My HP Pavilion N5190 / F2025A Laptop Carputer Project

**PDiddy** · 04-14-2005, 06:12 PM

Hey bro. Question on that laptop. I have the same one I think. Have to check the model number but how do you have it wired to get power? I've been thinking of getting the port replicator and then wiring an external switch. How is it that you have it done?? As it is right now I have the screen taken off my laptop so i just reach around the passenger screen and turn it on but I do have an external switch I can mount. I even opened up to access the mobo and saw that I just can't add on the switch so I felt like a docking station was the way to go. I really wanna know. Thanks.

**LinuxRacr** · 04-14-2005, 09:24 PM

I actually have my laptop powered by a Coleman 400 Watt Inverter hooked up to my port replicator.

**PDiddy** · 04-15-2005, 07:32 AM

I understand that. I'm just wondering how you actually power on the laptop? Are you using the actual switch on the laptop by opening up the screen or is there an external switch on the port replicator or do you have one wired externally and mounted somewhere else? Also if you got pics of that, would be great. I'm thinking of mounting an external switch off the port replicator but before I actually went out and got the docking station I just wanna found out others experiences. Thanks.

**LinuxRacr** · 04-15-2005, 01:24 PM

The BIOS of the Pavilion 5190 has a setting that makes the laptop power on when the port replicator/docing station receives power. So it inherantly comes on by default

The screen automatically comes on when it detects the Laptop.

**PDiddy** · 04-15-2005, 01:29 PM

Really. Do you know what that setting is by any chance in the Bios and what version of the Bios you have? You think that would work without the docking station or is the station necessary? Do you just shut it down or have it go into hibernate when you turn off the car? Thanks!

**PDiddy** · 04-18-2005, 03:04 PM

Any response to my last question?

**LinuxRacr** · 04-19-2005, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by PDiddy

Really. Do you know what that setting is by any chance in the Bios and what version of the Bios you have? You think that would work without the docking station or is the station necessary? Do you just shut it down or have it go into hibernate when you turn off the car? Thanks!

I have no idea about the setting in the bios as mine was on when I got my laptop off Ebay. I don't have a working battery (yet), so I don't put it in hibernate yet.

**LinuxRacr** · 04-22-2005, 02:51 PM

OK, I figured out the Hibernate thing thanks to a friend...

**PDiddy** · 04-22-2005, 08:17 PM

Yeah I just had issues with the HIbernate on it working with Frodo. Whenever I hibernate the laptop, the sound goes down to mute and the only way to get sound coming out of hibernation from Frodo is to go through the control panel and turn it on manually. Really weird. I think its a Frodo thing and not a laptop issue.

**Zerocz** · 04-25-2005, 07:22 PM

I also have the f2025a, and I'm trying to rig a power switch to it. I thought I had it all figured out. Just solder the new switch's leads to the contacts of the old. But then I opened it up and saw this:

The switch is the lower tiny black box, the one with three contacts. Can anyone help me figure out if I can still do this? I'd try shorting a couple at a time, but when it's installed, you can't access the leads. All you can see is the back.

EDIT: I did some testing with a multimeter, and found that with the switch off, pins 1 and 3 are connected. When the switch is on, pins 2 and 3 are connected. Pins 1 and 3 are not connected when the switch is on.

I could try soldering a lead to each of the three contacts, and see what shorting those does, but I thought I'd ask first.