Author Topic: Haunted cabinet still turns on by itself. Whatever. (Read 3152 times)

Dervacumen · « **on:** October 19, 2006, 05:04:23 pm »

With halloween right around the corner, it's somehow fitting this has become an issue.

My cabinet has now turned itself on 3 times for no apparent reason. It's only been built for about a week and a half. It was on when I woke up this morning. The second time it came on by itself I was standing about 7 feet away, and *poof* it turned on, sure enough. Fortunately, I looked at my wife and said "Well, I guess I have to play a game now...." But I digress.

The cabinet is not hooked to the internet or phone (just a power cord connects it to the outside world) and I don't have a wireless network.

It's an old MOBO, ASUS P3V4X, which apparently has some type of infrared something or other on it, but it's never been used and I used the computer while it was still in it's case for 2 1/2 years without it ever turning on automatically.

All I can figure is that some random ambient noise is of the same frequency as the IR receiver on the mobo. Maybe I can turn that off in the BIOS?

Possibly the TV remote (about 25 feet away, through a wall and a bunch of crazy angles)?

Is it even possible that there is a short somewhen in my system that's causing an arc somewhere?

Anyone run into something like this?

leapinlew · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2006, 05:06:24 pm »

You using a smart strip?

Dervacumen · « **Reply #2 on:** October 19, 2006, 05:18:48 pm »

No smartstrip. I've built a switched outlet using a relay. Incoming power comes into one outlet which has the computer plugged into it. I have extended the power button from the power input on the motherboard and press that button to turn on the computer. When the computer comes on, the relay turns on the other outlet which has the monitor plugged into it.

kelemvor · « **Reply #3 on:** October 19, 2006, 06:23:33 pm »

Maybe there's a short in the power button wiring that's making it connect every so often. I'd jsut start taking pieces out until you find that the problem stops

ahofle · « **Reply #4 on:** October 19, 2006, 06:42:12 pm »

Yeah, definitely remove your switched outlet from the equation for starters to narrow that out. I seem to recall seeing at least two other threads like this but I can't find them, nor can I remember what the solutions were.

Fozzy The Bear · « **Reply #5 on:** October 19, 2006, 07:12:44 pm »

Quote from: Dervacumen on October 19, 2006, 05:04:23 pm

My cabinet has now turned itself on 3 times for no apparent reason.

Anyone run into something like this?

Yes!....... It's entirely probable that your motherboard has a bios option that includes one of the following:

1) Wake On (various events).... you can turn those off.

or

2) An option that determines what happens after a mains power loss... You may find that this is set to restart the computer after a power loss is restored. This sometimes results in a computer starting itself up due to noise on the mains frequency or a after a short power spike.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

Tahnok · « **Reply #6 on:** October 19, 2006, 07:16:50 pm »

I had a computer for a while that turned on by itself. Like Fozzy said, it was because of both a timed on and a power-on after loss of power. Where I had it plugged in has dirty power and would cause the PC to act weird (either coming on or turning off at random times). The solution was to use a cheap UPS. I good power strip (one with a filter) might also do the trick.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2006, 02:17:19 pm »

Okay. My cabinet still turns on by itself, but I may be getting closer to a solution.

I have replaced the relay with a new one. It has turned on 5 times since I replaced it.

I have disabled all kinds of start up / power on settings in the BIOS. Maybe I missed something?

Power Up Control - Each is set to Disabled:
AC Power Loss
Power up on External Modem Activity
Wake on LAN or PCI Modem
Power up on PS2 Mouse
Wake up by Keyboard
Automatic Power up

I have also set UART2 - Use Infrared to disabled.

The cabinet is in my garage. The power goes to a power strip which is plugged into the wall. I have plugged the cabinet directly into the wall outlet and it still comes on by itself.

I have noticed a trend. The second time the cabinet turned on by itself, I had just opened the door from the garage to the house. The third time it came on, I was dumping a box of pachinko balls into a plastic container.

Then I changed the relay.

The next two times it turned on whenopening the door to go into the house.

