Topic: turning a pc into a real server ?

[benoit]

i have 8 e-smith server at different location and they all work great but one of my client ask my to install a box in is home to share a cable modem. he had an old pentium 166 that did the job nicley but this an old pc an not a server my question is how do you turn that box into an always on server? for the moment if the power go the machine will stay trun off. who can i make it boot once the power is back like a real server would do ? I would prefer not to change the power suplly. Doses anyone know a gadget or a trick that would restart the machine. I dont want him to call me just because the power as fail for 30 sec and the machine is now unreachable....

sorry for my spelling i am french.

[Dan Brown]

Try getting a small UPS; that way the power outages won't have any effect.  I don't know of any way to do what you're describing on an ATX machine.

[benoit]

there must be a way i mean i know at least 3 device like that existe for the mac ( it's a small dongle that goes in the keyboard port) see http://www.sophisticated.com/products/rebound/rebound.html for an exemple, i know that there is also a usb version by somme other guys.
My understanding is that atx machine can be trun on by other mean than the power button so there must be a way to do it. tanks for your rapid respond i will look at small ups but i am still convice that there must be something out there i am sure i m not the only one whit that probleme.

[Richard]

Does the PC power off by itself?
Or does your client have a power problem in the house?
If it's the first problem, try monkeying with the BIOS on the PC.  There's probably a power management setting you could set to always on.

Bon chance!

[Peter Clinch]

Expanding on Richard's comment, some bioses allow you to set a default that makes the PC power on when mains power is connected.  Be aware that this can be dangerous for the system if mains power cuts in and out repeatedly.  It is also possible to hack the ATX power connector and ground one pin to make the power supply switch on.  I have used this method to test power supplies, but have not tried it on a working PC.  Can't remember which pin on the connector, but will consult my notes and post again when I find out.

Regards

Pete.

[benoit]

thanks any information will be welcome.
i just like to take a second to tank all of you on this board respond to my question are always quick an i just think tis is a great community.....

[benoit]

this is just a general question the power in the house is normal i think i just beeing paranoid but as you know sys admin are just paid paranoid...

[sclark]

Just about any bios will allow you to 'power on after shutdown' although why would you? That's the most critical moment - spikes are the killers, not the power outages. You need a really good ups to manage this, then try the above setting. If you have 8 severs out there already, time to get busy.

[benoit]

the box is a dell optiplex gxi and dosen't have that option in the bios for my uptime don't worry my actual record is whit a proliant 5500R that got +400 days before the powersuply died on me

[Peter Clinch]

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you.  Grounding pin 14 of the ATX power supply connector turns ths PS on as soon as mains power is connected.  On a supply from an IBM PC this was a violet (purple) wire.  This is normally done by the power control logic on the motherboard.  I haven't tried this with a motherboard connected to the supply.  All the same, I would still use a UPS, as they are becoming fairly cheap.

Regards

Pete.