Resetting the MX2 19
E-EQ-MX2RG-L-ARC MX2 Reference Guide
Resetting the MX2
One of the critical features of any portable data-collection device is its ability to protect against
accidental data loss. In the event a MX2 becomes “locked up” or otherwise in a state in which
data can no longer be processed, you can use any of four methods to reset the unit. This chapter
describes these methods.
Warm Boot
The warm boot is one of two software methods for resetting a MX2. It is analogous to the CTL-
ALT-DEL key sequence for rebooting IBM-compatible PCs, and the same key sequence is used
to force a warm boot on a MX2. This method of resetting a unit should be used first to attempt to
bring it back to a usable state.
Note: You do not need to press the FN key to activate the DEL function of the BkSp key.
Since a warm boot can be attempted only from a unit that has been turned on, certain assumptions
are made. For example, the rigorous hardware tests that are performed as part of the cold boot
sequence are not all necessary. This means the unit restarts faster with a warm boot than with a
cold boot.
During a warm boot, data written to the RAM drive (D), the flash drive (C), or an ATA flash card
will remain intact. However, if an application is running on a unit before a warm boot, its state
cannot be restored.
Note: If you do not want end users to be able to reset the unit, scan the “Enable CTL-ALT-DEL
Reboot Off” barcode in the “Integrated Scanner Programming Guide for DOS Devices”,
available on the LXE Manuals CD-ROM.
Cold Boot
The second software method for resetting a MX2 is the cold boot. A cold boot should be used
only if a warm boot is unsuccessful. Performing a cold boot is analogous to pressing the reset
button on a PC or to turning the PC’s power off and then back on.
To perform a cold boot on a MX2, first turn it off. Then press [ALT] + [FN] + [Power], holding
the first two keys down while pressing the third.
Release all three keys simultaneously, and the unit will reset.
Simply removing and inserting the battery pack will not force a cold boot, because the backup
battery can provide minimal power to sustain the MX2’s operating state. The exception to this is
when the backup battery is drained of all power, a condition that you should not let happen.
When a cold boot is performed, all transient data is lost, along with the state of any application
that was running on the unit. Data written to the RAM drive (D), the flash drive (C), or an ATA
flash card will remain intact. If a cold boot happens because of a dead backup battery, data written
to a RAM drive may not be maintained.
A cold boot begins with a retesting of the hardware and then follows with the DOS boot sequence.
The unit reboots DOS under the same conditions you would expect from a desktop PC: Device
drivers included in the CONFIG.SYS file and applications included in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file
are automatically loaded as part of the boot process; any other programs that were loaded before
the cold boot will not be reloaded automatically.
