PC desk power button

[Russ_H]

Hi all,

 

Has anyone bought anything similar to the Sharkoon PC Jump Start - PC Jump Start | SHARKOON Technologies GmbH ?

 

We've bought them in the past but none of our suppliers are able to provide any more. Require ~45 for a lab environment.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Ta,

Russ.

[bladedanny]

I was looking for something similar for a projector trolley. I ended up buying one of these Illuminated Push-to-Make Switch : Push Switches : Maplin Electronics some wire and connecting it up myself. Works pretty well.

[VeryPC_Colin_M]

Hi Russ, PM me your details, I'd be happy to supply. Silver or Black?

[Chris_]

I think @mrbios has some custom setup in his IT labs with the PCs mounted behind panels so they are inaccessible to pupils with USB/audio extensions and buttons on the desk. Can't find the post where he posted all the info about it though...

[synaesthesia]

Interesting. Got some hidden PC's ourselves and it's proven that both WOL and the keyboard shortkeys are rendered useless when they've been powered off by the mains. Any roundabout pricing on those?

[mrbios]

Interesting. Got some hidden PC's ourselves and it's proven that both WOL and the keyboard shortkeys are rendered useless when they've been powered off by the mains. Any roundabout pricing on those?

 

Combine WOL with the bios setting for power on after power fail and you shouldn't have a problem. Even if i shutdown a PC properly, turn the mains off and back on again and the PC will come back on.

 

I think @mrbios has some custom setup in his IT labs with the PCs mounted behind panels so they are inaccessible to pupils with USB/audio extensions and buttons on the desk. Can't find the post where he posted all the info about it though...

 

We've only got power switches on any hidden staff PCs, in which case we used something similar to what bladedanny posted, then we had two different ways of doing it. One was to cut a hole in the back off a lockbox (little key locked money box) then mounting that on the end of some benching and running the cables for the power switches into that, then a small piece of trunking cover to mount and number them on. Alternatively the other way was just to cut trunking into little squares and mount the switches on to those, then either screw them to the desk/wall etc.

 

..... granted one area we were really lazy and just cable tied the switches to the cables going down the back for usb extensions etc (staffroom haha)

Edited July 29, 2013 by mrbios

[synaesthesia]

No, they don't.

If the PC has been hard powered off by mains, then they will not turn back on either with WOL or softkeys. (Gigabyte UEFI boards)

[mrbios]

No, they don't.

If the PC has been hard powered off by mains, then they will not turn back on either with WOL or softkeys. (Gigabyte UEFI boards)

 

That's strange, I've got quite a few UEFI boards from both ASUS and Gigabyte, and the option of "Restore from AC power loss [always off | always on | last state]" set to "Always on" works well for us. You can pull a power lead out while the PC is running and it'll come back on when you plug it in, or you can shutdown the PC properly, flick off the mains and flick it back on again and the PC will come on. You definitely got it set to "always on" and not "last state" ? (wording may vary depending on mobo manufacturer and bios version)

 

EDIT: of course the other option is from the "Bodge Job 101" There's a trick of using a small wire between two specific pins on the 24pin ATX connector which will turn the PC on every time power is applied. I'm not sure if that little trick still works with modern PSUs but i remember it from yeaaars ago.

Edited July 29, 2013 by mrbios

[synaesthesia]

Will check when the opportunity arises, but a "safe" method like this button would be worthwhile. (we, & the department to whom the PC's belong have considered wiring some up manually)

[Russ_H]

I'd love to have the WOL solution but it's been a decision by our Faculty Network Manager not to implement it (silly idea if you ask me..) when other parts of the University have.. so we need a hardware solution.

 

I think it may have to be a home brew solution, especially as we can only purchase through approved suppliers unless anyone has any other solutions they've put in place! Otherwise we'll just have to make the students walk around to the other side of the desks and press the button :-)

[strawberry]

looks funky, Any suppliers care to give a price?