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Downside to Smartstrip Power Option

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FrizzleFried:

Here is a little somethin-somethin I didn't even consider when I put together my cocktail cabinet....

I set up the cocktail cabinet with a SMARTSTRIP and set the BIOS to power up at return of the loss of power.  I wired up a Happ button under the cabinet to the ATX power switch.  When I push the button,  the cabinet powers up,  as does all peripherals and the external amp I use (the cabinet is a jukebox as well).  When I shut down,  all peripherals (and the amp) shut down... great!   

The other day I walked in to my arcade and the cocktail cabinet was sitting there running...the amp was on... I had not been in that room for about 36 hours...I was working on a Donkey Kong Jr in the main garage area.   

Then it came to me...the friggin' power had gone out for about 10 seconds the day before.  Upon the return of power,  the cocktail cabinet fired up.  DUH!

I had turned off the screen saver because I use a screen saver built in to my front end.   Lesson learned.   I now have my "windows" screen saver set for 2 hours just in case this happens again.  I also learned to check the cocktail cabinet when I have a power outtage.   Doh!



2600:

That's not the best way to use the SmartStrip.

I'm not sure of your particular requirements, but there are better ways that won't have your side affects.
Is there a reason you have the BIOS set like that and a reason you have the Happ button set to the ATX power switch?

WLVRYN:

I was just going to post the same thing.  If you are using the Smartstrip, I didnt think that you need to have the BIOS set to turn the computer on after a power loss.  You just plug the computer into the blue outlet and turn it on and off through Windows (or via the pushbutton if you choose to/can do it that way - my particular BIOS wont let me power down via the button, it has to be through Windows).   Everything else powers on when you turn on the computer via the pushbutton.

Am I missing something?

SavannahLion:


--- Quote from: 2600 on March 07, 2007, 02:02:26 pm ---That's not the best way to use the SmartStrip.

I'm not sure of your particular requirements, but there are better ways that won't have your side affects.
Is there a reason you have the BIOS set like that and a reason you have the Happ button set to the ATX power switch?

--- End quote ---

I concur with 2600 on this. It puzzles me why everyone does funky stuff with their power control schemes when wiring a momentary push switch to the MB control switch would be the best solution in 90% of the designs I've looked over. Replacing the existing momentary switch or wiring in parallel to the existing switch to the motherboard should pretty much negate any need for tweaking the BIOS. There should be a setting somewhere in XP to power down the PC when hitting the power switch. If not, a keyboard shortcut to powerdown would be the next easiest solution in my eyes.

The power up after loss of power is meant for computers with server duties, such as a home, printer or network server.

Killing the power at the ATX side instead of a proper shutdown puts the computer at greater risk for all sorts of problems. The most obvious being a hardrive head crash. Newer drives are better equipped to handle sudden shutdowns "floating" the head to the appropriate sector (usually 0) before parking the head, but you still don't want to take the risk.

I mean, each builder configures their own system however they want. It just puzzles me why a lot of people choose to wire into the ATX and modify the BIOS rather than wiring/configuring it the other way. It just seems to me a much easier and safer solution.

SavannahLion:


--- Quote from: pinballjim on March 07, 2007, 03:01:32 pm ---
--- Quote from: SavannahLion on March 07, 2007, 02:33:38 pm ---Killing the power at the ATX side instead of a proper shutdown puts the computer at greater risk for all sorts of problems. The most obvious being a hardrive head crash. Newer drives are better equipped to handle sudden shutdowns "floating" the head to the appropriate sector (usually 0) before parking the head, but you still don't want to take the risk.

--- End quote ---

This hasn't been an issue in over a decade.  Harddrives have a spring in them that pulls the reader back in when power is cut.  I haven't had to "park" a drive in a long, long time...


--- End quote ---

Meet Murphy. I had a 13GB Seagate purchased in '97 (IIRC) that had destroyed sectors after a power failure. To be fair though, I do have the same model, later year, HDD that has this horrid grinding noise from the spindle motor. Might be that particular model line. I've been meaning to tear it apart just for ***** and giggles.

To be honest though, why take a chance when you don't have to? Far better to play it safe than gamble with data on a HDD. I don't know about you, but I'd rather play the games or make improvements to a cab than to spend time and money making repairs that could've been avoided.

Edit: Wow, it catches ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- but not *****? Interesting.

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