How long should a device stay unplugged during a power cycle?

At least 30 seconds, so any internal battery drains and remaining power discharges. If the device has a power button, hold it for 10 seconds while unplugged.

Power Cycle, How & Why

Q: What is a power cycle?

Removing a device from all power, draining any internal battery, and letting it restart in a controlled manner as designed. It clears internal memory and returns the device to a ready state without losing its configuration.

Q: Which devices should I never power cycle myself?

Servers, switches, routers, and other critical systems. Unexpected power cycles on devices that store and transmit data can cause damage and should only happen in extreme cases under your IT firm's supervision.

ImportantThe more important a device is to your network, the more important it is to involve your IT firm. Never attempt a power cycle on a server, switch, router, or other critical system without your IT firm. Unexpected power cycles on devices that store and transmit data can cause damage and should only be attempted in extreme cases under your IT firm’s supervision. Did we mention you should involve your IT firm? You should.

01What is a power cycle?

Direct answerCutting all power, draining internal batteries, and letting the device restart cleanly, without losing its configuration.

Everyone knows the value of a good night’s sleep and the restorative nature of a REM cycle. Computers, the brains of your office’s tech operations, need rest too, and their memory benefits from a cycle of its own: a power cycle.

Often a device (a computer, modem, scanner, etc.) hits an error that can’t be dealt with because it happens behind the scenes, or its performance degrades until it stops working normally. You reach out to your IT partner and get some seemingly generic advice: “Did you try turning it off and on again?” Is it a running joke in IT? Sort of, but it’s also an effective solution in many cases, and one of the first things an IT firm will try. Power cycling clears internal memory and puts the device back into a ready state without losing its configuration. A power cycle means removing the device from all power, draining any internal battery, and letting it restart in a controlled manner as designed.

Each device that benefits from a power cycle has two key cables

Power cord

Every device needs power.
Usually a thick black cable to a wall outlet or battery backup, or a smaller black cable with a round end.
This is the only cable involved in a power cycle.

Device connection cable

Lets the device communicate, from a networked printer to a signature pad on one computer.
Ethernet/network or USB cables (some older serial connectors).
Usually not involved in a power cycle.

If you come across a device that has only a network cable, reach out to your IT provider to identify it and help with troubleshooting.

02How to perform a power cycle

Direct answerShut down gracefully, unplug, hold the power button for 10 seconds, wait 30 seconds, plug back in.

1
Save your workIf applicable, save your work and close the programs you are using.
2
Shut down gracefullyTry a graceful shutdown, initiated by the device itself. This mainly applies to devices with direct user interaction.
3
Find the power cordLocate the power cord going to the device.
4
Find the power buttonLocate the power button, if the device has one.
5
Unplug the power cordUnplug the power cord from the back of the device. It should shut down immediately. If it doesn’t, it has an internal battery backup, and you should consult your IT firm.
6
Drain the batteryIf there is a power button, press and hold it for 10 seconds while the device is unplugged.
7
Wait 30 secondsKeep the device unplugged for at least 30 seconds so any internal battery drains and remaining power discharges.
8
Plug it back inPlug the power cord back in. The device should start powering on; if it has a power button, press it once.
9
Give it timeStartup can take anywhere from almost instant to several minutes, depending on the device.
10
Check the resultAfter a few minutes, check whether your issue is resolved or improved.

Be patient

Ideally, power resets should be supervised by your IT provider. Devices like cable modems and network equipment take longer to return to an operational state because of the internal steps and communication with other devices on your network. Please be patient with your devices; they are doing the best they can.

Need help troubleshooting?

Darkhorse Tech’s help desk can walk your team through it remotely.