The second to last time it came on it was just on when I got home from work.

The last time it turned on was sometime last night. It was on when I went out to feed my cat this morning. I went to take a look at it and noticed that the back panel door had fallen off. (It's only held in place by velcro as a temporary solution until I figure out why the cabinet keeps going on.)

My guess is that some noise is turning it on. It seems to consistent that most of the time it goes on when I turn the door knob. Then once with the pachinko balls. I'm guessing that my cat's metal collar tag has also activated it when it clinked up against his glass water dish. The only other time the cabinet came on that wasn't one of the above was when we had a load of clothes in the dryer - and I suspect the tink / clink noise of the zippers etc. set it off.

Am I crazy?

I remember we used to have a Sony TV that we could turn on by dropping my dad's keyring (no body else's though) about 2 feet in front of it. Out of every 10 throws it would turn on maybe 2-3 times.

I guess having a cabinet that turns on by itself is better than one that turns off while I'm playing it.

ahofle · « **Reply #8 on:** November 06, 2006, 03:19:30 pm »

Have you tried with NO relay?

Dervacumen · « **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2006, 04:45:41 pm »

Yes. Sorry I left out that detail.
Before hooking up the new relay I ran one power cord from the computer power supply to a power strip, and one from the monitor to the power strip. I turned them both on and off separately.
I still had the machine come on one time.

Then I put the new relay in.

That's part of the reason its been a while between postings on the subject. Once I make a change, I can only know if it didn't work if the machine turns on by itself. Otherwise I'm just waiting around for a sufficient amount of time that it has NOT turned on. Then I'll be a little more confident that problem is solved.

Reminds me of the philosophy of science. Can't prove anything. Only disprove things until you're reasonable sure of the right answer.

One more thing I was thinking. Every PC power wire I have seen is a twisted pair, presumably to cut down on induction. When I extended my power switch wires I did not twist them. Think this could make a difference? I guess I can rip out the power button wiring, twist it, and reinstall it.

Lilwolf · « **Reply #10 on:** November 07, 2006, 08:50:43 am »

Check to see if your house was built over an old native american burial grounds? Or anyone die building your house or since??

RayB · « **Reply #11 on:** November 08, 2006, 12:49:15 am »

Well that should teach you to build relays from old "Clapper" systems!!

JustMichael · « **Reply #12 on:** November 08, 2006, 04:58:45 am »

Having the cab turn on when "no one was near it" was easy for Halloween. Set "wake on USB" in the bios and used a USB infra-red receiver. The real spooky thing was adding the UPS (a battery backup type of thing) to the cabinet. I disabled the "beep" on the UPS. I unplugged the cab from the wall and draped the cord so it hung over the front some. I wanted everyone to see the cab was unplugged so they wouldn't play it. You should have seen their faces when the "haunted" cab came on and it wasn't even plugged into the wall!!!

ArcadEd · « **Reply #13 on:** November 08, 2006, 06:43:33 pm »

Just out of curiousity, have you tried removing your power button to the PC. Unhook it from mobo and see if it still comes on by itself. If it does, at least you can eliminate a short somewhere in your power switch and wiring.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #14 on:** November 09, 2006, 01:44:41 pm »

Good plan. I've disconnected thw power button connector at the MB and will wait to see what happens.

Maybe I'll rattle the doorknob while transferring pachinko balls form one container to another as a load of laundry goes through the dryer just to speed up the process.

RayB · « **Reply #15 on:** November 09, 2006, 03:45:48 pm »

Is there a microphone attached?!?!

Dervacumen · « **Reply #16 on:** November 10, 2006, 08:55:59 am »

No microphone. The mobo is an ASUS p3v4x.
So far the machine has not turned on by itself since I unplugged the power connector from the mobo header. We'll see what happens today.

Bill Mote · « **Reply #17 on:** November 11, 2006, 08:11:33 am »

When I was younger we had a TV that would turn on and off by itself. We called a repair guy who could find nothing. We finally had it replaced under warranty, but it still would seemingly randomly turn on and off. Then it happened. 2 quick consecutive events while my dad was looking outside. The neighbors garage door opener was the culprit! My dad talked him into changing his frequency and everything was fine.

