How to Perform a Hard Reset on a Dell Computer

If your Dell computer does not turn on or boot into the operating system, it is recommended that you first perform a hard reset. Performing a hard reset fixes many problems by draining the residual power that may be causing the problem.

The capacitors on the system board can store residual or static electricity (also known as flea power) even if the computer is turned off, disconnected from the AC adapter and without a battery.

To perform a hard reset on a Dell computer, follow these steps.

1. Turn off the computer.

2. Disconnect the power cable (for desktops), or disconnect the AC adapter and remove the battery (for Dell laptops with removable battery).

   NOTE: For Dell laptops that have a nonremovable battery, learn How to Reset Real Time Clock (RTC) to Recover Your Dell Laptop.
   For Dell laptops with removable batteries, see the user guide of your Dell laptop for step-by-step instructions to safely remove the battery.
   NOTE: On select Dell Latitude laptops, learn How to Use Forced ePSA to Recover from POST or Boot Failure on Dell Latitude PCs.

3. Disconnect all devices such as USB drives, printers, webcams, and media cards (SD/xD).

4. Press and hold the power button for 15 to 20 seconds to drain the residual power.

5. Connect the power cable (for desktops) or AC adapter and battery (for laptops).

6. Turn on the computer.

Recommended Articles

Here are some recommended articles related to this topic that might be of interest to you.

• How to Reset Real Time Clock (RTC) to Recover Your Dell Laptop
• How to Use Forced ePSA to Recover from POST or Boot Failure on Dell Latitude PCs
• How to Reset Real Time Clock (RTC) to Recover Your Dell Desktop System
• How to Run Windows Startup Repair on a Dell computer
• How to Troubleshoot Power Issues on a Dell Laptop