Summary: The default configuration for most Windows laptops is to go into standby when the lid is closed. We'll look at how to change that.
When I close the lid of my Toshiba notebook, the internet stops, meaning that if I want to download stuff, the lid always has to be open, which is really annoying. Any way to change this without connecting another monitor and mouse?
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It's probably not the internet that's stopping - it's the entire computer.
The default configuration for most laptops these days is to go into Stand-by, or even Hibernation, when the laptop is closed.
Fortunately it's just a setting you can control in Windows.
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Windows includes a fairly robust, if somewhat confusing, array of power management options. And like many options, they're in Control Panel.
Fire up Control Panel, and double click on Power Options. You should see something along these lines:
Click on the Advanced tab for this:
Note the items in the Power Buttons section, in particular the one labeled "When I close the lid of my portable computer:". This has two or three options: Stand by (the default), Hibernate (if you have hibernation enabled) and Do nothing.
I'm guessing it's Do nothing that you really want. It also happens to be what I use most of the time - particularly when I'm mobile I'd like to be able to close my laptop for carrying without having it shut down on me.
Click on the list drop-down arrow at the far right of Stand by:
Click on Do nothing, and then click on either OK or Apply.
You should now be able to close your laptop and have it keep downloading without interruption.
Related:
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Ask Leo! - Why can't my machine hibernate? And how's that different than Stand-by?
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Ask Leo! - Why does my network not work after resuming from standby?
Article C3277 - January 24, 2008
Thank you so much for that,
i have been searching for ages as my downloads for my products are cutting short.
Well Thank you again.
Plus with windows vista:-
you could go on your power icon in your bottom right side of you screen.
right click on the poer icon and go to power options. Then go to what if my laptop closes its lid(This should be on the top left side of your screen) then click on do nothing on all drop down menus.
And there you have it.
Or you could use the start bar power searcher and add in "power options" then use that.
Thank you again James Davies,
Posted by: James at February 4, 2008 1:36 PMLinea-Soft "copyrighted 2007 - 2008"
hi. i am able to make my laptop 'Do Nothing'. but when i peek inbetween to take a look the screen is still on. is it possible if i want the laptop to continue to 'Do Nothing', but have a blank screen to save power. there is no 'Blank Screen' option in my window.
Posted by: marcus at April 14, 2008 7:33 AM"How can I keep my laptop standby with the lid closed?". Please note that in the "advanced" option of "power properties" there is just one offer: "do nothing"! If so, can't I keep it standby?
Posted by: Hossein at November 10, 2008 6:43 PMI use my laptop “FUJITSU P1610” with a GPS when I'm Flying. and need the computer o
ON all the time so I have set in power settings not to do anything as long as it is plug in. Any way the computer goes into a different mode that does not show the GPS but the starting screen and I have to restart it back by moving the mouse or use the keyboard and putting my fingerprint in again.
How can I avoid that.
Thank you
Antonio
10-Dec-2008
I have a slightly different problem from what was originally described. When I open Power Options to the Advanced tab, my only choice under "When I close the lid of my portable computer" is "Do nothing". So I can't go to Standby or Hibernate when I close the lid. There is no "Hibernate" tab in my Power Options dialog box. Ideas??
06-Feb-2009
thank you for this information...but I do have one more issue. Now I have no sound. How do I correct that?
Posted by: Terri Ellison at February 4, 2009 12:06 PMHey Leo, I always set the lid close action to "do nothing" on my Thinkpad T43, but whenever I reboot, the behavior goes back to default "standby"... any suggestions?
Posted by: Pedro at February 20, 2009 9:57 AMThanks,
Pedro.
Thank you so much for posting your answer it was so annoying when i keep trying to download my stuff then the internet d/c's so THANK YOU!
*I can now download my stuff without the internet dissconnecting.*
Posted by: lnstinct at April 16, 2009 9:18 PMUnfortunately this is not always correct. I am very familiar with my laptop power settings but am having the exact problem mentioned- the computer does NOT hibernate or shut down, in fact sometimes I am listening to a previously downloaded podcast. The internet- whether wireless or via LAN etc- shuts down when the lid is closed. Anyone know what is causing the problem?
Posted by: epthorn at May 12, 2009 12:16 AMI recently replaced my hard drive, on my old one i could close the lid and keep the internet and everything going and when i opened the lid my user account would be locked and needed a password, Now i cant figure out how i had that possible any ideas?
Posted by: troy at August 19, 2009 4:28 PM