Computer Act!ve - UK (2022-01-19)

64

Problems Solved

Ourexpertssolveallyourtechproblems

19 Januar y–1February 2022 •Issue623

PROBLEMOFTHEFORTNIGHT

CanIusemylaptopwiththelidshut?

Changeyour

laptop’sPower

Optionstokeepit

switchedonwhen

thelidisclosed.

ThengotoDevice

Managertoensure

yourkeyboardand

mousecanwakeit

fromsleep

Q

Ireallyneedtoreplacemyold

desktopPC.Ikeepitundermy

desk,sothere’senoughroom

fora 24 inmonitor,keyboardand

mouseonthedesk.It’snotaverybig

desk,andIdon’thaveroomfora

biggerone.Icouldbuyanother

desktopPC,butalaptopseemsto

makemoresense,notleastbecauseI’d

liketobeabletouseitelsewhereinthe

house.Isitpossibletousealaptop

withthelidclosedsoIcankeepit

undermydeskasIdomydesktopPC?

SimonHannigan

A

Yes,thisispossible,butthere

areafewpracticaland

technicalconsiderations.

First,you’llneedtochangeyour

laptop’s settingssothatclosingthelid

doesn’tshutitdownorputittosleep.

InWindows 1 0or11,clickSta rt,type

controlandthenclickControlPanel.

Nowselect‘SystemandSecurity’

followedbyPowerOptions,then

‘Choosewhatclosingtheliddoe s’(see

screenshot^1 ). Look forthe option

‘WhenIclosethe lid’ (see screensh ot

(^2) ). Clic ktoopenthe dropdown menu
in the‘Plugged in’column andchoose
‘Donothing’, then clickthe ‘Save
changes’ button.
Next, make sure your mouse
andkeyboardcan wake your laptop
fromsleep.Todothis, pres sWindows
key+X to open theQuick Linkmenu,
thenchooseDeviceManager.Click to
expandthe‘Miceand otherpointing
devices’heading, thenright-click
your mouseand chooseProperties
(see screensh ot^3 ).Nowselectthe
PowerManagementtab andmake
sure ther e’satickinthe boxlabelled
‘Allow this devicetowakethe
computer’. Clic kOK. Repeat the
processfor your keyboard by returning
to Device Managerand expandingthe
Keyboardsheading.
Once you’ve donethat, you’ll
need to connectyourperipherals to
your laptop .Wedon’t know exactly
whichperipherals you’re using, but
alllaptops have USBports,sot hat
should coverthe keyboard andmouse.
Bearin mindthatmanynew laptops
arenow fittedwithafewofthe more
modernoval USBType-C (USB-C)ports
as well as thetradition al,rectangular
Type-A ports–so make sure your new
laptophasenoughof therighttypeof
portsfor your needs. Your monitor
probably uses anHDMIconnection,
andmanymodernlapto ps have a
port forthis, too.
Finally, when usingyourlaptop, be
sure to choosethe Sleep option from
theStart menu attheend of asession.
Thiswill letyou wake thedevicelater
by moving themouse ortapping akey.
Choosing‘Shut down’wouldn’tbea
disaster, butyou’d probably have to
open your laptop ’s lidand pres sthe
powerbuttontoswitchitback on –
whichisnot ideal if it’s out of reach.
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