Reset switch for IBM 5150/5160?

[Bjørn]

On Sat, 26 Mar 2005 18:50:21 +0100, Jim Leonard <trixter at oldskool.org>  
wrote:

> Has anyone ever wired up a reset button/switch for their IBM PCs?  I  
> find myself powering down-then-up my 5150 three times a day when all it  
> needs is a hard reset to reboot a hung machine.  I've searched the web  
> and usenet archives for such a design or specs but haven't found  
> anything.  If I could soldier a few wires to a pushbutton, I feel like I  
> would less harsh to the machine...
>
I have a number of reset devices which I made for a special application  
(keyboardless PCs), but they only work like a keyboard reset. It is,  
actually, a Z8 which pretends to be a keyboard. The early PCs did not like  
to start without a keyboard.

> Or, does it not really matter?  Is it not a big deal to power down, then  
> power up (after 5 second delay) a 5150 or 5160?  I know IBM PCs were  
> built well, but I am unwilling to find out *how* well :)

We had a couple of short power failures some time in the eighties.  
One-second dips, any kind of power disturbance was very uncommon here in  
Norway, so it was a memorable event. The IBMs and a Commodore PC-20 were  
the only PC-type equipment which did not even have a hiccup.
I think they still had properly designed power supplies.

-- 
-bv