# Possible to use a laptop while closed (with separate monitor, mouse, etc)?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 6, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241 "2009-12-06T22:49:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/1 "2009-12-06T22:49:52Z")
I have aDell 1720 laptop here hooked up to a separate monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc. I’m using it as my desktop while my desktop is in the shop. My cat keeps jumping onto the open laptop. Can I close the lid of my laptop and continue using it somehow?
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### Author:  [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/2 "2009-12-06T22:58:24Z")
Theoretically, but I’ve never tried it. Have settings to “do nothing” when the lid is closed, then try it.
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/3 "2009-12-06T23:01:33Z")
Mine can. The settings are under Power on Windows XP. I haven’t tried it on Linux yet. I tend to leave mine open at least partway, for cooling.
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### Author:  [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/4 "2009-12-06T23:01:35Z")
And where do you adjust this setting?
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### Author:  [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/5 "2009-12-06T23:05:16Z")
I believe it’s only in Vista or later, maybe ZenBeam can help with xp.
In Vista or W7, right click or double click on the battery icon, and go to “change power settings-\>advanced.”
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/6 "2009-12-06T23:19:12Z")
From memory (I hardly boot XP any more): right click on desktop and select settings, then go to the screensaver tab. There, there’s an advanced power settings button you have to push, I think. In mine, there are drop down choices on actions to perform when closing the lid, and also when pushing the power button.
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### Author:  [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/7 "2009-12-06T23:20:16Z")
Nifty, thanks. No more cat-induced typos.
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### Author:  [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/8 "2009-12-07T00:20:40Z")
You might not want your cat jumping on it (breakage) or sleeping on it (overheating) though.
If you can get it to work, I would advise putting it on it’s spine like a book, which will improve cooling as well.
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/9 "2009-12-07T00:50:15Z")
On some laptops you have to do this from the BIOS instead of doing it from within windows, but on most laptops you can make it work one way or another.
The laptop will be more likely to overheat with the lid closed. Make sure you keep the cat off of it and you may need to stick a book or something under one end of the laptop or stick it up on end like Superhal suggested so that you’ll get enough air flow through the vents for it to cool properly.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/10 "2009-12-07T01:32:27Z")
Not directly relevant to your question, but you might be interested in [PawSense](http://www.bitboost.com/pawsense/).
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-use-a-laptop-while-closed-with-separate-monitor-mouse-etc/520241/11 "2009-12-07T02:10:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> Not directly relevant to your question, but you might be interested in [PawSense](http://www.bitboost.com/pawsense/).
That is pretty nifty! I wonder how well it would work with my dogs. They don’t so much type on the keyboard as knock it down.