RemoteResetArduino

Project RemoteResetArduino
Status	completed"completed" is not in the list (Proposed, Initializing, In progress, Completed, Stalled, Abandoned) of allowed values for the "Project Status" property.
Contact	FooBar
Last Update	2013-08-20

Summary

An arduino program to toggle power and reset buttons on standard ATX PC's, and to read the status of the machine (Powered on or off, Power present @ PSU).

Introduction

I was building a 3-node cluster to test some cluster-filesystems for a client, and used 'wake-on-lan' to remotely boot the various cluster nodes when needed. This worked somewhat, but I was unable to reboot a hanging system, or see if a wake-on-lan packet actually arrived at the system.

Doing some tests with a firmata sketch on an arduino proved that I could easily toggle the powerbutton and resetbutton on an ATX mainboard, bringing this project to life.

Code

The code can be found on https://github.com/sigio/remotereset-arduino

Working

• Connect the arduino to a usb port on a working system (I used a openwrt based router).
• Connect the digital pins to the power and reset lines on an ATX mainboard.
• Make a serial connection to the arduino (115200 baud)
• Configure the pin-numbers (see 'help' command, use 'config' command)
• Toggle reset and/or power buttons with commands 'reset #', 'power #' or 'force #'
  • Force will hold the (power) button for 4 seconds, reset and power only simulate a short press
• Use the 'check #' command to see if a system is powered on

Pictures