Put computer in H2

[Boar-Ral]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by H2Finally:
When I was looking into this, the problem I found were:

1. Long boot-up time, repeated everytime you're starting the truck.
2. Messed-up files from the sudden power loss when you turn engine off.
3. Rough ride risk on delicate hardisk.

I guess in theory you can put in somekind of relay for power, or a "hibernate" switch? But seemed too much effort. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Boot time varies based on operating system. Some have reduced this amount of time drastically by using various tweaks. (Using Windows XP Embedded, one is able to remove all device drivers except for what is installed, speeding things up drastically.) The best solution is to have your computer go into sleep mode instead of turning off. Using a DC-DC power supply from OPUS Solutions, you can do all of this. When the vehicle is started, it signals the motherboard to start the computer automatically. When the vehicle is turned off, it will then either turn off the PC, put it to sleep, or enter hibernation mode, depending on your settings. It can do this immediately, or wait a programmable amount of time to do it. Either way, it eliminates the problem of the PC just turning off.

Hard drives tend to be more durable than we give them credit for. In my Avalanche, I used a 60 Gb Fujitsu hard drive and even with offroading, I never encountered problems with drive crashes. Keep in mind Fujitsu hard drives tend to be slower and more rugged whereas Hitachi/IBM hard drives tend to be faster but more prone to crashes. If you are really concerned, you can use a solid state hard drive with no moving parts. They are more expensive, but prices are coming down.