Key shortcut to reboot at splash screen

tns1 · Aug 1, 2026

At cold boot before any login (lock screen), it only takes one press of the power button to shutdown. I want a simple action like this
to cause a reboot. No mouse or login, just one quick key or key combo. Power options lets you change what the power button
does, but not for this unless there is a registry hack. I suppose a gamer keyboard could do this with a stored macro.

dacrone · Aug 1, 2026

If your case doesn’t have a reset button on it to do so, ctrl alt del at the POST usually will but once past POST, it won’t do anything.

tns1 · Aug 2, 2026

Yes, that seems to do it but good luck catching that narrow 1sec window.

dacrone · Aug 2, 2026

Dell uses pita connectors in their desktop cases. You’d have to splice/cutsom connect something like this

https://a.co/d/09Ed9jSB

To the Pinout

Optiplex 7010/9010 Power switch pinout | DELL Technologies

What's the power switch pinout diagram for this motherboard? I want to get a new case but I need a pinout diagram to know how to plug the cables in.

www.dell.com

*if a custom made power/restart (reset) dual button device that connects to the dell pin connector of that mobo exists pre-made, I’m unaware of it.

tns1 · Aug 2, 2026

Cool gadget but I think that might be a forced hw reboot that ignores the state of attached media. I'd prefer a soft reboot that happens under windows control. If I try using a minimal number of keys and no mouse or login, I can use this "Blind man's reboot" at the lock screen:
"<enter><tab><tab><tab><tab><enter><down><down><enter>".
Still too many key presses but it does the job.

Another combo that works for me:
"<space>,<shift>+<tab>,<space>,<up>,<enter>"

dacrone · Aug 2, 2026

I assumed you meant before windows, ie - POST. If you want it even when windows login screen is showing, you can alter the login screen ease of access to trigger a forced reboot instead - this button:

Do you want to go that route?

tns1 · Aug 2, 2026

Yes, catching the PC mid-POST is too iffy, so just after POST when it is waiting at the lock screen or login screen either way.

han jansen · Aug 2, 2026

Hi tns 1

Don't have a solution for you but I sure would like to know the why.
Maybe I learn something.

Ciao, Han

tns1 · Aug 2, 2026

The reason for wanting a quick reboot is that networking (wired) on this PC will not work on cold boot, but always works after a reboot. This annoyance has existed for awhile despite many attempts at a fix. My suspicion is this is caused by a HW problem with either the network chip or CMOS memory, or just maybe the not fully deactivated Computrace code in this BIOS. Simple ways to live with the problem are to add another network card, or remove the login password and use a reboot script from the desktop, or add a scheduled task to always force a reboot until networking is detected or a key is pressed. Being lazy I was hoping to just use a some key shortcut in W11 to do the reboot.

If you want to post something NEW about fixing the network issue, post on this thread:

Wired network needs a 2nd boot to work - Windows 10 Help Forums

W10 PC (ESU) is failing to start network connection (wired) on 1st boot. A reboot is required to get the network working. This behavior has appeared only recently and I suspect one of the recent updates. It behaves like a race condition. I replaced a dead

www.tenforums.com

dacrone · Aug 2, 2026

Save and extract the utilman.exe (from the zip)
(Code inside the compiled exe is an autohotkey script: "Run, cmd.exe /c shutdown /r /f /t 00" )

Reboot from either Windows USB Installer or into Repair UEFI
Access Command Prompt from there
Type:
ren c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe.bak
Enter
copy c:\PATH\WHERE\YOU\SAVED\utilman.exe c:\windows\system32\utilman.exe
Enter

*Obviously replace PATH\WHERE\YOU\SAVED with the correct path of where the extracted file was saved*

Shutdown and boot as normal

Click this Icon

PC Will Reboot immediately

Catnip · Aug 3, 2026

You know you can get to the reset control by clicking anywhere on the lock screen and looking at the power options, right?

Reset, Shutdown, Hibernate, etc. It's all there. No need for a shortcut, just two mouse clicks.

I dunno, but it works for me. Much easier than rewiring the case.

tns1 · Aug 3, 2026

No mouse catnip.

HeavyHemi · Aug 3, 2026

tns1 said:
No mouse catnip.

My PC is about 6' away. I've considered splicing in a simple two wire momentary contact switch in parallel with the power switch or just wire it directly to the header. All the header is looking for is for shorting the pins when you press the button. It doesn't matter if it is the case button or an extension you've conveniently wired somewhere. It won't affect the operation the case button. I've not bothered because generally S3 sleep is very reliable for me and I rarely need the power button. Edit... ah.... I see that you're looking for a automated method...

Key shortcut to reboot at splash screen

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