"Switch on" with no case

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rich
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R

Rich

Hi

I've had some spare parts for a few years now in my loft. Theres
easily 2 computers to be made a P 400 and Celeron 1.5.

I'm looking at replacing my current router with a smoothwall linux
system. Thing is that I want to have a play with it before I go and
buy a computer case.

Is there anyway to turn on a computer with no computer case. Ideally
some kind of small switch that plugs into the motherboard?.

Thanks.

Rich


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Rich said:
Hi

I've had some spare parts for a few years now in my loft. Theres
easily 2 computers to be made a P 400 and Celeron 1.5.

I'm looking at replacing my current router with a smoothwall linux
system. Thing is that I want to have a play with it before I go and
buy a computer case.

Is there anyway to turn on a computer with no computer case. Ideally
some kind of small switch that plugs into the motherboard?.
Click to expand...

The quick and dirty way is to find the two pins that the power switch would
connect to, and short them with a screwdriver or momentarily plug a jumper
cap on them. A touch does it, then the short must be removed. To shut
down, short them again, this time for at least four seconds. These two pins
are usually in the bottom right corner of the motherboard, and are part of a
double row of twenty or so pins that also include speaker, reset, and HDD
LED pins. They will likely be labeled "PWR" but it's best to consult your
motherboard manual.

The slightly more elegant way is to salvage the guts of the power switch
from an old case. It will be a two-conductor wire with a jumper-type plug
on one end and a tiny square push-button switch on the other. Plug it onto
those same two pins and you're in business.
 
I was in a situation where my power switch broke before. I went to my local
computer store and asked them if they had a spare I could have. They reached
into a box and pulled out an old power switch cable. I connected it to my
motherboard, tore off the switch, and just touched the two wires together on
that end to get my comp back on.

Your mobo probably has the power switch connectors labeled on it. Look for
the pins. It is probably next the to reset switch pins. You probably have an
old power switch and cable that will fit the headers on the mobo. Just
connect it and do what I did.
 
Rich said:
Hi

I've had some spare parts for a few years now in my loft. Theres
easily 2 computers to be made a P 400 and Celeron 1.5.

I'm looking at replacing my current router with a smoothwall linux
system. Thing is that I want to have a play with it before I go and
buy a computer case.

Is there anyway to turn on a computer with no computer case. Ideally
some kind of small switch that plugs into the motherboard?.
Click to expand...

If you're asking such an advanced question maybe you shouldn't be putting
computers together.

Michael
 
Michael C said:
computers together.
Click to expand...

That was mean and petty Michael. He said it was old spare parts, so why
wouldn't he try to make a computer out of them? It is not like he is buying
brand spanking new parts to try to assemble. Also, you said it was an
"advanced" question. If it was not simple, then that is certainly not
evidence that shows he should not be putting computers together. I also
fail to see how wanting to run a MOBO without putting it in the case
indicates he is incapable of putting together a working computer.

Working with old parts is also a good way to learn.

Practice what you preach. Michael, if you can't give an advanced answer,
maybe you should not be giving any answers.
 
What you really need is one of these.

http://tinyurl.com/aafmq

Just go to your local Radio Shack if you have one and tell him what you are
trying to do. He might even be able to give you the little cable that goes
from the switch to the MOBO.
 
Joel said:
That was mean and petty Michael. He said it was old spare parts, so why
wouldn't he try to make a computer out of them? It is not like he is
buying brand spanking new parts to try to assemble. Also, you said it was
an "advanced" question. If it was not simple, then that is certainly not
evidence that shows he should not be putting computers together. I also
fail to see how wanting to run a MOBO without putting it in the case
indicates he is incapable of putting together a working computer.

Working with old parts is also a good way to learn.

Practice what you preach. Michael, if you can't give an advanced answer,
maybe you should not be giving any answers.
Click to expand...

I was being sarcastic, it's a really really simple question any idiot should
have been able to work out for themselves. You've got 2 pins on a
motherboard called power switch, you connect the power switch to those 2
lines, gee what is that switch doing when you push it?

Michael
 
Joel said:
That was mean and petty Michael. He said it was old spare parts, so why
wouldn't he try to make a computer out of them? It is not like he is
buying brand spanking new parts to try to assemble. Also, you said it was
an "advanced" question. If it was not simple, then that is certainly not
evidence that shows he should not be putting computers together. I also
fail to see how wanting to run a MOBO without putting it in the case
indicates he is incapable of putting together a working computer.

Working with old parts is also a good way to learn.
Click to expand...
Hear, hear. "There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers."
Also, "The stupidest question is the one you died for not asking."

This question had a trick to it, too, since the function of the power-on
switch changed radically with the coming of "soft power." Power switches
used to be a simple on-off type. Now logic is involved. A pulse starts the
system, and a four-second high while running normally signals the system to
shut down. Generally an AT motherboard will have the on-off type, while an
ATX motherboard will have soft power. There are exceptions even to this.
 
