Enable "Clamshell" Mode on a MBP17"

SpamSieve
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Hi All:

I know this is not an issue with the totally incredible SpamSieve program, but I’m wondering if anyone else has run into this while running SpamSieve and has a suggestion???

Rather than keeping my older but otherwise fully functional MBP17" with the lid cracked open on the desk to enable its functionality as a drone running the awesome SpamSieve software, I’d prefer to put it into one of the beautiful BookArc stands in clamshell mode. With the lid cracked open, everything runs great 24/7 with Energy Saver settings of “Computer Sleep” = “Never” and “Display Sleep” = “3 minutes”. However, when I shut the lid the machine goes to sleep in ~30 seconds (the small white light in the right front of the machine goes from “off” with the lid open to continuously “on” immediately after the lid is closed to blinking/pulsing after half a minute), even if I am running SleepLess or Insomniax.

I would love to find a way to close the lid and put my machine in the BookArc, with the Display slept but the CPU running to enable SpamSieve Drone function 24/7. Can anyone help?

Thank you very much!

Setup:

Running El Cap 10.11.2 on a 17" MacBook Pro (Early 2009).
There is no additional software running on the machine besides Mail 9.2 and SpamSieve 2.9.23 and the two attempts at sleep solutions listed below.
The only external cable plugged into the computer is the power cord, nothing else.

Software solutions:
SleepLess 2.9
Insomniax 2.1.8

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My understanding is that clamshell mode is intended for use with an external display. The utilities that you mention are designed to let you do that without a display, but I think the OS can override the setting based on the temperature of the Mac. Have you tried contacting the SleepLess or Insomniax developers to see if they have suggestions?

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Clamshell without external display attached???
As you point out, all the Apple literature that I can find says that clamshell is meant with an external display

Posts vary across the internet, and I have no competence to judge who is correct, but the majority of the posts seem to say that it is safe for the machine to run in clamshell mode.

It seems that the Sleepless and Insomniax developers worked together somewhat, since one gives thanks to the other on their website. I’ve e-mailed both groups but haven’t heard anything back yet. If I do hear back I will update here. My sense is that their software has not been updated for El Cap and I don’t know if/when they plan on doing this.