starting an ATX system without a power button

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mac Cool
  • Start date Start date
M

Mac Cool

I have an ATX system, sans case, that I want to fire up and test. I've
heard that you can jump the power on pins with a screwdriver and it will
power on the board but I wanted to check with others before doing
something potentially stupid.
 
Mac Cool said:
I have an ATX system, sans case, that I want to fire up and test. I've
heard that you can jump the power on pins with a screwdriver and it will
power on the board but I wanted to check with others before doing
something potentially stupid.
Click to expand...

Don't know why it wouldn't work OK. The power switch is just a momentary
contact switch. Seems a screwdriver should simulate that perfectly. -Dave
 
Dave said:
Don't know why it wouldn't work OK. The power switch is just a momentary
contact switch. Seems a screwdriver should simulate that perfectly. -Dave
Click to expand...

Works fine as long as you don't slip and damage something. I do it all the
time (testing things) with a paper clip.
 
Works fine as long as you don't slip and damage something. I do it all the
time (testing things) with a paper clip.
Click to expand...

Can you give a more detailed list of how such as which pins to touch,
how to do it all properly etc?
 
Capman said:
Can you give a more detailed list of how such as which pins to touch,
how to do it all properly etc?
Click to expand...

Works fine. You'd touch the ones that would be for the power switch.
 
Capman said:
Can you give a more detailed list of how such as which pins to touch,
Click to expand...

That's entirely dependent on where your motherboard manufacturer decided to
put them on your motherboard. It's where the power switch plugs in.
how to do it all properly etc?
Click to expand...

You simultaneously touch the two with a conductive object while making sure
to not touch anything else with the conductive object.

It's not quite as risky as that sounds as the other pins on most 'front
panel' headers are inherently short circuit protected by their nature (I.E.
a series resistor connection to an LED [make no difference if shorted to
either ground or power], etc.). Still, it's not a good idea to be cavalier
about it.
 
Mac Cool said:
I have an ATX system, sans case, that I want to fire up and test. I've
heard that you can jump the power on pins with a screwdriver and it will
power on the board but I wanted to check with others before doing
something potentially stupid.
Click to expand...

If you don't have a power switch lead to connect, just use the reset lead
and connect it to the power on pins. They're both just simple
momentary-on contact switches.

I usually just keep a switch ripped out of a crap case in my kit to make
it easy to power on boards, especially when testing them out of the case.
 
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