Ted Otis wrote: >I want to use a laptop computer to record digital images of salmon passing by a remote video camera placed alongside a clear water stream. >The problem is, I cannot find a laptop that allows me to go into the bios to configure it to automatically boot up whenever it is receiving adequate power. >It's imperative that the computer boot itself back up when power is restored by our solar and wind generators charging our 12V battery bank). I read with great interest what your department is doing and I can see where this concept is possible providing the computer manufacturers are will to invest the time and money. As Mark Rode suggested, contact the big guys. If there is enough money in it for them maybe they will. You present some very interesting parameters with your request. For the most part there isn't a lap top available today that will fill all of the needs you have. The cost to convert or build "one" of these would be expensive. On the engineering side it can be done. I have queried several of my Laptop manufacturer reps and the following is a reply to an Email I sent to one of them. I quote; Very interesting. Base on my tech knowledge (I used to design the motherboard and spec definition.), your case need a new auto-power on H/W design and add auto-power-on support in the BIOS too. It is a big work and very hard to achieve for small qty. The other way is like you mentioned in the mail, build an external power module and modify BIOS code to support voltage auto-detect and auto-power-on. But, you still need to modify the mainboard's powergood signal, reset signal, and CPU regulator circuitry to work with external power module. Another issue will be BIOS code modification, as I know that all NB manufacturers have its own customerized BIOS code and will not release to your case unless with qty and very high engineering cost. Your application is very interested and should have good future, I will check some design house in Taiwan to see if they are interested. If I did not get back to you, don't be disappointed. rgds, Larry Well there you have it or at least one. Alaska has some very good universities and I'm sure that some really bright IT Tech would love to toy around with this idea. Don't leave out the professors either. I have had some very interesting conversations with some of them and they do enjoy a challenge. I will continue to search of a possible answer, however as Larry said, "If I did not get back to you, don't be disappointed." I like a good challenge that stirs up the old gray matter. Sincerely, Frank Suszka netTek Computers [log in to unmask] PCBUILD's List Owners: Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]> Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>