Computer turns itself on whenever it feels like it

[samwichse]

This has been really obnoxious. I have the option in the bios of "wake on..." and a selection of things. So I to enable the wake on keyboard command because my computer sits off to the side and down and is a stretch. Well, anyhow, it's probably not related, but the keyboard started acting funny about 6 months after I got my computer. It would suddenly stop working but you could pull the ps/2 plug out of the back and put it back in (still in win95) and it would start working again.

So anyhow, this is obnoxious to do every once in a while, but the real interesting thing is that the computer decided it liked being on and would come on at say... 3:30 in the morning with a loud beep just because it felt like it, so I had to turn off the wake on keyboard thing. I did like that though. Any way to get that back and/or fix my keyboard?

P.S. It's a slot-A athlon 750 on a VIA KX133 based board made by epox. Running Windows 95 revision B.

[Bovon]

I donnoa about the problem with the puter on auto on bit, but I would like to say that you stand a good chance of frying your mobo by unplugging and reconnecting the keyboard while the puter is running. Only a serial mouse (or any serial port device) can safely be connected or disconected while the machine is on. I have changed monitors while the machine was on, but gritted my teeth while doing it, as well as having a 4 leaf clover in my pocket as well...lol...

[wing]

Worked as administrator of a large Win95 network for several years. That used Office 97 and Winword was forever at the root of locking up. The only quick cure (other than hard reset) was to unplug keyboard and plug it back in. This must have been done thousands of times over the years and never a fried board.

[Bovon]

May be that the later mobos are so designed to do this in recent years then. I killed a 386 this way several years ago, and that was what a shop told me that I did when I un plugged the keyboard and connected another one while it was running win 3.1...so, donno for sure.

[wahrez]

I'm constantly unplugging stuff from my computer while its on...and have been doing so for the last 10 years, never fried a mobo once...I wouldn't have thought that with the amount of power to a keyboard that it would fry anything?

[samwichse]

No, I made sure that all the wake up options (including wake on LAN) were disabled except the keyboard one. I am on a LAN though. When you say the plug in back, do you mean the keyboard plug itself or the ps/2 port plug? Also, the numlock light stays on constantly, even with the computer off, but I just assumed that was normal?

[dcc1977]

The numblock LED on the keyboard is always on, even when your computer is "off", not standbye, sleep, hibernate or whatever else you want to call it, but off?

Then you have a short in your mobo and/or powersupply. Your keyboard should not be on at all when the computer is off.

Now, if you have say a remote keyboard such that it has batteries in it, then its a keyboard problem, but as you said you had to plug it in/out, I'm doubting you have one.

[Axel]

Is there any chance you are on either DSL or Cable modem?

Those are always on -

Any chance you have the wake on LAN function enabled? Many hackers set up a software auto-dialer with I.P. addresses - when they get a hit - they try to connect with an unsecured PC-anywhere connect - telnet - or all sorts of other things line cross-talk communicator, etc. etc.

That or you might just have a short on the keyboard that keeps looking like a keystroke and wakes everything up - might not be the keyboard itself, but the PS/2 plug at the back.....

[wing]

I cannot see why unplugging a keyboard should fry a mother board, after all the only power to a keybd is from the motherboard anyway, all you are doing in effect is switching that supply off (and then on again on replugging). The only other possibility is if you then release a static charge into the port on attempting to plug back in, that could happen machine off or on.. nothing to do with "hot" unplugging.
By the way, I reckon the original problem is down to his power settings in bios, doesn't seem to take much of a voltage variation in the system to produce a false wake up. Disable any sleep settings.

[wing]

This has to be due to a voltage fluctuation somewhere, if it happens at same time in the morning, is the local electric Co switching generators? is an economy service (like economy 7) switching in or out? Have you considered borrowing a UPS?

[samwichse]

Even after I disabled the wake on keyboard thing (which did stop it from turning on randomly), the numlock light stays on with the computer turned off. Unless you turn off the hard switch on the p/s. It could very well be electric fluctuation, because this is a college dorm. Would something like a bios update fix a problem like this?

[araaraara]

I sounds like your voltage drops off suddenly for a second or two, which can cause this kind if problem. Just to confirm, I tried an experiment: First I shut down my winchip system (like I was going to do this on my k6-3+!). It has an atx power supply on a asus p5a-b. Then, I went over to my power bar and quickly flicked the switch on and then off. Guess what, my computer started up! So it must be a wiring problem in your dorm. Try a line conditioner or a ups and see what happens.

[dcc1977]

A UPS, if you are in a college dorm, or you are uncertain about your power supplied to your home, is always a good idea.

Now, about your keyboard being on, even after you disabled wake on keyboard, and you have to kill the powersupply of your pc by the back switch to get the keyboard off... you have either a powersupply problem or a mobo problem as I stated earlier. (this is my conclusion unless we have a few members here that specialize in board layouts/motherboard workings) Bios update I doubt will fix it, but its worth a shot. Also, try another keyboard if you can snag one to see it if acts the same way as yours.

Another thought, you said you have extended the normal keyboard cord length. It could be possible its picking up some interfearance along the cord from an outside source simulating a random keystroke.

[samwichse]

No, the keyboard cord is just the standard length. Also, wouldn't the power outage recovery have to be enabled to have it come on like that (with the off and on of the powerstrip)? And finally, the last question: will it hurt anything to just let it stay on? Everything seems pretty normal since I turned off that one feature (except the light being always on), is this a problem that could cause other problems in the future, or can I just put a piece of duct tape (the univeral fix) over the light and say "problem solved?"

[samwichse]

I finally found a manual for my motherboard (harder than you would think for a computer approximately a year old). There was a jumper on the m/b without a silkscreened explanation that was also for the keyboard wake up. I guess it was to enable the hardware feature, then the bios one was to turn it off and on? Anyhow, the keyboard goes off now when the computer is off. Simple enough after all.

[drlabel]

I have to a EPOX 7KXA, the keyboard power up is enable by a jumper close to the keyboard plug...
The NUN LOCK is Always ON when this jumper is enable...
"Computer turns itself on whenever it feels like it" in know what you feel... but i have buy a UPS and the probleme have gone away...