Can I reboot Windows without POST

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andy
  • Start date Start date
A

Andy

There was a way in an older version of Windows where I could reboot without
having to wait for the machine to go through a power-on self test. It was a
simple shortcut like holding down a key while rebooting. Is there a
function like that in Vista or is there a command I can run in a shortcut to
do the same thing?
 
Mike Torello said:
I'd say your memory is faulty.

The POST is hardware controlled, so Windows has absolutely NOTHING to
do with it. Perhaps your older computer had that ability - the only
one I know of bypassed the memory test, nothing else.
Click to expand...

Some BIOS will let you put up a graphic that hides the POST, but POST still
runs.
 
I knew there would be those responses from people who didn't know about the
feature. I don't need to reboot the computer when windows burps. I only
need to reboot windows.

I know that I can restart explorer, but that doesn't completely restart
windows. Restarting explorer won't reload my start-up programs that failed
or crashed. There's no reason to completely restart all the hardware for a
software malfunction.

From my research, the soft reboot (or warm reboot) is what happens when you
click restart. A hard reboot (or cold reboot) happens when you physically
reboot the machine with the power button or reset button. A quick reboot is
something in the BIOS. I can't figure out a proper name for what I want to
find. Give me some ideas to google and I'll continue looking for it.
 
Hi Andy,

The soft reset correctly recalled by RickNCN was a feature of the Win9x
line, it doesn't work (and never has) in the WinNT line, which includes XP
and Vista. NT-based systems only allow for a complete restart.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Logging out and logging back in may be what you need. This will restart your
user session, including a reload of your startup programs, without the need
to to restart Windows
 
Rick Rogers said:
Hi Andy,

The soft reset correctly recalled by RickNCN was a feature of the Win9x
line, it doesn't work (and never has) in the WinNT line, which includes XP
and Vista. NT-based systems only allow for a complete restart.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
Click to expand...

That's because Win9x ran on DOS. Windows could exit
to DOS then restart. There was also an option to restart
into DOS. When you were finished working in DOS, the
win command would start Windows. The Win9x version
of MS-DOS was DOS 7.xx.
 
That is perfect. That is exactly what I needed to do. Now, is there a
shortcut that I can put on the QuickTask bar to automate the process in
minimal clicks? In other words, a shortcut that will log me off and back on
again with the same user ID or a simple click to log off without going
through the start menu.
 
Hi,

Create a shortcut on the desktop with this as the command for a logoff (I
don't of any parameter that will force an autologon afterwards):

shutdown -l

(that's a lower case "L")

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
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