Pelysma said:
Hear, hear. "There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers."
Also, "The stupidest question is the one you died for not asking."
Click to expand...

That's a stupid statement usually repeated by people who've asked stupid
questions.
This question had a trick to it, too, since the function of the power-on
switch changed radically with the coming of "soft power." Power switches
used to be a simple on-off type. Now logic is involved. A pulse starts
the system, and a four-second high while running normally signals the
system to shut down. Generally an AT motherboard will have the on-off
type, while an ATX motherboard will have soft power. There are exceptions
even to this.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you do have the knowledge to have worked this out for yourself.

Michael
 
Michael C said:
That's a stupid statement usually repeated by people who've asked stupid
questions.
Click to expand...
I've asked a bunch of those, and gotten good answers, bad answers, stupid
answers, and well-deserved sarcasm.

The skill is in sorting out which of those you're getting.
 
Pelysma said:
I've asked a bunch of those, and gotten good answers, bad answers, stupid
answers, and well-deserved sarcasm.
Click to expand...

I've asked plenty myself. :-)

Michael
 
Michael C said:
I've asked plenty myself. :-)

Michael
Click to expand...
Now, for the sake of the original poster, if you've read this far into the
tirade, you probably realize that your current question was better directed
to somebody like me than somebody like Michael. If you have the guts and the
curiosity to start putting together a computer outside the case from old
parts, with the knowledge level you have now, and if you stick with it,
sooner or later you'll be asking questions he'll respect and I can't answer.
So accept a chuckle from the sarcasm and such, and press on, friend.
 
Pelysma said:
Now, for the sake of the original poster, if you've read this far into the
tirade, you probably realize that your current question was better
directed to somebody like me than somebody like Michael. If you have the
guts and the curiosity to start putting together a computer outside the
case from old parts, with the knowledge level you have now, and if you
stick with it, sooner or later you'll be asking questions he'll respect
and I can't answer. So accept a chuckle from the sarcasm and such, and
press on, friend.
Click to expand...

Oops, I had you confused with the op.

Michael
 
Pelysma said:
Oh, so that's it. I just thought you were in a crummy mood or something.

's'okay.
Click to expand...

I'm in a crummy mood too, I had to work today. :-) I was wondering why you
suddenly seemed to have more knowledge.

Michael
 
Hi

I've had some spare parts for a few years now in my loft. Theres
easily 2 computers to be made a P 400 and Celeron 1.5.

I'm looking at replacing my current router with a smoothwall linux
system. Thing is that I want to have a play with it before I go and
buy a computer case.

Is there anyway to turn on a computer with no computer case. Ideally
some kind of small switch that plugs into the motherboard?.
Click to expand...

The motherboard pin header has two pins for the on/off
switch. A case has this switch connected by a length of
wire (varies, about 16" long) and either a bi-pin connector
socket with 0.1" or 2.54mm spacing, or it's part of a more
integrated connector with many wires (as with OEMs).

You simply need a momentary contact, normally open switch
with a length of two conductor wire and a bipin socket with
the aforementioned 0.1" spacing.

You could build this yourself, or you could just take the
tip of a screwdriver to these two pins (carefully) every
time you wanted to turn on the system or force it off.

Another option is to visit a mom-n-pop computer shop, if you
don't have any spare cases lying about. Any ATX case, even
the old AT cases' reset switch, would have one of these
ready-to-use in it, you'd just pull the front bezel off and
take the switch out of it's housing (usually two tabs or
hot-glued in, sometimes on a removable panel that screws to
the main case wall).

If you don't need play with it much, I'd just use the
screwdriver... though if you'll continually be playing with
odd bits of gear it is handy to have a spare power
switch/lead/connector assembly handy for such occasions.
 
I've built at least 15 computers over the past 8 years. Maybe its
just me but I'm not that stupid to play with metal screwdrivers and
touching the motherboard pins to just see what happens?

Hence the question. Thanks for the replies - all softed now. The 2
pin trick works a treat for the time being.

Rich

If you're asking such an advanced question maybe you shouldn't be putting
computers together.

Michael
Click to expand...



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Rich said:
I've built at least 15 computers over the past 8 years. Maybe its
just me but I'm not that stupid to play with metal screwdrivers and
touching the motherboard pins to just see what happens?

Hence the question. Thanks for the replies - all softed now. The 2
pin trick works a treat for the time being.

Rich
Click to expand...

Glad we could help. Good luck with your project!

....I always wanted to do that, you know, components mounted helter-skelter
on a piece of plywood hanging on the wall.
 
Pelysma said:
Glad we could help. Good luck with your project!

...I always wanted to do that, you know, components mounted helter-skelter
on a piece of plywood hanging on the wall.
Click to expand...

I mounted a via itx board and HDD between 2 pieces of glass with threaded
rod holding it together. Because the board is 12V it just uses a laptop
power supply which is hidden behind my bench.

Michael
 
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