MacBook Pro won't sleep when closed.
 

I've seen suggestions all over the place for what to do. I've tried reseting the PRAM, but I haven't reset the PMU because I felt that after reading the cautions on the apple site that I could brick the machine or something by doing so.

I've sent this laptop (Purchased in April) twice in the past two weeks to applecare for various problems. The first time it was sent was because of a logic board error. It would sleep when I closed the lid. The second time I sent it is was because the right speaker was not working, the computer made a high pitch noise all the time, and the logic board error was still coming up.

My last resort would be going back to the applestore. Its an hour drive, and the mall its located in is always packed.

Any help on fixing this is appreciated.

Resetting the PMU (actually Apple calls it the SMC now) will NOT brick your laptop. Just follow the directions and it will be just fine.

Do you mean that to say that with the logic board error it wouldn't sleep when you closed the lid? Or are you saying that sleeping when the lid was closed used to work, but now it doesn't?

Trevor

I used to work prior to the replacement of the board. It no longer goes to sleep when closed with the new board.

The error was that computer would crash if it underwent too much stress. I've read that my sleeping issue maybe due to hardware issues (the logicboard in particular).

I wanted a few more remedies suggested before I schedule an appointment to send my laptop back.

:)

Nutshell:

The mechanism that controls the sleep signal when your portable closes is called a reed switch. It consists of a metal switch assembly (two pieces of thin metal inside a vacuum-sealed glass bubble or other insulator, connected to the logic board via wire), and a magnet somewhere else. When the magnet comes close enough to the glass bubble, the metal strips connect, closing a circuit and telling the computer to go to sleep.

In the MacBook Pro, the magnet is located inside the display, on the right side. (If you're typing at your keyboard, staring at the screen.) It's about halfway down on the 15" model, and if you hold a paperclip to the front-facing area, it'll stick.

The reed switch itself (the glass bubble with metal strips inside) is in the same position, but inside the main body of the computer itself.

When you close your lid, the two come into close proximity. Bang, sleep.

There is a possibility that when your logic board was replaced, the reed switch was damaged somehow. If you have a magnet, you can check by running said magnet across the top of your case, on the right-hand side. (The part of the machine with the speaker grill and keyboard, that is.) The best way to determine the position, since it's different with different display sizes, is to use a paper clip on the side of the display to find the magnet, then determine the switch location from that.

If you can't get a magnet to trip the switch, and resetting the PMU as per Trevor's advice didn't work either, you will probably need to return the unit to the repair center.

I can vouch for the magnet trick. My MBP wouldn't sleep when I closed the lid, so off we went to the Genius Bar. The guy went in the back and got a little magnet, passed it up and down the aluminum surface on the right side of the screen, and then back and forth on the matching surface on the keyboard near the speaker, and it went to sleep. He woke it up, shut the lid, and it went right back to sleep like it should. Still works 2 days later.

My point was not that it would fix his issue, but simply diagnose what he needed to do next. I cannot explain why it returned your unit to proper functionality, but believe me when I say that it's definitely out of the ordinary.

voodoo... really though, it worked. worth a try, believe me.

Thanks Mikey-San for illuminating how this works. My MBP has exactly the same issue except that it has never gone to sleep upon closing the lid, even when it was brand new. The paperclip sticks where it should, the magnet puts it to sleep (although I quivered at even bringing a magnet anywhere near my computer). I zapped the PRAM, I reset the PMU, I squeezed the right side of my computer to see if I could bring the magnet and reed switch closer together, I fooled with the options in Energy Saver, I reformatted my hard drive and reinstalled the system software.

What would the next step be?

Mikey San and Juhstin thank you both so much. I actually signed up to this forum just to thank you. I've searched everywhere for answers but everyone says replace the logic board or reset the SMC. You guys solved my problem with my MBP not sleeping. Thank you Mikey san about the information of where the sleep sensors are and thank you Juhstin for telling me about your genuis bar story. Now my macbook pro sleeps =D all i did was take a decent strength magnet and rubbed it on my screen where the sensor is and now it sleeps. THANK YOU BOTH

I replaced my HD, and afterward, I had this issue, with my MBP not detecting the lid being closed. Thank you so much for pointing out where the reed switch is.

