Solved Mystery Of The Day

My system information is up to date.

State A problems-
-cursor arrow not directly responsive to movement on touchpad; not corrected by multiple logoffs, restarts, and one shutdown/reboot
-EaseUS backup did not run at 5 am; had worked many days previously
-Smart charging heart visible on battery icon (this was not a problem)

Action taken in an attempt to fix symptoms-
-shutdown; unplug power; remove all USB devices
-hold power button down for 60 seconds

Response-
-over the course of ca. two minutes: screen black; keyboard lights flashed on-and-off several times; fan speed increased, then decreased, then increased, then decreased
-after two minutes, boots back up as usual

Action-
-plug power and USB devices back in

State B changes-
-cursor responsiveness recovered completely
-Smart charging no longer in effect; battery that had been at 85% continuing to charge to 100%

The question is: What did holding the power button down for 60 seconds do?

drained residual power.. but doesn't make much sense if you didn't remove the laptop battery too when unplugged.

dacrone said:

drained residual power.. but doesn't make much sense if you didn't remove the laptop battery too when unplugged.

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Did not. It definitely seemed like some kind of reset.

TonyCzar said:

Did not. It definitely seemed like some kind of reset.

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Post #5 in relation to HP laptop.

TonyCzar said:

hold power button down for 60 seconds

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A power drain involves removing the laptop battery.

However, there is (on some laptops) a tiny hole underneath the laptop. Place a pin in it, hold in for 60 seconds. It’s used to simulate removing and reinstalling the battery or to reset the laptop if it becomes unresponsive.
It’s a tiny hole, I don’t think a straightened out paper clip works. Maybe, I can’t remember and I’m not getting out of my chair.

1. Unplug the power cable: Disconnect the laptop from the power source.
2. Insert a pointed object: Use a straightened paperclip or similar object to gently press the button inside the hole.
3. Hold for a few seconds: Press and hold the button for a few seconds (e.g., 5 seconds). In the past I’ve done it for 60 sec
4. Wait: Allow the laptop to rest for a few minutes without power.
5. Attempt to power on: Plug the power cable back in and try to power on the laptop.

I don’t know how it would of helped with the issues you listed.

dacrone said:

Shut down computer, remove all power sources, hold down power button - Windows 7 Help Forums

Why does shutting down the computer, removing the AC Adapter, removing the battery (if it is a laptop), and holding down the power button for 30 seconds fix problems in one's computer. I was recently

www.sevenforums.com

Post #5 in relation to HP laptop.

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Outstanding! This sounds like info many people could use.

That post was from 2011. How in the world did you identify it, @dacrone?

TonyCzar said:

Outstanding! This sounds like info many people could use.

That post was from 2011. How in the world did you identify it, @dacrone?

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"google" is a helluva drug .. or brave search in my preference.

searched for "holding power button 2 minutes after unplugging laptop but leaving battery in". was top result

This group is really the cat's meow!

TonyCzar said:

This group is really the cat's meow!

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And like a dog. Man's best friend.

TonyCzar said:

Outstanding! This sounds like info many people could use.

That post was from 2011. How in the world did you identify it, @dacrone?

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BTW, this procedure also fixed a problem with losing my ethernet about once a day.