Old motherboard

JE78

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2004
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A few weeks ago I was given this old computer, AMD 233. Anyway for some reason all the wires were cut for the on, reset, and sleep buttons along with the LED's that were on the front. I thought that I might have an old on switch on another computer laying around but I didn't. So it a last ditch effort I took a jumper from hard drive and put it on the mother board where the "pwr on" should go. I fliped the switch on the PSU and it turned on!!! But then shut off after about 5 seconds. So then I took another jumper and put it in the "reset" spot on the mother board and it started right up and kept running. Honestly I was impressed.

So I guess now my question is, will the computer be ok with it like that or should I try to find correct wireing? I'm giving this computer to my aunt and uncle so my cousions have something to play old, old games on so its not anything important.
 

CrispyFried

Golden Member
May 3, 2005
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It wont hurt it, but Im impressed that it works with reset jumpered lol. I wonder if an old 3 pin fan header or old internal sound cable plug would work with a little cutting, then just splice a momentary contact switch on.
 

grooge

Senior member
Dec 23, 2004
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Originally posted by: JE78
A few weeks ago I was given this old computer, AMD 233. Anyway for some reason all the wires were cut for the on, reset, and sleep buttons along with the LED's that were on the front. I thought that I might have an old on switch on another computer laying around but I didn't. So it a last ditch effort I took a jumper from hard drive and put it on the mother board where the "pwr on" should go. I fliped the switch on the PSU and it turned on!!! But then shut off after about 5 seconds. So then I took another jumper and put it in the "reset" spot on the mother board and it started right up and kept running. Honestly I was impressed.

So I guess now my question is, will the computer be ok with it like that or should I try to find correct wireing? I'm giving this computer to my aunt and uncle so my cousions have something to play old, old games on so its not anything important.


ATX motherboard have what I call delayed shut-off button logic. When you short the wire, it start, but as you said, it stop after 5 second. On those computer, you actually have to hold the power switch for 4 second to shut-off the computer. It is a normal feature. So, instead of jumpering the pin with a jumper, just short them and leave them open afterward. The computer shouldn't stop after 4-5 seconds..
 

JE78

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2004
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I was impressed too, a bit shocked to be honest. How would I go about shorting them out?
 

Gerbil333

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2002
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By putting a jumper on the power switch header, you effectively held the power switch constantly. As grooge said, holding the power switch for 4 seconds turns off the computer--it's a normal feature.

An easier solution is to use NO jumpers. Turn the PSU on. Using a piece of conductive metal, such as a small screw driver, short the power header pins for the amount of time it would normally take to press a power button, and then release the screw driver. By un-shorting the power header, you have let go of the power switch. Thus, the computer will stay on.
 

AkumaX

Lifer
Apr 20, 2000
12,643
3
81
i had an amd k6-2 366 that i o/ced to 450. this was on my kids computer which was running *shudder* windows ME *shudder*. that thing stayed on for about 3 months straight, until i just wanted to do some maintenance on it. it turns out, the fan was clogged with and it wasn't spinning at all!!! i don't know how long it was for, but that comp was a trooper...
 

IEC

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Jun 10, 2004
14,597
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Originally posted by: JE78
I was impressed too, a bit shocked to be honest. How would I go about shorting them out?

Splice the wires back together by stripping the ends and twisting the new exposed ends together, then securing with electrical tape (it's cheap).
 

Peter

Elite Member
Oct 15, 1999
9,640
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The power button pins are supposed to be connected to a MOMENTARY button, not an on/off switch. Short button push starts or shuts down, holding the button for a few seconds does a forced powerdown.
 

beijingkoala

Junior Member
May 16, 2005
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Originally posted by: Peter
The power button pins are supposed to be connected to a MOMENTARY button, not an on/off switch. Short button push starts or shuts down, holding the button for a few seconds does a forced powerdown.


Yeah, I usually just use a screwdriver to short out the two power pins to switch the PC on and off
 

JE78

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2004
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thanks guys, i'll give it a shot. I still to get pick up a stick of ram for it, PC100 i'm assuming. Anyone have some they don't mind parting with for cheap? PM me.
 

RobCur

Banned
Oct 4, 2002
3,076
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Originally posted by: JE78
I was impressed too, a bit shocked to be honest. How would I go about shorting them out?

Just throw it in the trashcan, and forget it ever existed :D