Hey
Ive just added some new paerts to my PC just packard bell XP jobbie and was wondering about a few things.
Ive got underneath the power button a 2USB ports that are connected atraight to the mobo into a black 9 pin socket near the expations bays. Is there a way of increasinrg the size of the socket to i can plug more USB bays into it. I have some exactly the same from an old computer (the actual USB ports) but there is abviousley allready one in there. I could do with a port at the back at the top of the PC for my removable hard drive because i cant get a long enought wire to fit it on the table or to the USB port at the back and it doesnt work in an external hub.

Also is there any way of just for fun changing the power button on the PC to work via a remote control because i like remotes :P like the remote control sockets you can get something like that for fun.

Finally like the 1st question is there a way of increasing the size of the chip the power button attaches to either, so i can have more than one power button. Hope all this made sense

I can only answer one (two?) of the questions.

You can change your power button easily. All the power button (and the reset button) is, is a switch.

All you need is something else that will connect the 2 pins on the motherboard together, be it a nice small compact button, or a BIG button, or a screwdriver (which I use to short the 2 pins when I'm messing around the motherboard). You don't need to keep it connected, as long as it shorts it, it will power on.

Which would kinda answer your second question: if you can rig some sort of remote to short the 2 switches, it will work. How to do this, I've got no idea, but I'm sure its doable. Try to look for some remote activated switch or something.

All you gotta do on the motherboard, is just to get the right pins connected one way or another.

Hope this helps.


BTW, you diong some sort of case modding? Sounds like you are here

yer its an old PC my sister had and I'm messing with it because it doesn't matter if it breaks really old and its....its....SINGLE CORE!! but year I'm gonna extend the power button and the USB hub so they run up to my desk so i don't need to bend just for the fun of it lol
so for more than one power buttons to connect all you need to do is to get 2 pins attached? do they have to be any certain pins or just any 2 opposite or something cheers for the help

For that, you'll have to refer to the motherboard manual. Look for front panel connectors or something.

They should be side by side, and its a 2x8 row of pins (2 for power, 2 for reset, 4 for speaker, 2 for HDD lights, and 2 for power lights. And 4 more.... no idea)

Check and see which of the 2 pins are for power (they differ for different mobos I think). Those are the 2 you'll need to short out to power on the computer.

You'll just need some parallel circuits, so that any of the power buttons you got will work (you can have as many as you like).

ok grand but what do you mean by parallel circuits?

Ive tried to extend the switch today cut it in half and soldered some extra wire in between and plugged it in and it shorts for a while enough to power the PC up but then it just dies is there something here im doing that i shouldnt be doing could be that its to long maybe i dont know?

THanks

Can't you get a USB extension cable and plug that into the back port? Something like this?

uhm... you're not supposed to permanently short it.

You short it for a moment, and the computer boots up. And then you un-short it.

If you get my drift XD

Yer i could solve the situation by getting an extender...some how i didnt think of it...darn...ayhow :P
So how do i go about adding the button so that it doesnt keep shorting? cos i dont want to have to keep shorting the PC to get the power or respectivley :P lol

Use some sort of contact switch. When you want to power the PC, press it, and it comes back up when you let go.

Or just 2 bare wires: you short the 2 wires together to boot the PC, and then seperate them when its already powering up. The contact switch is much neater though.

ok great il have a look at that cheers for the help