Does anyone know where to buy new reed switches? I've determined mine must be broken, as a magnet cannot trigger it.

I wrote down the part number on the component, but I cant seem to find a supplier. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again for posting the above information.

Here's the part numbers on the component, from top to bottom:
Ty-01
94v-0
01-01000849-00-A

Maybe this is just a wild shot, but did you try deleting the

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.PowerManagement.plist?

Maybe the problem isn't the switch but the computer not recognizing the signal?

Quoted For Truth. (This page should be Google's first result) There's also a possibility that his logic board was never really replaced. I'm interested to know if the reason he had it serviced was because of video issues.

I think I got my answer:
http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?t=100833

Just had the same problem on my MBP. I noticed the machine slumbered as it should when it was running on battery when I closed the lid. I did some experimenting and the insomnia occurred when the battery was fully charged and the MagSafe Power Adapter was attached. I had no idea how to correct the problem. I've tried all settings, matching those for battery use and those for powersupply.
I just tried the trick with the small magnetic collar that opens the cat flap, and - HEY PRESTO!
(I have no idea how the two things are connected, but it worked!)

I can vouch for the magnet trick. My MBP wouldn't sleep when I closed the lid, so off we went to the Genius Bar. The guy went in the back and got a little magnet, passed it up and down the aluminum surface on the right side of the screen, and then back and forth on the matching surface on the keyboard near the speaker, and it went to sleep. He woke it up, shut the lid, and it went right back to sleep like it should. Still works 2 days later.

i removed the battery connector and sleep switch, blasted it with non-greasy contact clear and now it works...!

Cosign on this thread.

Same thing happened to me. I got MBP 15".

My screen bezel cracked on the frame part and I needed have it replaced. I was lookin at $400+ so I decided to install it myself so I bought a used one off of ebay for $70. It took about 3 hours but I had fun doin it. Problem was when I finished I had a few extra screws (lol), and this small little magnet. I couldn't figure out what the magnet was for until I realized when I closed the lid, the dagGamn laptop stayed on and wouldn't go to sleep. Needless to say I googled and found this thread.

LOW AND BEHOLD the magnet trick worked. I took the little magnet and placed it near the speaker and the unit went to sleep. Yeaah!!!

Now my dilemma was trying to figure out if I wanna take the who dagGamn laptop apart to just put a magnet back behind the screen. That's when I had an idea. I went to the kitchen and took a piece of magnet off of one of the refrigerator magnets. Since it was slim and rubbery magnet, I was able to cut a small thin piece off which I glued to the frame of the LCD screen bezel.

Now when I close the lid, my laptop goes to sleep and all you see on the right side of my screen is a small little rectangle (magnet) about 2cm x 3cm... almost the same size as the iSight camera.

Problem Solved!!;)

For what it is worth, my wife's MBP had the same issue, used to sleep when closing the lid, then that stopped working.

A tech at a Apple Certified Repair shop told me it may be because the holes in the front of the MBP ( by the relase trigger for the lid ) are dirty. When you close the lid ( just before contact ) two hooks drop out from the top. They should connect up with a piece of metal in the two holes in the base. If that area is dirty, it could be that they are making it such that the space between Mikey-San's magnet and reed switch is to great.

Clean out your holes people! :) ... it is kinda tricky, but with patience the lid will close properly again. My wife's MBP now sleeps safe and sound.

My macbook pro wouldn't go to sleep when I closed the lid either and all I had to do was restart my laptop and now it works fine..

Don't know why, but it worked
 

I gave this little technique a try and to my amazement it worked. I'm not sure if it wasn't sleeping because the strength of the magnet in the display or what, but it works now. I can sleep easily. :) and so can my computer...

I was having the same problem with my MBPro (17in early 2009) I had went through all the listed necessary steps. Upon examining the logic board I had noticed a tiny gold ribbon that was unsecured [on the lower left side (near the cd drive) near the battery] I put this ribbon back in place with tweezers, closed up the Mac and Voila! I was able to put my Mac to sleep just by closing the lid.

replaced top case - magnet on wrong side
 

Thanks for all the discussion on this - further investigation on my own led me to find that when I replaced my top case I used one that is identical to the original in every way, except that the magnet in the LCD frame is on the opposite side! unbelievable... I guess it's time to bust out the dremel and install it in the right place.