On another note; you'd be shocked and just how "dirty" the power coming into your house is. It's in a constant state of fluctuation. Putting a cheap, small UPS with "brown out protection" or "line filtering" will extend the life of your equipment. While you're picking one up for your cabinet don't forget the expensive HDTV you have sitting in your living room

dot

lloydcom · « **Reply #18 on:** November 11, 2006, 08:21:31 am »

Hate to be a party pooper, but can you not just unplug it from the wall or wire it up to a wall switch?

I'm in the UK and over here the volts are 240, I always switch off from the wall for all my gear in the cab (most are PSUs) to save energy, also it stops the nagging in my head that the house will catch fire.

Is the power socket in a way that the above would not apply, besides you can feign tripping when the wife isn't looking and plug it in for a quick session.....

If not, can you ask that ghost to come over here and live in my cab? I need all the excuses I can have for a dig dug session.

Bill Mote · « **Reply #19 on:** November 11, 2006, 02:41:01 pm »

I built the cab for my kids <wink> <wink> and the Mrs. digs it. She's actually a Centipede buff so she doesn't mind me playing it at all.

dot

Dervacumen · « **Reply #20 on:** November 28, 2006, 12:29:16 pm »

Just a followup.

Well, the cabinet never turned on by itself once the power switch connector was disconnected from the motherboard. It sat for several days. I ran new power button wiring over the weekend and called it good. The machine is now in the house, complete, and has not turned on by itself. If it does I'll just play a game.

Still don't understand how those other wires may have caused this.

ArcadEd · « **Reply #21 on:** November 28, 2006, 12:35:42 pm »

Good to hear buddy. Have fun

.

dhansen · « **Reply #22 on:** November 28, 2006, 12:42:41 pm »

Quote from: dot on November 11, 2006, 02:41:01 pm

I built the cab for my kids <wink> <wink> and the Mrs. digs it. She's actually a Centipede buff so she doesn't mind me playing it at all.

dot

What is it about women and centipede? Must be the phallic thing... if that's the case, why do they want to shoot it into tiny pieces before it gets to them? Ahhhhhh....

Banacek · « **Reply #23 on:** November 28, 2006, 07:31:38 pm »

I have a similar problem, but the cab turns on when I turn the light switch on in the room. I have the pc set up to boot from a keystroke, and I know flipping the light switch effects the other electrical devices in the room. I just don't know how to stop it. I'm using a Smart Strip as well.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #24 on:** December 03, 2006, 12:03:04 pm »

So it turned on ten minutes ago while I walked by. My wife was 8 feet away putting a few items in the fridge.

It's been really dry around here over the past few days. I've noticed a lot of static electricity buildup, even when just removing my jacket.

My electrifying personality must have turned on the cabinet.

True to my word I stopped what I was doing, played a game of centipede, then returned to what I was doing.

I guess that's one of those things that makes this cabinet special.

Dervacumen · « **Reply #25 on:** June 19, 2007, 08:24:25 pm »

Okay, old topic revisited.

I've had this cabinet in the same location since last post - maybe 8 months ago.

Anyway, every time I plug in my Aero Bed and inflate it, the cabinet turns on. Sometimes the vacuum turns it on, too but not as predictably. And these are plugged into different outlets each time (4 different outlets for the Aero Bed, and maybe 20 or so for the vacuum). The outlets are not on the same circuit. Prior to bringing the cab inside I had it in the garage, where it also turned on by itself.

I figured it might be dirty power as discussed earlier, except the power outlets in the garage were installed just prior to building the cabinet, and the power runs off a subpanel that was tapped into the main so I know there's not an overload. Heck, the only other thing plugged into that circuit is a freezer.

Is it likely that the whole power grid in my area is bad? I live in a development that's only 15 years old. Or maybe a bad connection coming from the utility to my house?

