Light Switch to Turn On and Off PC???

[Capnflip]

Hello. Yes, I am a pc gamer and builder. I have built and modded several of my own pc's, but this idea just came to my mind. How cool would it be to cut out a space at the top of my case, put a light switch in, and so to turn it on, you walk to your computer, adn have that wonderful sound of *click* and it turns on. I sort of understand the idea of the push on/ push off switch, but im no electricity expert.

I was thinking to rewire the power switch wires from the case button to the light switch, and obviously the cables end on the mobo.

Just wanted to ask some more qualified people on here.

 

[Paperdoc]

Sorry, won't work that way, because that is not the type of switch used for the On / Off function on the case front.

The front push-button is a momentary-contact Normally-Open switch, just like a doorbell push-button. It is not a "latching" push switch as you anticipate. When your computer is "Off", there are still a small couple of circuits working to monitor for inputs from a few sources. One of those is this front panel switch. When the switch is closed (by a push) briefly, the monitoring circuit detects that and initiates the power-on sequence. The switch is NOT supposed to stay closed.

That switch also has another function which is common but optional, according to a setting in BIOS Setup on most machines. When the computer is running, if you push that button in briefly and release, nothing happens. But if you hold it in to close that switch and KEEP pushing for more than 4 to 5 seconds, the BIOS will recognize that as a signal to force a complete shut-down of the system immediately, returning it to its normal "off" state. This form of shut-down is NOT recommended normally because it does not allow for writing pending activities and current settings to disk before shutting down. But if your computer is frozen and won't shut down normally via a keyboard or mouse command, this button hold-in process will shut it down.

 

[Capnflip]

Sorry, won't work that way, because that is not the type of switch used for the On / Off function on the case front.

The front push-button is a momentary-contact Normally-Open switch, just like a doorbell push-button. It is not a "latching" push switch as you anticipate. When your computer is "Off", there are still a small couple of circuits working to monitor for inputs from a few sources. One of those is this front panel switch. When the switch is closed (by a push) briefly, the monitoring circuit detects that and initiates the power-on sequence. The switch is NOT supposed to stay closed.

That switch also has another function which is common but optional, according to a setting in BIOS Setup on most machines. When the computer is running, if you push that button in briefly and release, nothing happens. But if you hold it in to close that switch and KEEP pushing for more than 4 to 5 seconds, the BIOS will recognize that as a signal to force a complete shut-down of the system immediately, returning it to its normal "off" state. This form of shut-down is NOT recommended normally because it does not allow for writing pending activities and current settings to disk before shutting down. But if your computer is frozen and won't shut down normally via a keyboard or mouse command, this button hold-in process will shut it down.

ok thanks, was just thinking of it, had a good idea it wouldnt work