by keyboard shortcuts, and then select and open the PowerBook Display control panel entirely by keyboard shortcuts, and then try and guess where the control panel is so that you can drag it onto the external. Its a terrible way to do it, but with these old gals its the only way, since they don't support clamshell mode or anything along those lines. This is made even more difficult by the fact that they don't have any switches to detect when the display is closed unlike newer machines.

 

[Bunsen]

How badly borked is it? Is it possible you can re-connect the internal display?

If you get fed up with fixing it, perhaps it is your ant-farm candidate after all, and the internal parts are flip-on-ebay candidates

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

How badly borked is it?

BADLY! I had it hooked up and no-go! I AM VERY TIRED . . . of fixing these ^&&%%$$##$% PowerBooks . . .

. . . and winding up w/working models I never really cared for . . . except as critter cages! }

ATM, I've got delusions of using the 165c with the lid split, face straight up, back angled back about thirty degrees or so and another layer in between. I'm considering vacuum forming a clear plexi KBD and sticking the Queen where the space bar would be . . . . . . leaving the rest of the keys as convenient egg cells-n-nurseries . . . :approve:

. . . and I've got this funky three-legged 17" Blue & White MacTerrarium™ staring at me with abject terror . . .

. . . on its blankety-BLANK CRT Face! }

All I need is a few plants and a feeding/watering station, something really nasty to snatch-n-munch the dopier/more careless denizens of the MacAntFarm™ and a few clear tubes connecting it all together and I'd be all set . . .

. . . to go dig up ant colonies! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

 

[register]

Back in the day someone wrote a software called "Veraeusser"* to manage exactly the task of using a PowerBook with just an external monitor, leaving the internal display switched off. I know this for sure, as I checked a lot of different uses for the "dual head" graphics of my PB180 when it was new. Hunt down this piece of code and enjoy.

* The name "Veraeusser" is derived from the German word "veräußern", which means to ged rid of something / to sell something.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Thanks for the lead, but I'm not gonna use a 100 series PB for the MacAntFarm™. I picked up a REALLY NASTY hardware-wise, but cosmetically nice 3400c for $5 to infest with the little critters.

Bigger window area, better KBD (complete even!) to vacuum form a clear version and the blasted TorquemadaPad™ will become the "Royal Chamber" . . .

. . . when I decide to do the hack! }

Most likely it'll be sometime over the winter in order to have it ready for swarming season in the spring! )

Anybody need a parts 165c? :