Thread: PS2 used as case and working PS2 reset/eject switch as power and reset

Wasn't sure where to put this, but I am modifying a PS2 case, yes it's been done before, to work as my brother's carpc case. My goal was to keep the front looking as stock as possible including the working power/reset buttons on the front.

After playing around with a voltmeter and some trial and error I have it wired so either button, reset or eject, can turn the system on and off and hitting both at the same time resets the system. I was also able to get two of the three leds, green and blue, to light up. The green and blue leds will stay on while the system is running. The red LED worked as a standby on the original PS2 and while I could get it to light up with the system turned on I couldn't get it to stay on with the system off. This meant having red, red/green-yellow and blue, or just green and blue. The red and green leds occupy the same plastic housing so with both turned on through the plastic it was yellow.

I was also able to get the switch to operate like it would on the PS2, pressing power/reset will reset the machine and holding the power/reset turns it off. After turning it off I couldn't get it to power back on so I decided to go with my original wiring; green and blue led constantly on and both buttons allow for turning the system off and on.

This is for earlier PS2s using the wire reset/eject switch, later versions used ribbons and I’m not sure if they share the same pin/wire count.

There is one gray wire and six white wires; the gray will be wire 1 and the white wires 2-7. I’m assuming the colored pigtails that come with computer cases are all the same; at least they have been in my experience. By pigtails I mean the wires that go from the case; i.e. power, reset, power led etc. to the motherboard chassis pins.

Power Switch:
-Orange to wire 1 (gray)
-White to wires 5&6, splice 5&6 together
Reset Switch:
-Blue to wire 7
-White to wire 4
HDD-Won't actually show hard drive use, but used to activate the blue led.
-Red to wire 2
-White to wire 3

I’m sure it’s possible to get the sleep led pigtail to power the red PS2 led while the system is off, but I couldn’t get it to do so.

Also if there was already a wiring guide for this I’m sorry I searched around the net and didn’t find anything.