One of the hard drive in one of my Atom netbooks died and Iīd like to repurpose it as file server, without display or keyboard, inside a slimmer plastic box where itīd fit nicely (and hopefully boot Linux from a USB stick).
However, Iīve found two problems:
1. While the netbook powers up, (fully disassembled sans hard drive) I can see the cpu cooler kicking in (so boot process has started) but I get no output from the netbookīs display, which I reconnected to the "LVDS" port. I feel like whatever tells the PC that the lid is open, is in fact not telling it so. So, where is the trick in netbook displays that signals the computer if the lid is open or not? I see no visible latch or sensor or īpinī that is pressed (as my original 486sx laptop had, 20 years ago)
It is apparently not the hinges position either, as the hinges currently are 90 degrees from the "closed" position (even while the parts are spread on a table).
2. It still needs one to press the īpower buttonī (a surface mounted switch) to power up. Iīd like to rewire it so that itīs "always on" (ie powers up right after it receives power). Any idea of how to accomplish this? Do I need to edit the BIOS? (as far as I remember,Netbook BIOSes donīt feature a setting to do so or not, like many desktop mobos have). So, what to do? simulate a button press via some circuitry?
Thoughts? comments? Thanks in advance guys.
To paraphrase Groucho with a slight variation: "these are my problems, if you donīt like them, I have others... ".
FC