Momentary switch to a Mini PC motherboard?

[jlfreund]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a high-end mini-PC (similar to Minisforum UM790) capable of supporting wiring from the MB to an external momentary switch mounted on the cabinet?

I'm not sure, but I don't think these mini PC's generally expose any solder points that you could bridge with a simple switch.

https://store.minisforum.com/collections/amd-%C2%AE-ryzen-%C2%AE/products/minisforum-um790-pro

[lilshawn]

nothing a soldering iron and a couple wires can't solve.

dell computers are the same. i just pull the front off to expose the power switch where its soldered onto the little board and solder a meter or so of wire leads to it and hook it up to my own switch. never had a problem doing it that way.

it's easy to undo if i needed to ever send off the computer for warranty or something like that.

[BlueGhost]

I'm assuming this is to power the pc off/on.  Depending on the bios options there may be a way to do it without hacking the power switch.  I have an assortment of mini-pcs I'll be using in cabinets.  Some have a keyboard button combination that will power them on (alt+p for Lenovo) and most have the option to power on "when power is restored."  So if you can power down via a front end option, then you can power back on with a keyboard shortcut (thinking i-pac macro) or by toggling the power supply off and back on.

[_Iz-]

I bought a small push/pull solenoid and wired the solenoid to a power supply and an external momentary button and positioned the solenoid in front of the power button on the mini pc. The mini pc is completely unmodified. Pushing the external momentary button activates the solenoid and the solenoid pushes the power button on the mini pc.

[lilshawn]

I bought a small push/pull solenoid and wired the solenoid to a power supply and an external momentary button and positioned the solenoid in front of the power button on the mini pc. The mini pc is completely unmodified. Pushing the external momentary button activates the solenoid and the solenoid pushes the power button on the mini pc.

that is actually quite ingenious!

[Mordac85]

I thought the same thing!  I know Dell's used to have an option in the bios to start when power is applied.  I  did this for my work laptop so when I hit my power strip the laptop booted as well.  That's probably the easiest method, if it's available.  But if not I'd use lilshawn's option since it's easy to put a switch in parallel w/the existing one.

[_Iz-]

I opened up the mini pc with the intent of connecting wires to the button inside and realized i’m getting too old and my eyes are not good enough to risk trying to solder to stuff that tiny! So it put it back together and came up with the solenoid idea.  LOL

The original computer i had in the cabinet had a normal atx mobo and that was easy to push a standard connector onto the motherboard power switch pins. When it died i got the mini pc without entirely thinking about the consequences.

[Mordac85]

I opened up the mini pc with the intent of connecting wires to the button inside and realized i’m getting too old and my eyes are not good enough to risk trying to solder to stuff that tiny! ...

Luckily, I have an OptiVisor or I wouldn't be able to do half the stuff I used to w/o thinking.

[jlfreund]

I attempted to connect an external momentary power switch to my Minisforum BD770i Mini ITX motherboard and somehow managed to blow it up.

I originally connected the case front panel connector to the motherboard, and verified the PC would boot up by pressing the power button on the case.  Then I teed off the two power switch wires with connectors to an external switch.   After doing a quick test, I was able to power on the PC by tapping the two teed wires together (as if they were being connected by a momentary switch).

Once.

After trying to boot a second time, using either the external wires, or case power switch, I get zero sign of life.  At first I thought I somehow blew the PS, so I ordered a replacement, but still nothing.  After monkeying with the wires and connectors I couldn't find anything suspicious.  Now, I have no idea what's wrong, other than it's not the PS. 

Does anyone have any idea whether teeing wires from the motherboard to the power switch should be kosher?  Did I do something wrong?