HOW TO TURN ON LAPTOP IF YOU CANT REACH BUTTON any input device that can turn it on?

**omlax19** · 07-23-2005, 08:09 AM

ok i would like to mount my laptop in the rear or under on of the seats but the buttin is built into a board in the laptop so clippin wires and running a switch is out of the question.

Does anyone know of a way i could maybe find a device that goes into a usb slot that i can program to have an on switch.

or maybe a small USB keyboard that has a On button

LET ME KNOW please help cause after i get this situated you will be impressed with my car

hint hint dodge magnum, 22's w 5 inch lip, 50 inches worth of monitors

**omlax19** · 07-23-2005, 08:17 AM

if you know of anything post it or email me a lnk or something to omlax19@hotmail.com

**zPilott** · 07-23-2005, 11:09 AM

I don't think it is likely you will find something, especially if you cut the power to the laptop when you leave the car.

Most laptops don't run power to USB devices when they are off, and I don't know of any that will run power to usb devices while off AND disconnected from power.

If you can get a docking station for your laptop, you may be in luck, but then again maybe not.

Running wires is not usually a matter of clipping existing wires, it is a matter of soldering wires to the board.

Good luck with your search.

**MoFo** · 07-23-2005, 11:11 AM

i think you should put some thought into soldering a push button switch. Take a look at this thread and scroll down to my posts: Remote power up of laptop?

**shotgunefx** · 07-23-2005, 11:28 AM

Here is what I did. I did it on the docking station instead of the laptop because I paid 30 bucks for the docking station on ebay and I felt more comfortable screwing that up

**omlax19** · 07-23-2005, 11:44 AM

if i short the power switch to the laptop will it turn on once the laptop is supllied with power?

if so how would i short it ill get picks when i get off work of what i am dealing with

**shotgunefx** · 07-23-2005, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by omlax19

if i short the power switch to the laptop will it turn on once the laptop is supllied with power?

if so how would i short it ill get picks when i get off work of what i am dealing with

My bad. Should have link this as well.
Basically using a RC circuit (Resistor/Capacitor) circuit. On my laptop, if you short out the power it works, for about 2 seconds and then reboots, over and over and over. So I needed to press it only for a fraction of a second.

DC Current flows through a capacitor until the plates have an equal charge. Until then, current flows.
The resistor is used to manipulate how long the cap takes to charge. Until the cap is charged, the circuit is closed (pressed). When it's charged, current stops and the circuit is open. (unpressed)

So that's how I'm simulating the press.

**zPilott** · 07-23-2005, 12:10 PM

most of the ones I have seen have 5 contacts on them. you should be able just try out shorting two of them that look promising with a small piece of wire. start with the ones that look easiest to solder first

with my laptop, I checked with a multimeter, and three were connected, and the other two were connected, so even though it looked like 5 posts, there was really only 2 different contacts.

**zPilott** · 07-23-2005, 12:13 PM

I used the first schematic on this site to turn on the laptop with acc power

http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page5.asp

I split the wires, and connected one to the relay, and the other to a switch, so i still have a manual power button up front