Bypassing the power switch

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

To power up the computer, you must physically push the front power switch
(which, I think, is called a soft switch). The back power button, which is a
regular on/off switch, must be on - no problem there.

I need to have the computer power up by itself in case of a power shortage.
There is no setting in the Bios Setup that can be changed for that. The
subject was discussed here a few years ago, without result.

I thought of something. There are, I believe, 2 wires from the mobo to the
soft switch. I could short them, I mean cut them and solder them together.
1) Would that do the trick ?
2) Is there any other way ?

The setup:
Abit BH6 rev. 1.0
Pentium2 350 MHz
Chipset: Intel 440BX
Power switch: the "soft" type
Award Bios with the last update: SS
06/28/2000-i440BX-W83977-2A69KA1EC-SS
OS: irrelevant (Windows)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Sinus Logarithme wrote:

> To power up the computer, you must physically push the front power switch
> (which, I think, is called a soft switch). The back power button, which is a
> regular on/off switch, must be on - no problem there.
>
> I need to have the computer power up by itself in case of a power shortage.
> There is no setting in the Bios Setup that can be changed for that. The
> subject was discussed here a few years ago, without result.

It's been discussed many times *this* year.

> I thought of something. There are, I believe, 2 wires from the mobo to the
> soft switch. I could short them, I mean cut them and solder them together.
> 1) Would that do the trick ?

No. It is a "momentary" switch, meaning it makes "momentary" contact,
then returns to its normal open position.

> 2) Is there any other way ?

Yes. Place a small cap across the switch. The cap will look like a short
upon application of power, then act like an open once it charges.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

I am just a layman:
Please say how many microfarads or picofarads I should use.
Is the capacitor type important ?
And do you mean all I have to do is having it join the 2 wires I mentioned
before, without dismantling the switch ?

"ric" <nospam@home.com> wrote in message news:4231426F.2BCCB9C8@home.com...
> Sinus Logarithme wrote:
>
> > To power up the computer, you must physically push the front power
switch
> > (which, I think, is called a soft switch). The back power button, which
is a
> > regular on/off switch, must be on - no problem there.
> >
> > I need to have the computer power up by itself in case of a power
shortage.
> > There is no setting in the Bios Setup that can be changed for that. The
> > subject was discussed here a few years ago, without result.
>
> It's been discussed many times *this* year.
>
> > I thought of something. There are, I believe, 2 wires from the mobo to
the
> > soft switch. I could short them, I mean cut them and solder them
together.
> > 1) Would that do the trick ?
>
> No. It is a "momentary" switch, meaning it makes "momentary" contact,
> then returns to its normal open position.
>
> > 2) Is there any other way ?
>
> Yes. Place a small cap across the switch. The cap will look like a short
> upon application of power, then act like an open once it charges.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

[top posting corrected to improve readability]

Sinus Logarithme wrote:

> > > To power up the computer, you must physically push the front power
> > > switch
> > > (which, I think, is called a soft switch). The back power button, which
> > > is a
> > > regular on/off switch, must be on - no problem there.
> > >
> > > I need to have the computer power up by itself in case of a power
> > > shortage.
> > > There is no setting in the Bios Setup that can be changed for that. The
> > > subject was discussed here a few years ago, without result.
> >
> > It's been discussed many times *this* year.
> >
> > > I thought of something. There are, I believe, 2 wires from the mobo to
> > > the
> > > soft switch. I could short them, I mean cut them and solder them
> > > together.
> > > 1) Would that do the trick ?
> >
> > No. It is a "momentary" switch, meaning it makes "momentary" contact,
> > then returns to its normal open position.
> >
> > > 2) Is there any other way ?
> >
> > Yes. Place a small cap across the switch. The cap will look like a short
> > upon application of power, then act like an open once it charges.

> I am just a layman:
> Please say how many microfarads or picofarads I should use.

Depends on the MB. Try about a 1 uF to begin with.

> Is the capacitor type important ?

Not terribly, but a non polarized cap will make your installation easier.
I'd stay away from tantalum. Try a regular ceramic disk.

> And do you mean all I have to do is having it join the 2 wires I mentioned
> before, without dismantling the switch ?

Yes, in parallel with the working switch. Your switch will still operate
normally. [I'm referring to the small front panel momentary switch.] I
normally install it where the switch plugs into the MB header.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Ric, thank you, thank you, thank you. It has been a problem for 7 years, and
now it's gone.
I used a .47 uF, the closest to 1uF that I had in my stuff. It's square and
unpolarized, probably ceramic.
I installed like you said, in parallel with the switch. The machine boots
when I switch the surge protector on.
After booting from a diskette, the computer switch is functional: I can
power down and then up. When Windows shuts down the computer, I can power it
up again with the reset button, but not with the soft switch. I wonder why.
It's just a matter of curiosity, I am perfectly happy now.


