Many users have the pc case in a relatively inaccessible place, such as in a compartment under the table, on the floor, or simply too far away from the chair and keyboard that it is uncomfortable to have to reach to turn it on. If this is your case, in this article we are going to teach you how to install a extra button for power andstart the PC from the desktopwithout having to stretch your arm to the box.
As you probably already know, the power button that all PC cases have must be connected to the motherboard to work, with a connector that simply has two poles. The crux of the matter in this tutorial is precisely that to that connector on the motherboard you can actually connect any button that uses two poles, so let’s proceed to see what you have to do.
What do you need to do it?
The installation of this type of peripheral is quite simple, since you only have to open the side cover of the PC and locate the internal connection panel, which is generally located in the lower right corner of the PC’s motherboard. Logically, this should be done with the PC turned off and disconnected from the power if possible.
If your PC was running (not on), you will have several cables and connectors coming out of that panel, and the one you have to locate is the PWR_BTN or just POWER and unplug it. This is the cable that attaches to the power button on the motherboard, and where you’ll need to plug in any new button you bought or built to put on your desktop.
Then it’s a matter of routing the cable to the desk, and this will depend on your case. You can, for example, remove it through a hole for liquid cooling that many cases have, through one of the PCIe socket trims (some buttons that can be purchased already come with this) or through a grille. Here you will have to be creative because each box and each PC is a world and we will hardly be able to guide you.
The fact is that once you have connected the external button to the internal connector of the motherboard, it is ready to work, there is absolutely nothing else to do, so if you place it on the desktop, you can already turn on the PC directly without having to stretch your arm towards the box.
Choose the new button to turn on your PC
As we have mentioned, any button capable of working with a cable with two poles, positive and negative, will work to turn on the PC, so you certainly have many options. For example, there are users who have acquired the typical “Start/Stop” button from cars and have used it to turn on the PC, although in this case you will have to do a little soldering and buy a separate connector that you can plug into the motherboard.
However, there are also options that you can buy directly, and then we are going to propose three possibilities.
This first option that we leave you above is the simplest for inexperienced users. It consists of a large button that also has adhesive to stick it to the table and easily turn on the PC. It also comes with more connectors, such as the Reset to restart the PC or the lighting, as well as a trim to be able to pull the cable through the PCIe sockets of the box.
This second option is a little simpler and consists only of a power button, although it is true that it also includes two connectors to provide lighting. Of course, in this case there is no trim and you will have to manage to get the cable out of the box.
The third and last option is the simplest of all, since it only has the connector to the motherboard and the button; it is also the cheapest option.
