Turn on computers after power outage

Community General Discussion
1

Hello,

My goal is to turn on a computer when power comes back after a power outage.

First of all I know there is a BIOS option to recover a computer after a Power outage. But here is the problem. I cannot access BIOS on this computer, it's an old motherboard, it runs an i5 750 and the motherboard don't have VGA. I tried to put an GPU, but black screen for the BIOS.

At this time, my only option is the connect the 2 power wires of the motherboard manually, for 3 servers...

I was thinking powering the arduino directly from the 220V (with phone adapter, or something similar). When the arduino boots, power up computers with wires from the motherboard.

How should be connected the arduino the the computer's motherboard?

2

I honestly dont know of any computers that you cannot get into the BIOS unless it was locked out on purpose.
Simply resetting the Bios on the motherboard jumper will in most cases allow you to get back in as it would normally cause an error on boot up and offer you the bios option.

There was another guy somewhere also trying to do this with an Arduino but thats pure overkill.

Adding a GPU also may need that you enter BIOS first to tell it which GPU to use as primary.
Had the black screen here on some boxes and it was just a matter pf plugging the monitor into the old GPU port first to get into BIOS...Change GPU order then reboot with monitor plugged into the new GPU.

if you really must use an Arduino you may want to consider a relay board to isolate the Arduino from the computer and just use the relay contacts to trigger the power switch.

3

Thank you for your respond.

There is a BIOS, but I there is no on-board video option. Male VGA and Printer (pink) port. I only have recent GPU. So I have to go overkill on this one...

For the Relay, I never used one.

I have to connect "Signal" to any digital output of my arduino, "Ground" to ground. "5V Vcc" to the power Switch (6 or 8?).

Do I have to use "NC", "C" and "NO" from the relay?

4

I think I get it.

From the Relay to the Arduino:
Ground => Ground Arduino
5V Vcc => 5V Arduino
Signal => Pin Number 13, Arduino

From the Relay to the Computer:
NC => Power Switch (6)
C => Power Switch (8)

The for the code:

void setup() {
pinMode(13, OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(13, HIGH);
delay(500);
digitalWrite(13, LOW);
}

void loop() {
// Nothing
}

5

Thats about the long and the short of it...Good work !

6

If you really want to turn on or even off computers with an arduino, connect both the arduino and the computers grounds together, then use digitalWrite(); to power the on switch with the arduino. BUT CHECK FIRST THAT THE POWER SWITCH IS 5 VOLTS. This should work, but there are most likely better ways to do this.

7

travis_farmer:
wow, i feel old now :o

Me too...

But I still don't get what "no onboard video" has to do with accessing the BIOS... As long as you have a video card, you should be able to access the BIOS.