Rewire power switch for HTPC

[zstubin]

I have a HTPC and I want to hide it under the stairs in my closet. My problem is that the power switch has to be pushed for the computer to turn on. I want to be able to just unplug the power cable from the wall (to turn it off!) and plug the cable in to turn it on. I tried using a roll of dimes to keep the power on the front of the case pushed in, but the button has to be pushed in and released for the computer to start. So I thought maybe when the power pins on the mobo make a circuit it starts the computer, so I put a jumper on the power pins and it did nothing. I am looking for a solution to my problem.

Is my best option to buy a push button switch from Radio Shack and run a wire from the case to the edge of my closet that I have to push? Or does someone have a better solution that will involve no button and work by plugging/unplugging the power cable. Thanks.

 

[sirheck]

Only thing i can think of would be a rocker switch.

 

[saaiello]

I forget where I saw it but there are remotes for that it looks like a car alarm remote .

 

[shovenose]

theres a bios option called restart after power loss. enable it

 

[saaiello]

Here I found something perfect and its $9.99

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtId=e-pc-s1-n

 

[shovenose]

wow i didnt even know they made that.
but wont it work just to set thebios like i said befroe, so when its plugged in itll turn on automatically...?

 

[sirheck]

Will that make it go (chirp chirp) when ya push the button?

LOL

 

[saaiello]

Here this is what i was talking about
http://www.xoxide.com/logisys-multifunction-panel-silver.html

Has a little remote looks like a car alarm

 

[shovenose]

hahaha

 

[zstubin]

I will look and see if the BIOS has a setting, never even thought of that. Other then that I guess I will have to wire a switch which sort of sucks.

 

[saaiello]

wow i didnt even know they made that.
but wont it work just to set thebios like i said befroe, so when its plugged in itll turn on automatically...?

That option will only work if the computer loses power while it was running if you shut down the computer like you are supposed to that will not work.

I will look and see if the BIOS has a setting, never even thought of that. Other then that I guess I will have to wire a switch which sort of sucks.

Did you look at this.

 

[zstubin]

That remote looks amazing though I might have to get that instead.

 

[zstubin]

SAAIELLO> that switch would be better then wiring it myself. Is geeks.com reliable?

 

[zstubin]

Best answer selected by zstubin.

 

[zstubin]

theres a bios option called restart after power loss. enable it

Just tried this and it works. Thanks for the help from everyone!

 

[popatim]

I'm with Shovenose with turning on "Resume after power loss" in the bios and have both my HTPC set this way and it works perfect but mine are on 24/7.

I don't think that simply unplugging your pc to shut it down is a good thing thou, you really should give the harddrives a chance to park the heads imo.

If I were in your shoes, I would wire a simple momentary contact switch to the motherboards front panel power switch header and set the bios to shut down when the power switch is pressed , sometimes it set to go to sleep or standby. This way you just push a button and it boots up, push it again and it does a normal shutdown. I'm also assuming your OS supports this feature too.

 

[saaiello]

theres a bios option called restart after power loss. enable it

This is a really bad Idea you will corrupt windows files and could damage Hardware so it amazes me this is the best answer well good luck when you have to reinstall windows every two weeks after turning your computer off this way. I swear that is the DUMBEST thing you can do to a computer but I guess if your rich and got money for harddrives failing and have time to reinstall windos and dont mind loseing information have fun but shovenose Idea is not a smart move at all that option is meant for emergenct power loss not for doing what you are asking.

Well have fun wrecking your computer.

 

[shovenose]

CALM down man...
Is there some way you can like give someone the best answer? Like a "resign "option

 

[saaiello]

IDC about best answers its not about that its just not a good idea to do that I have over 100 best answers in this section I could care less about that I just hate to see someone wreck there computer doing something like that not trying to be mean or anything I am just telling it like it is.

 

[shovenose]

I understand hey Op WHERE THE HECk r Yu

 

[zstubin]

I ended up using the BIOS solution for about a week. I instead got some wire and a switch from radio shack for under $5 and built a new power button for the PC. It now sits becide my TV. It's basically exactly the same thing as Geeks.com is selling but for cheaper and better Thanks again for all the help.