Warning: If you read this and break your PowerBook or iBook or
anything else, don't hold me (or anyone besides yourself)
responsible. If you don't like that, stop reading now. You chose to
follow these instructions, and you (and only you) are responsible for
what you do as a result.
How to operate KisMac with the PowerBook's lid closed:
(this probably will work on iBooks too, but if your machine is not
set up to run with it's lid closed officially, don't do this, you
might overheat it.)
1.Start up in single user mode by holding down command-S.
2. Run /sbin/fsck -fy at the root prompt (optional but recommended)
3. Run /sbin/mount -uw /
4. Run sh /etc/rc
5. Wait until /etc/rc finishes executing (you should get a shell
prompt, but don't continue until the output stops scrolling)
(You'll probably be fine at the prompt though).
6. Run sudo open /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app (you probably
can start /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app and /System/Library/
CoreServices/Dock.app if you're GUI inclined instead, but I haven't
tried).
7. WindowServer should now launch and you should then have Terminal,
but no dock or Finder. Expose will not work, neither will command-tab
or much else except basic functionality.
8. In the Terminal window, type open /Applications/KisMac.app (or
wherever you stored KisMac).
9. You will probably need to resetup KisMac as it's running as root.
Go into Preferences and set it up.
10. Do whatever you have to with your lid closed.
11. When finished, quit KisMac. Don't quit Terminal.
12. Type killall WindowServer into the Terminal.
13. When back to the black and white console, type sudo shutdown now
to shut the computer down.
Possible problems:
• Overheating - DO NOT do this unless your system can officially
handle running with the lid closed (using an external monitor,
keyboard and mouse). NEVER do this on an iBook (unless you don't mind
frying it, they dissipate their heat though the keyboard, not the
bottom case like the PowerBooks and WILL overheat with the lid closed).
• KisMac is run as root - not really a problem, no different to
running on Windows or Mac OS 9 (Administrator = root, and 99% of
Windows users seem to use that as their main account in my
experience). However, if KisMac screws up, it could be potentially
more dangerous than running as a normal user. I don't see any reason
why KisMac would screw up though. The scripts are run as root anyway
for drivers. You won't need to enter your password.
Using su to try and run KisMac as a normal user confuses the
authentication box - then driver loading won't work. If you're using
the active mode driver (not much point), this should be no problem.
Otherwise, it will be.
• You can't use the Fkeys to do brightness/volume (not sure what app
controls these, it's not the Finder or the Dock. I think it's
BezelUIServer, havent seen that in top though, so it might not be)
• You can't do this with an OpenFirmware password - turn that off
first so you can use single user mode.
• There may or may not be other issues, I've only done this twice so
far, and on one configuration.
I have a 12" PowerBook G4, 1.33GHZ. This seems to work for me.
