# quick help with a laptop

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-help-with-a-laptop/174275>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 10, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-help-with-a-laptop/174275 "2003-05-10T04:43:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leap\_of\_Faith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/278dde/32.png) [@Leap\_of\_Faith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leap_of_Faith)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-help-with-a-laptop/174275/1 "2003-05-10T04:43:27Z")

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Hi  
I’m trying to get all of the documents off a laptop I borrowed from work, so I hooked up a zip drive and have been moving everything there.  
However, something has happened, and I have the system is busy screen (blue screen) and when I try ctr alt del, nothing happens. I also can’t seem to use the power button to shut it off.  
Is there anything I can do to reboot besides waiting for the battery to die?  
LoF

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**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-help-with-a-laptop/174275/2 "2003-05-10T05:01:28Z")

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Hold the power button/switch for five seconds. If that doesn’t work, pull the battery out.