Power button won't shut down

AllanP · 01-15-2023, 03:33 PM

This has nothing to do with OS's, but thought some whiz kid out there may have a solution. My home build PC has decided all of a sudden to not shut down with a prolonged depression of the power button. So from settings a prolonged press results in a reboot. A frozen OS same deal. The only way to shut it down is from an OS or turning off the power switch on the back, or of course unplugging.

rokytnji · 01-15-2023, 03:51 PM

Reset bios settings I guess and start over.

I turned off the power button on antiX chromebook install because of it location near the backspace button. I can still power it up with the button though because of bios.

Edit. Re reading your post. It might be a hot key turned something off or a setting was changed on keyboard. Is numlock on?

AllanP · 01-15-2023, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

Reset bios settings I guess and start over.

I turned off the power button on antiX chromebook install because of it location near the backspace button. I can still power it up with the button though because of bios.

Edit. Re reading your post. It might be a hot key turned something off or a setting was changed on keyboard. Is numlock on?

Numlock is not on other than in OS's. I can't recall anything in bios regarding power button, but I guess I could try resetting to default.

rokytnji · 01-15-2023, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Numlock is not on other than in OS's.

I just mentioned it because I used my os to turn off power button

is acpi-support installed?

Just tried

Code:

cat /sbin/shutdown

on my box. Has some info but is messy as all get out.

AllanP · 01-15-2023, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

I just mentioned it because I used my os to turn off power button

is acpi-support installed? Yes

Just tried

Code:

cat /sbin/shutdown

on my box. Has some info but is messy as all get out.

OK I just went into BIOS and saved current profile; then reset to default. Didn't work and it's not the OS's I tried prolonged power button press before grub and it still did a brief shut down and restarted. So I think it's a hardware issue: Power button, power supply, MB? I'll just have to live with it.

computersavvy · 01-15-2023, 08:18 PM

In my OS there is a power control panel that has a setting to determine how the OS treats the power button.
See the setting at the lower right of this image. I can choose from 'power off', 'suspend', or 'nothing' (ignore)
Yours may have a similar setting.

AllanP · 01-15-2023, 09:08 PM

Well depressing power button for a few seconds has always worked up until a few days ago. I hadn't changed anything. I've ruled out software by resetting BIOS and it still did the same: Looks like shutting down, but starts up again in a second.

mrmazda · 01-16-2023, 10:33 PM

Operating systems are able to shut it down?

Note that on systemd OSes, which is most modern distros, /sbin/shutdown is a mere symlink:

Code:

# ls -gG /sbin/shutdown
lrwxrwxrwx 1 18 Dec 13 06:40 /sbin/shutdown -> /usr/bin/systemctl
#

So, if you're trying to turn off a PC, running most modern distros, try the official way:

Code:

# systemctl poweroff

AllanP · 01-16-2023, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

Operating systems are able to shut it down?

Note that on systemd OSes, which is most modern distros, /sbin/shutdown is a mere symlink:

Code:

# ls -gG /sbin/shutdown
lrwxrwxrwx 1 18 Dec 13 06:40 /sbin/shutdown -> /usr/bin/systemctl
#

So, if you're trying to turn off a PC, running most modern distros, try the official way:

Code:

# systemctl poweroff

Note that on systemd OSes, which is most modern distros, /sbin/shutdown is a mere symlink:

Code:

# ls -gG /sbin/shutdown
lrwxrwxrwx 1 18 Dec 13 06:40 /sbin/shutdown -> /usr/bin/systemctl
#

So, if you're trying to turn off a PC, running most modern distros, try the official way:

Code:

# systemctl poweroff

[/QUOTE]

I believe I did say before that letting the PC boot up and doing an OS shut down was one of my options. My original query was to shut down under different circumstances; like a frozen, non-responsive OS or from exiting BIOS and not wishing to boot to an OS. For holding the power button for a prolonged press does appear to shut down, but it starts up again immediately following said shut down. I am quite aware of the different ways of shutting down from the OS.

linuxdaddy · 01-16-2023, 11:11 PM

hello AllanP,

check the wires going to the power switch from the mobo and see if they are good. I've had a few wires come
off the back of the switch itself. If you have access to parts, could try another power switch.

AllanP · 01-16-2023, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxdaddy

hello AllanP,

check the wires going to the power switch from the mobo and see if they are good. I've had a few wires come
off the back of the switch itself. If you have access to parts, could try another power switch.

Good suggestion I'll check that tomorrow, thanks.

mrmazda · 01-16-2023, 11:38 PM

With a normal power switch, if there was a problem with wires or switch, there would be no way to turn the PC on without removing the cover and jumping the motherboard terminals the switch connects to; or removing the CMOS battery. Some switches are only capable of momentary contact, but shouldn't be found on PC cases for power, but possibly for reset. Could you have swapped the wire connectors for power and reset on the motherboard?

A 3 year old PC has a UEFI BIOS. They're rather complex software and, like any software, subject to bugs. Check to see if a BIOS update is available. Whether or not one is, or want to upgrade yours, try a BIOS reset (CMOS clear).

AllanP · 01-17-2023, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

With a normal power switch, if there was a problem with wires or switch, there would be no way to turn the PC on without removing the cover and jumping the motherboard terminals the switch connects to; or removing the CMOS battery. Some switches are only capable of momentary contact, but shouldn't be found on PC cases for power, but possibly for reset. Could you have swapped the wire connectors for power and reset on the motherboard?

A 3 year old PC has a UEFI BIOS. They're rather complex software and, like any software, subject to bugs. Check to see if a BIOS update is available. Whether or not one is, or want to upgrade yours, try a BIOS reset (CMOS clear).

BIOS version is the latest. I think I'm just gonna live with it; a hassle getting at the power button; checked connections and all snug. I haven't switched any wires; reset button works as it should; haven't done anything inside the box for ages. This just started a short time ago. The problem isn't a big deal, only that I like things to work as they should. I built this in May of 2018 and all else is 100%. Thanks for the inputs. It's not solved so can't mark it as such.

AllanP · 01-17-2023, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxdaddy

hello AllanP,

check the wires going to the power switch from the mobo and see if they are good. I've had a few wires come
off the back of the switch itself. If you have access to parts, could try another power switch.

O.T. I did a trial run on your Antix; interesting, but had a bit of a time reclaiming my USB blank format.

AllanP · 01-17-2023, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

With a normal power switch, if there was a problem with wires or switch, there would be no way to turn the PC on without removing the cover and jumping the motherboard terminals the switch connects to; or removing the CMOS battery. Some switches are only capable of momentary contact, but shouldn't be found on PC cases for power, but possibly for reset. Could you have swapped the wire connectors for power and reset on the motherboard?

A 3 year old PC has a UEFI BIOS. They're rather complex software and, like any software, subject to bugs. Check to see if a BIOS update is available. Whether or not one is, or want to upgrade yours, try a BIOS reset (CMOS clear).

Just noticed the clear CMOS. I haven't done that, but I did reset the BIOS to a default profile.
If I clear CMOS will I lose the saved profiles I have for the BIOS?