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I have a desktop computer with an Asus mainboard TUF_GAMING_B550-PLUS and a Raspberry Pi 4.

I log in remotely to the computer, but unfortunately from time to time it has an operating system issue, freezes, and has to be reset.

I want to do this remotely via the Raspi, as this is much more stable, "always on", and also remotely reachable.

I thought of getting a 5 V/230 V relay but this seems impracticable as the relays I can find would need a proper case and I would need to tamper with the 230 V power supply cable of the computer.

So I am thinking whether I could use the onboard power reset functionality of the computer mainboard.

In the manual of my Asus mainboard I can find the following description and sketch (see below):

My question is: does it make sense to reset the main-board in that way? If yes: how do I achieve this?

  1. Could I just take two cables and connect both devices, the Raspberry Pi's ground and one of its I/O outputs?
  2. Do I have to connect them with RSTCON# and GND?
  3. Would grounding RSTCON# reset the main-board?

Main-board description:

  • Reset button (2-pin RESET)

This 2-pin header is for the chassis-mounted reset button for system reboot without turning off the system power.

System Panel header of the mainboard

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1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Yes, shorting RSTCON to ground (for a short time) will reset the board. For proper isolation, I would still use a relay.

Connecting it directly with a GPIO pin of the Raspi could work work too, as the line is likely kept high with a pullup (but check the voltage). Even if it works, that could cause some ripples (and thus unexpected reboots) when the Pi is off or itself reboots.

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    \$\begingroup\$ You don't know the voltages or currents involved when pressing the reset button, so you can't say it likely works if connected to GPIO. It can just as well not work or damage something. \$\endgroup\$
    – Justme
    Commented Dec 18, 2022 at 23:02
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Justme You're right. I forgot that it could be pulled up to 5V or even 12V, which would destroy the Pi. Still, something simpler than a relay (like just a transistor) would probably do. \$\endgroup\$
    – PMF
    Commented Dec 19, 2022 at 7:11
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    \$\begingroup\$ Well, in all it's likelyhood, it likely is not 12V. The problem with transistor is that it has to be wired correctly. The benefit of relay is it can be wired in any way, provides isolation and simulates the actual reset button. \$\endgroup\$
    – Justme
    Commented Dec 19, 2022 at 8:13

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