Opinions on turning on cpu

[mvolke1]

I am considering a couple of options to turn on my PC. I have a 1.6 mghz P4 with Windows 2k.

I was thinking of doing the old hardwiring of the power button. But I've heard you can change the power button in BIOS to be something else, like the spacebar, which would be one of the player one buttons on my cab. Is this true? I couldn't find anything online about it.

Hardwiring the button would just require the clipping of a couple wires, I think, just like the arcade buttons. But I thought it would be nice to have a different powering option.

Anyone have experience with the BIOS power button? Anyone have a perference between the two options?

Thanks!

[Dudeman]

It depends on whether or not your BIOS has that option. Not all do. I'd think the only advantage would be if you wanted to start the cab with your standard player buttons instead of another button somewhere less accessible.

[mvolke1]

How do I know if the CPU has the option to turn on through BIOS?

[ahofle]

Start up your computer and go into the BIOS setup (usually pressing F2, F1, or delete during POST).  Go to the power management menu (or whatever it's called for your BIOS).  There is usually something in there about waking up the computer on PS2 keyboard events if your BIOS supports it.

[javeryh]

I wired a separate button and installed it underneath one of my CPs (I have a cocktail cab).  Everything is connected to a powerstrip so it's one button press to turn it on and one button press to turn it off.  It works like a charm!

[Zakk]

I tend to just wire the power on button to a button on the top of cabinet.  That way it's a little hard for someone to turn on the cab accidentally.  Seems to me if you set the CP to start it up, pets or kids or falling burglars will start it up.

[Kevin Mullins]

And before you hardwire a power button, as far as making it "always on", you should test the theory first.

Press and HOLD the power button while it boots up and make sure it doesn't hang, restart, or just wig out in any way. (this would simulate the button being harwired "on")
If that all goes well, then just tie the two wires from the original button together and it will come on when the powerstrip is turned on.

Different motherboards have a tendancy to do different things. 

The older "click-on / click-off" switches were easy to bypass and didn't affect anything else.
But the newer stuff is a different story.

As for just relocating a button as shown above...... simple enough also.

[ahofle]

I have a locking keyboard drawer that I use to power on the cabinet (pressing the spacebar).  The arcade buttons don't turn anything on because they are connected via a USB IPAC.  My BIOS poweron option only works with PS2 keyboards.  I agree that having the cab turn on by touching any of your buttons/joysticks would not be good.

[Turnarcades]

Does anyone know of a guide to wire a button to the physical power switch on an older PC? I want to do this on my machine.

[More Cowbell]

I did the same thing as Peale. This allowed me to hook everything into the powerstrip (computer, monitor, marquee light, speakers) so everything powers on with the one switch. Your option would only turn on the computer, right? Which leaves you manually turning on the rest. I really like the powerstrip method for the all-in-one switch.

Also, I haven't had a computer yet which had that option in the BIOS.

[mvolke1]

How do you do that? Is there an online guide anywhere?

[javeryh]

www.smartstrip.com.  This thing works perfectly.  All you do is plug everything in and you are good to go for one button power on and power off.

[mvolke1]

that link went to an office paper labeling site.

[More Cowbell]

I use a regular old cheap powerstrip.
1) Open the ps, this can be difficult as they usually use those one-way screws. Some manipulating and cranking can usually get them out.
2) Cut one of the wires from the switch to the strip.
3) Attach wires from the cut wire to the switch.
4) Put it all back together.

All you did is essentially lengthened the switch from the strip to the switch at the end of the wires. Now you can mount it anywhere on your cab. I mount the strip inside the cab and route the switch wherever it makes the most sense in that particular cab.

Be careful though, make sure you connect everything safely and keep exposed wires covered so there is no chance of electricuting yourself. As always, be safe with electricity.

[mvolke1]

I googled the Smart Strip and found it. I still would need a way to turn the CPU on, wouldn't I?

[kelemvor]

I plan on just wiring the power button of the PC to a button on the top of the cabinet or underneath the CP or somewhere that's out of the way and you aren't going to press it without really meaning to.

Then Use the SmartStrip thing so that once I turn on the PC, the monitor, speakers, etc all turn on automatically.

[More Cowbell]

There is generally a setting in the BIOS where you can set it to "wake up" whenever there has been a power outage. So when you take power completely away (switch off the powerstrip) and then send it power (turn on the powerstrip) it starts the computer without having to hit the power button. My entire cab fires up with that one switch. It's pretty sweet and much easier for my kids to use. I generally shut down the computer using the Windows shutdown sequence just for safety on the hard drive and on some computers it will try to boot up in safe mode if you shut it down without using the shutdown sequence.

[mvolke1]

And before you hardwire a power button, as far as making it "always on", you should test the theory first.

Press and HOLD the power button while it boots up and make sure it doesn't hang, restart, or just wig out in any way. (this would simulate the button being harwired "on")
If that all goes well, then just tie the two wires from the original button together and it will come on when the powerstrip is turned on.

Different motherboards have a tendancy to do different things. 

The older "click-on / click-off" switches were easy to bypass and didn't affect anything else.
But the newer stuff is a different story.

As for just relocating a button as shown above...... simple enough also.

OK, I tried turning the computer on while holding the power button down. The computer basically wouldn't start. It beeped for a while, but nothing happened.

Also, I went into BIOS and turned the setting so the machine powers up after a power out.
I tried shutting down, unplugging, then plugging back in, but it didn't do anything.

I then tried unplugging while Windows was running, then plugged back in and it started. Is there a way to start it without yanking Windows?

[diverdown]

What about the capacitor method....

I followed a guide i found in byoac and bridged a capacitor over the "power" terminals on the motherboard. 
The computer, monitor and marquee all plug into a powerboeard inside the cab.

Now when I turn the switch on on the wall the whole thing turns on and boots up. I shut down the PC from within FE and then turn it off at the wall....

All on all off.  1 button

[SirPeale]

The Cap Trick

I never used a power strip in any of my cabinets, I hard wired everything together using Molex connectors and terminal strips, just like in stuff you'd see in the wild.