How can I turn on an old AT power supply?

How can I turn on my laptop without a power button?

• About a year ago now, the power button on my Gateway laptop just... fell out. It's the model with the power button in the side hinge, so now there's just an empty hole where the power button was. There is also a little wire sticking out in there. Since the button fell out so long ago, I don't recall if there was another wire that came out or anything. I gave up on this a long time ago, but today I was just thinking about all the files I lost on that computer, so I decided to revisit it. I plugged it into its charger to see if it was still alive, and yep, the little charging light came on. So clearly the computer is still in working condition... just gotta figure out how to turn it on somehow. How can I turn it on? I'm willing to take it apart to try things if need be, seeing as it's a mostly lost cause anyway. I'd REALLY like to get my files back off this computer.

• Answer:

  I know nothing of your laptop but all switches work essentially the same way. You have a broken connection (switch is in the off position) when you press the button it makes a connection so a current can flow. If there is a wire sticking out where the power button was there must have been another wire or a place where that wire was, if you can make that connection it will be as if you had pressed the power button. That's as much as I can help you with I'm afraid.