Question for the PC guru's

[Luciano]

The only problem I see with this approach is that a user could re-enable mouse/keyboard wakeup
options once logged in. If there were some way to disable all input peripherals by
controlling a bus signal, that would be perfect.

Are the users administrators???

[Bruce]

Not every user will have admin rights,, so on a system with admin options it would work fine, but not on older operating systems like ME, 98, etc.

[Luciano]

@skimask

If you enable 'WAKE ON LAN' the users on the network will be able to wake up other PCs.

Example of command line freeware:
http://www.matcode.com/wol.htm

Best regards,

Luciano

[Bruce]

You've got IR badges?

Yes.

I take it that they shoot out an IR signal at regular intervals?

Yes. The IR badge system works perfectly already. What I'm looking for is some way to
eliminate several mechanical relays. If we can interface to the PC bus via a PCI or ISA
card slot, and disconnect/disable input hardware, we can drop most of the relays.

Physically switching input devices & video works fine, but if there's an easier way, which
requires < hardware, I'm all ears...;o}

[skimask]

Yes. The IR badge system works perfectly already. What I'm looking for is some way to eliminate several mechanical relays. If we can interface to the PC bus via a PCI or ISA card slot, and disconnect/disable input hardware, we can drop most of the relays.

There has to be a way to send the 'Sleep' and 'Wakeup' keyboard commands over the USB port, if in fact the keyboards are USB. Heck, even PS/2 should work.

[Bruce]

This device is invisible to the operating system. There is no communications between it and the PC.

[sayzer]

This device is invisible to the operating system. There is no communications between it and the PC.

And I guess no software intervention is desired nor is planned then.

I was thinking; a small program works in background listening to an interrupt on PCI bus; and when it happens, the software disables the selected peripherals. As far as I know, there are 256 interrupt options. I might be wrong.

Wouldn't this be an easier way?

I am no PC guru BTW.

[Luciano]

Resume from hibernate will always require the use of the power button.
(The mouse or the keyboard will not wake the PC from hibernation).

[Bruce]

There are no communications pipes or connections between this hardware device & the PC, so there is no way for any software running on the PC to interact with it