How do you guys shut down your machine once its in the cab? (windows?)

[2PacMan]

I'm to the point where i need to figure out how to shut down my computer once it's inside my cabinet.  I have a button that will turn it on from the cab....but how do i shut it down?  I can turn off the computer fine, but what about windows?

Don't i have to properly shut down windows through the start menu...i can't just cut the power, right??  I'm running windows XP, so the ctl+alt+del doesn't power down windows...any ideas??  I'm sure there's an easy way i'm just overlooking??

[markb]

I don't do this but I know it works on my PC, just press the power button, Windows XP has an automatic shutdown feature that activates a proper controlled shutdown.

I don't know if this is recommended or not but it's built in to XP so it is probably alright.

[screaming]

Yup, this is all I do as well.

Alternatively, several Front Ends (MAMEWAH does anyway) has an option to shut down the computer gracefully when you exit.

-sab

[2PacMan]

Are you talking about the power button in the front of the computer?  I push that button and nothing happens.  I can turn it on with that button, but it won't turn off that way...maybe if i hold it down? 

Or, is it ok just to completely kill the power?  I want to turn on my whole system by flipping my surge protector strip switch.  So i flip the surge switch on, then i push the button on the tower to start the comp....so can i just flip the surge switch off when i'm finished playing, or will that damage the computer?  I have gameadvance for a front end, it does not have an option for a smooth shutdown.

[screaming]

It's usually a BIOS option, what happens when you press the power button when the machine is on.  It can be set to power off hard, power off gracefully, go to sleep/hibernate, or do nothing.  Check in your BIOS.

Shutting off your computer by the powerstrip is never a good idea.  Your chances of losing data are greatly reduced though, if you have Windows 2000/XP/Linux and use a journaling file system (i.e. if your hard drive is formatted NTFS or EXT3 and not FAT32 or EXT2. On Windows, you can tell if your hard drive if formatted one way or the other by right-clicking on each drive and select Properties. Up near the top it will say File System: NTFS/FAT32).

  HOWEVER you still run the risk of physically damaging components of the system (power supply/motherboard), especially if you skimped and bought a cheap power strip or power supply.

  I would recommend you use that method as a last resort.

-sab

[Hoopz]

With my I-Pac, I can assign a macro to a button.  Depending on your encoder, if you are using one, you may be able to do the same.

The macro can be "Windows key", "U", "U".

The Windows key opens the Start menu, the first "U" will bring up the Turn Off Computer window, and the second "U" will shUt down windows.

If you have other listings in your Start menu that begin with the letter U, you would have to adjust process but the concept is the same.

[SirPoonga]

I just let my computer sleep

[UndeadMeat]

To set the computer's front power button to shut the computer down do the following:

1. Right click the desktop
2. Click "Properties"
3. Click the "Screen Saver" tab
4. Click the "Power" button near the bottom
5. Click the "Advanced" tab
6. In the lower half of the Advanced window is a drop down box for "When I press the power button on my computer:"  Change it to "Shut Down"

Now wire up a standard microswitch button to the leads on the motherboard that the power button normally connects to, and hide the button somewhere on you cabinet (like the top or back). Then just reach up and hit it to turn the computer on, and hit it again to shut it down.  Hope this helped.

-UndeadMeat

[AlanS17]

That's also assuming your motherboard is new enough to support it. I'd say about 90% or more are, but I remember older ones that couldn't do that. If you're building a PC or bought one in the past couple years you ought not to have a problem. If you're pulling an old "beater" out of storage and blowing the dust off, that power button on the front may not perform the way you want it to.

Also, a quick tap won't always do it. Hold it in for just a second. Holding it for too long will kill power altogether, but I'm pretty sure they have protection for people just casually bumping into it.

[Stingray]

I don't do this but I know it works on my PC, just press the power button, Windows XP has an automatic shutdown feature that activates a proper controlled shutdown.

I don't know if this is recommended or not but it's built in to XP so it is probably alright.

FYI for Mac users, this works with Mac OS 9 & OS X as well.

-S

[2PacMan]

Thanks for the input guys!  I think really wanted to do 'undeadmeat's' idea about just pushing the power button to shut it down...so i'm gonna try that first.  That will properly shut down windows, right?  Like, right in the middle when i'm playing pac-man, with MAME running, i can just hit the power off button, and everything will shut down fine??  Or do i have to end all programs first, then shut down?

Macros!  I never thought of that, if the power button thing doesn't work, i'm going with a macro, cause i am using an IPAC. 

Thanks for all the great suggestions...wish me luck!

[AlanS17]

Yeah you can shut down at any moment. You don't have to close anything up first. The shut down process in WinXP will take care of it. Just give it a good push, but don't hold it in too long. That will cause an immediate turn off without the proper shut down procedure.

Like this... Oh darn... be back a few...