Discharging laptop makes it start again. Why?

[_Glitch]

Hi there.
I work as an IT-Supporter. Mainly fixing laptops.
One of the first things i try when i get a laptop that wont respond when the power button is pressed, is to take out the battery and discharge the laptop by holding down the power button for 10 seconds.
When i explained to the student what i did to make it work again, she asked why that worked and why it happened in the first place.
Couldn't answer that. Does any of you guys know?

 

[johnb35]

What you basically did was reset the bios. Just like on a desktop but on a desktop you can easily remove the cmos battery to where most laptops you can't.

 

[_Glitch]

so if i took out the power cord on a desktop and did the same, would that reset the cmos too?
I though you had to take out the battery before doing that, for it to work.

 

[johnb35]

I though you had to take out the battery before doing that, for it to work.

You do need to take out the battery or use the reset cmos jumper. Its just that laptops you don't since you can't easily access the cmos battery.

 

[_Glitch]

Ohh ok. Thanks for your help.

 

[Darren]

What you basically did was reset the bios. Just like on a desktop but on a desktop you can easily remove the cmos battery to where most laptops you can't.

Never seen a power button press with the battery out reset the BIOS. How do you come to this conclusion?

 

[aldan]

so if i took out the power cord on a desktop and did the same, would that reset the cmos too?
I though you had to take out the battery before doing that, for it to work.

no,but it does reset your hardware.