[Tfug] OT - PC Autostart Hardware

[Jim Secan]

After some of the problems we've had with some of our remote systems,  
I think I'd probably rig up a 38 Special pointed at the "on" button  
with a time-delayed servo used to actuate the trigger as needed.   A  
bowling ball suspended from the ceiling targeting the "on" button  
would also work nicely.

Jim
==================================
James Secan
NorthWest Research Associates, Inc
2455 E. Speedway Blvd, Suite 204
Tucson, AZ  85719
(520) 319-7773 (phone and FAX)
==================================



On Feb 4, 2009, at 8:35 PM, Bexley Hall wrote:
>>
>
> I had to think about this to figure out what was so
> "special" about your requirement...
>
> Obviously, you can power *down* most modern PC's
> "on command" (you may need to be root and/or hack the
> kernel if you want an arbitrary process to be able to do this
> EVEN IF THE SYSTEM IS HUNG)
>
> The trick, of course, is to get the powered down machine
> to power back *up* after power has been removed!  ;-)
>
> It seems like this should be easy to do with a little
> hardware hack external to the machine.  In essence, you want
> to be able to cause the power button to be "pushed" *after*
> you have "shutdown" the system.
>
> You should be able to attach an open-drain output of a
> one-shot to the power button and trigger it from some
> "convenient" output available on the machine (an unused
> signal on a serial port, parallel port, etc.).  I suspect
> you could also just trigger it on "falling Vcc" (i.e.,
> whenever the system shuts off, have it turn itself back
> on *regardless* of the actual cause! -- This would require
> the presence of a "real" power switch to be able to turn the
> machine off "for good").
>
> Unfortunately, this requires a (minor) mod to the hardware
> so its not a "portable" solution...
>
>
>
>
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