"ric" <nospam@home.com> wrote in message news:42327F9F.2CD1A7ED@home.com...
> [top posting corrected to improve readability]
>
> Sinus Logarithme wrote:
>
> > > > To power up the computer, you must physically push the front power
> > > > switch
> > > > (which, I think, is called a soft switch). The back power button,
which
> > > > is a
> > > > regular on/off switch, must be on - no problem there.
> > > >
> > > > I need to have the computer power up by itself in case of a power
> > > > shortage.
> > > > There is no setting in the Bios Setup that can be changed for that.
The
> > > > subject was discussed here a few years ago, without result.
> > >
> > > It's been discussed many times *this* year.
> > >
> > > > I thought of something. There are, I believe, 2 wires from the mobo
to
> > > > the
> > > > soft switch. I could short them, I mean cut them and solder them
> > > > together.
> > > > 1) Would that do the trick ?
> > >
> > > No. It is a "momentary" switch, meaning it makes "momentary" contact,
> > > then returns to its normal open position.
> > >
> > > > 2) Is there any other way ?
> > >
> > > Yes. Place a small cap across the switch. The cap will look like a
short
> > > upon application of power, then act like an open once it charges.
>
> > I am just a layman:
> > Please say how many microfarads or picofarads I should use.
>
> Depends on the MB. Try about a 1 uF to begin with.
>
> > Is the capacitor type important ?
>
> Not terribly, but a non polarized cap will make your installation easier.
> I'd stay away from tantalum. Try a regular ceramic disk.
>
> > And do you mean all I have to do is having it join the 2 wires I
mentioned
> > before, without dismantling the switch ?
>
> Yes, in parallel with the working switch. Your switch will still operate
> normally. [I'm referring to the small front panel momentary switch.] I
> normally install it where the switch plugs into the MB header.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Sinus Logarithme wrote:

> Ric, thank you, thank you, thank you. It has been a problem for 7 years, and
> now it's gone.

Por nada.

> I used a .47 uF, the closest to 1uF that I had in my stuff. It's square and
> unpolarized, probably ceramic.

Close enough. If it works for your MB, it works.

> I installed like you said, in parallel with the switch. The machine boots
> when I switch the surge protector on.
> After booting from a diskette, the computer switch is functional: I can
> power down and then up. When Windows shuts down the computer, I can power it
> up again with the reset button, but not with the soft switch. I wonder why.
> It's just a matter of curiosity, I am perfectly happy now.

Hmmm...odd. Try holding the switch in longer. Odd indeed...

You might want to experiment with smaller caps, such as 0.22 uF or
0.10 uF.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

> Hmmm...odd. Try holding the switch in longer. Odd indeed...
It doesn't work.

> You might want to experiment with smaller caps, such as 0.22 uF or
> 0.10 uF.
If it's not broken, don't fix it... I prefer to concentrate on my software
problems now. Thank you again.


"ric" <nospam@home.com> wrote in message news:42335F37.A21C26C5@home.com...
> Sinus Logarithme wrote:
>
> > Ric, thank you, thank you, thank you. It has been a problem for 7 years,
and
> > now it's gone.
>
> Por nada.
>
> > I used a .47 uF, the closest to 1uF that I had in my stuff. It's square
and
> > unpolarized, probably ceramic.
>
> Close enough. If it works for your MB, it works.
>
> > I installed like you said, in parallel with the switch. The machine
boots
> > when I switch the surge protector on.
> > After booting from a diskette, the computer switch is functional: I can
> > power down and then up. When Windows shuts down the computer, I can
power it
> > up again with the reset button, but not with the soft switch. I wonder
why.
> > It's just a matter of curiosity, I am perfectly happy now.
>
> Hmmm...odd. Try holding the switch in longer. Odd indeed...
>
> You might want to experiment with smaller caps, such as 0.22 uF or
> 0.10 uF.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Sinus Logarithme wrote:

>>Hmmm...odd. Try holding the switch in longer. Odd indeed...
>
> It doesn't work.
>
>
>>You might want to experiment with smaller caps, such as 0.22 uF or
>>0.10 uF.
>
> If it's not broken, don't fix it... I prefer to concentrate on my software
> problems now. Thank you again.

It sounds like Windows is not actually turning it off.

>
>
> "ric" <nospam@home.com> wrote in message news:42335F37.A21C26C5@home.com...
>
>>Sinus Logarithme wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Ric, thank you, thank you, thank you. It has been a problem for 7 years,
>
> and
>
>>>now it's gone.
>>
>>Por nada.
>>
>>
>>>I used a .47 uF, the closest to 1uF that I had in my stuff. It's square
>
> and
>
>>>unpolarized, probably ceramic.
>>
>>Close enough. If it works for your MB, it works.
>>
>>
>>>I installed like you said, in parallel with the switch. The machine
>
> boots
>
>>>when I switch the surge protector on.
>>>After booting from a diskette, the computer switch is functional: I can
>>>power down and then up. When Windows shuts down the computer, I can
>
> power it
>
>>>up again with the reset button, but not with the soft switch. I wonder
>
> why.
>
>>>It's just a matter of curiosity, I am perfectly happy now.
>>
>>Hmmm...odd. Try holding the switch in longer. Odd indeed...
>>
>>You might want to experiment with smaller caps, such as 0.22 uF or
>>0.10 uF.
>
>
>