Pure Laziness Warning: Making a laptop keep running with the lid closed

[britechguy]

As the title states, I'll openly admit that I'm asking because I figure several people here will be able to tell me in an instant what would require sifting through all sorts of web dross to find.

It has been ages since I used a laptop with a docking station (which seem to me to be a thing of the past given that most new machines have HDMI output and can handle wireless USB mouse/keyboard with ease) and a very long time since I tried to use one in any configuration where the laptop was acting pretty much like a desktop, with all input and output being handled externally.

Is there a "quick and easy" setting somewhere, and particularly if it would work 100% of the time, that would allow me to tell a laptop not to shut down/hibernate/sleep when the lid is closed and keep on working with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse?

If it's as simple as going to Control Panel, Power Options, Choose what closing the lid does link and choosing Nothing for the Plugged-In setting, then I'm good to go already. But something in the back of my mind tells me that there is something more, so I thought I'd ask.

 

[seedubya]

That's all there is, as far as I know.

 

[Porthos]

If it's as simple as going to Control Panel, Power Options, Choose what closing the lid does link and choosing Nothing for the Plugged-In setting, then I'm good to go already.

That is all there is at least built into Windows.

 

[britechguy]

@seedubya & @Porthos,

Thank you both very much. The client who has the Dell laptop that's been declared "toast" is looking for another, and was talking about buying a docking station, which to me seems to be a waste if you intend to use a large monitor with HDMI capability and have a wireless (or even USB wired) keyboard and mouse. An expense that's not really needed, particularly since the user will be a college student who will be doing online classes from home until things get back to even semi-normal again.

 

[SAFCasper]

Might want to disable USB selective suspend. Uncommon, but can occasionally cause issues with docks after sleep or hibernate.


On the subject of why use a docking station - I agree it doesn't make much sense for a single monitor and wireless keyboard at a single location. Will be neater... but not really worthwhile.

They are worthwhile sometimes though. I love mine because I move between office and home frequently.
- 2 monitors (laptop only has 1x HDMI so worthwhile just for this)
- Wired network connection
- USB Keyboard and mouse
- USB smart card reader
- USB headset
- Power cable
- I also have external speakers at home for playing music.

Without a dock, I would have to disconnect and reconnect everything above whenever I move location. Would drive me insane since I currently move between home and office working almost daily.

With my dock (Dell WD19tb) I have literally one cable to connect because it also provides power. It's not cheap, but I didn't have to pay anyway so it's double awesome.

 

[britechguy]

@SAFCasper

Oh, absolutely. It's in the use context I envision for this particular client where a dock seems like gross overkill.

 

[Markverhyden]

Easiest way to defeat that magnetic reed switch. It's in Mac OS as well as most, in not all, *nix's