ElfShotTheFood · « **Reply #26 on:** June 19, 2007, 08:49:53 pm »

With all the things that have already been ruled out as part of the problem i would say try replacing the atx power supply. i have a p3v4x myself but i cant remember any strange power up issues with it. the only problem i had was not being able to boot higher than 866mhz reliably with a 650 pIII.

maybe try updating the bios

or just consider the "bug" to be a "feature"

good luck

_Iz- · « **Reply #27 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:44:47 pm »

How is the computer *supposed* to turn on? Have you wired a switch to the mobo? is the mobo still in a computer case? Please give details or even pictures of your setup...

patrickmaher · « **Reply #28 on:** June 20, 2007, 12:12:26 am »

I have seen computers power up on their own from the ATX power connector to the motherboard being loose and from a certain USB device being plugged in.

I would unplug all cables from the computer, remove it from the cabinet, and plug it into it's own wall socket.

If it no longer powers up on it's own then it is something in the cabinet. In this case I would put it back in the cabinet and hook it back up to your power strips for power but don't plug in anything other than power to the computer (no video, usb, keyboard, etc). This will determine if it is a external computer device or the power wiring.

Going back to the first test, if it still powers up on it's own when it is out of the cabinet then it is either your power or a component in the computer.
Then you could try setting it up with a UPS or line conditioner to determine if it is your power. If it still turns on when it is powered through a UPS you can try to remove any extra parts from the computer that is not needed to power on. Really you could strip it down to CPU, motherboard, and power supply since we are just looking for power on and not video or successfull POST. If it still turns on then you want to reinstall half the devices and repeat until you can narrow it down to one. If it does still turn on with minimal devices installed then replace the power supply.

After all that if it is not fixed then you can assume it is the motherboard causing the problem.

Green Giant · « **Reply #29 on:** June 20, 2007, 12:29:40 am »

I say you stick with the indian burial ground idea, or possibly the government implants are interfering with it.

Malenko · « **Reply #30 on:** June 20, 2007, 12:00:03 pm »

why not run the power through a standard wall switch? when its in the off position, no juice would flow through

SavannahLion · « **Reply #31 on:** June 20, 2007, 12:44:28 pm »

OK....

It's a known condition, I'm surprised patrickmaher is the only one to touch on this subject. It's been a long time since I encountered it so the details are kind of hazy.

The Aero Bed and vacuum triggering the PC power on really only points to it.

I own a ASUS P5A and an IBM Aptiva that exhibited the same exact issue. They would mysteriously switch itself on at odd times. Eventually, I located someone with the same symptoms who figured it out. The culprit? The refrigerator. Every time the fridge switched on, a minor brown out occurred on the power lines, this causes a power drop to the ATX PSU which caused fluctuations to the standby lines "fooling" the MB into thinking the power switch was pressed and powering itself up. In my case, it wasn't just the refrigerator, but the swamp cooler and other PC's shifting into and out of power up. The dirty power in my neighborhood probably did little to help the problem as well.

I second the solution patrickmaher presented. You need something smooth and regulate the incoming power and for that, you need a UPS. Your UPS will take an absolute beating, but your computers will be better off in the long run.

siddhartha · « **Reply #32 on:** June 20, 2007, 07:41:13 pm »

call a priest

Jouster · « **Reply #33 on:** June 20, 2007, 08:35:20 pm »

When I first moved my bartop inside...I plugged it into the nearest outlet. That outlet is also shared by my mini-fridge...loaded full of beer.

Anyway, I'd be working on it and all of a sudden the whole thing would just drop power and die. For the first few times I thought it was my hacked power strip arcing or something...but I didn't notice that sweet smell of 'extra electricity' or hear that telltale popping. After another few times of it dropping...I started to realize that the mini-fridge kicked on or off at the same time. So I grabbed up an extension cord and plugged into another outlet. I haven't had it drop on me since.

Hopefully you find the culprit.

Jouster


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Author Topic: Haunted cabinet still turns on by itself. Whatever. (Read 3152 times)

lloydcom