Starting a computer without a case?

[mrghost]

Hello!

I've got all my computer parts in, but unfortunately due to the stupidity of UPS my case won't be in until monday.

I'd like to put my computer together now and use it, but since I don't have a case I have no power button to hook it up to. Is it possible to turn it on some other way?

Thanks!

 

[Trifid]

Have you got any wire? I.e. speaker cable then just hot wire the PC on with the cable.

 

[pat2k5]

if you know which wires are the two for the power button you could join them and it should start.

I wouldn't do it if you wheren't sure of it though. i mean join as in for a slit second to complete the circuit and then take whatever you choose to use off. ( a piece or wire or whatever floats your boat )

 

[pat2k5]

not wires, jumpers for the wires to connect to...

 

[Nitestick]

the easiest way is to short the pins for the power switch with an insulated screwdriver i.e. one with an insulated handle. it's quite dangerous to do this for an extended period of time because you can knock things out of place, spill things or short things and so on. if you have a reasonable understanding of what you are doing and you're careful you could do it indefinitely though.

what motherboard do you have? the LanParty motherboards have a power button on the board itself

 

[mrghost]

My motherboard is an Abit KN9 nForce4 Ultra socket AM2.

I don't think I want to go messing around with "hotwiring" my computer... just sounds dangerous I guess. What do you mean by "shorting the pins with an insulated screwdriver"? Just placing the screwdriver over the pins? And how can I tell if the handle is insulated?

 

[Nitestick]

the handle will be made of something that is an electrical insulator like plastic or rubber

 

[mrghost]

Oh yea, I've got that. So how do I do it?

 

[Trifid]

Find out which pins are to turn the PC on. It will say in the mobo manual and on the board in tiny writing. Just touch the pins together with the screwdriver. (This is the same as what I said before but with a better tool to do it with.)

 

[mrghost]

Cool, thanks! Sounds easy enough. If I'm extremely careful, is there a big chance here for damaging the computer? I want to be absolutely sure before I attempt.

Also, that last sentence, did you mean the wires were better - or the screwdriver? I have a cd-audio wire...