The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: unclet on December 26, 2007, 11:25:29 am
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I would like to have a button mounted to the top of my cabinet which will allow me to power off/on my computer.
I believe I read a post a long time ago stating that instead of hacking the computer's power pushbutton wiring itself that I can keep the that pushbutton as is, but simply extend a couple wires from the connector plug which goes onto your motherboard. Basically, find the little connector plug which is related to my computer's power button and then insert a couple of wires into this little connector plug. Now, when I push this connector back on to my motherboard there will be two free wires available for me to attach to a button to allow me to turn off/on my computer.
Now, for some reason I think my computer's power button consists of "four" wires (not the expected "two" wires a normal pushbutton switch requires), although I am at work now so I can not verify this. Maybe someone can confirm whether a computer's power button has 2 or 4 wires going to the motherboard. If it has 4 wires going to the motherboard, then which two wires should I be using for my new pushbutton to control power to the computer?
Has anyone done this? If so, then posting a picture would be great. I get nervous attaching wires from my motherboard to stuff.
Hope this makes sense ....
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Most likely the extra wires are either for the reset button, or the power light.
You're going to need to check the manual for the motherboard, and figure out which wires are the two for the actual switch.
You might be able to do it off the motherboard itself, if it's marked well, but I'd go the manual route, if possible.
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I have used two IBM Netvistas in my projects, and they have 4 wries on the power button.
If I remember correctly, two yellows and two blacks. You can splice into either yellow and black.
http://skennys-arcade.blogspot.com/2007/05/i-hacked-my-computer.html
This is the only ATX computer Ive ever seen with four wires on the power pushbutton.
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The 4 wires you are talking about are most likely for the power button and the reset button. If not that then possibly some led's to show status along with the power button.
On mine I thought about coming off the motherboard, but the connections are so small. All I did was shave off some insulation from the power button wires and attach two short wires with quick disconnects from each one. Then I wrapped everything up tight with electrical tape. My main power button still works fine and it is extremely easy to run my cab power button to the quick disconnects on the computer and remove it if necessary.
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Ok .... thanks for the info. Looks like I need to have a closer look at my computer when I get home.
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Ok, I just looked at the computer power button wiring inside the case and noticed there were 6 wires going to it. I took a picture of the pins on the motherboard where the six wires are attached. I also took a picture of the molex plug which goes onto those pins where the blue/black and red/black are the top pins and the yellow/black are the bottom two left pins. Finally I took a picture of the front of the computer case, showing you the power button. The power button has a blue LED around it (see pic) and also there is a little yellow LED circle light below the blue power button. I am assuming the 6 wires are for the blue LED, yellow LED and power button.
Based on my pictures below and the label on the motherboard itself, I am going to use the red/black wires to connect a button to my cabinet for "power".
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Since your computer is still in the case you can identify the wires for the switch from the button you posted. Using the wires that are connected to the power button you can connect to them with these and go to your button, that power button on the computer should only have two wires.
(http://i14.tinypic.com/6tar390.jpg)
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Yeah, but it is small computer and all 6 wires go behind some metal case panel which makes it impossible to see exactly which wires go to the power button itself. Although, since the pinout I posted above indicates two of the top row pins are for "power" I am assuming those are the pins I need to use. Those pins connect the red/black wires....
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Please jump in, if someone feels this is a bad idea... But, I've done it myself on motherboards before.
If you take that six pin plug off and start shorting two of the connectors (preferably in some order), one of the pairs will turn your computer on. My guess is it may be a black/yellow or black/red combination... just make sure you are shorting only two pins at a time so you know which pair it is. Then you can connect your "soft" power button to this pair.
JD
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I connected a standard pushbutton to power mine on/off, first check what motherboard you have and get a pinout from the manufacturer's website, this will tell you what wires go where (you will have power, reset, hdd light etc... pins) then all I did was connect the ground wire from the microswitch on the bottom of the pushbutton to the "power -" on the mb then the NO wire to "power +", you can ofcourse wire up the reset bit aswell but I didnt bother as the one button does me. Sorry for the bad photos im just back at my house for 10mins to pick up some equipment for work.
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Ok... I did some Internet research and here is what I found:
The model you listed: HP pavilion a320n uses the ASUS motherboard model # A7N8X-LA. Unfortunately, this is a proprietary motherboard and a manual is not available at this time to download. However, I did find another Slot A motherboard from ASUS and it looked EXACTLY like the pinouts in the pictures you took. These should work! :applaud:
It looks like your power connectors are the ones next to the empty pin (top row). Pic attached.
~ DeLuSioNaL
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Ok, I just looked at the computer power button wiring inside the case and noticed there were 6 wires going to it. I took a picture of the pins on the motherboard where the six wires are attached. I also took a picture of the molex plug which goes onto those pins where the blue/black and red/black are the top pins and the yellow/black are the bottom two left pins. Finally I took a picture of the front of the computer case, showing you the power button. The power button has a blue LED around it (see pic) and also there is a little yellow LED circle light below the blue power button. I am assuming the 6 wires are for the blue LED, yellow LED and power button.
Based on my pictures below and the label on the motherboard itself, I am going to use the red/black wires to connect a button to my cabinet for "power".
In the picture you posted I can clearly see the labels on the motherboard. Pwr would be the connection you want. It looks like the red and black wire like you stated. You can always test it by jumping across those pins, should turn the computer on. Now that you know you can either splice onto those cables or insert wires directly into the board. I like the splicing method as you still have the cases power button and led's to show status.
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Exactly .... if you look on the picture of the motherboard pins that I posted you can see they are labeled that way. As a result, I was pretty sure the red/black wires were the ones. Thanks for confirming though.
I believe splicing is better as well. It allows me to heat shrink the connections nicely as well.
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The 4 wires you are talking about are most likely for the power button and the reset button. If not that then possibly some led's to show status along with the power button.
Check this out:
http://www.duxcw.com/yabbse/index.php?board=12;action=display;threadid=15003