Method One: The Soft Reset
The soft reset is the easiest way to reset the Wii, and the least intrusive. There are two ways to perform the soft reset, either using the Wii remote or the button on the console.
To reset the Wii using the Wii remote, begin by pressing the home button (the small button with a house on it). This will bring up a menu screen. Next, move the cursor to the button labeled "Reset" on the screen. Press the "A" button on the remote to select the reset option. This will reset the system.
If the Wii remote is not responding, users can also reset the Wii using the button on the main console. First, locate the button labeled "Reset"--it's on the front of the console, beneath the "Power" button. Press and hold the "Reset" button for two seconds, then release the button. This should reset the system. Users should remember that resetting the Wii will shut down any running programs immediately and destroy any unsaved data, so only reset the Wii if it is causing problems. However, resetting the Wii will not alter any information stored on
SD cards.
Method Two: The Hard Reset
If the soft reset doesn't fix the Wii, users can also perform what's known as a "hard reset." A hard reset involves disconnecting the Wii's power supply and must be done manually--there are no pre-programmed buttons on the Wii that will perform the hard reset.
To begin the hard reset, find the "Reset" button on the front of the console. Press it for two seconds, then release (this performs a soft reset on the device). Next, press and hold the "Power" button. Continue holding this button until the light in the button switches from green to red--this means that the Wii console has shut down. Now, unplug the AC power adapter cord from the wall outlet or
surge protector as well as from the console itself. Allow the Wii to remain like this for five minutes.
Once five minutes have passed, plug the AC power adapter cord back into the console, then connect the other end of the cord to an AC outlet. Press the "Power" button to turn the Wii on. The system should now be running smoothly.
Method Three: Reset Factory Controls
Sometimes, Wii users might want to return the system to its original, factory-shipped status and remove any personal data. Nintendo especially recommends doing this before selling or gifting a used Wii to someone else. To perform a factory reset, also known as formatting the system memory, go to the Wii menu and select the "Wii" button, then select "Wii settings." Click on the blue arrow on the right-hand side--this will bring users to a page called "Wii System Settings 3." Select the option labeled "Format Wii System Memory," entering the parental controls PIN if requested. Finally, select "Format" to complete the factory reset. This will remove all hard-drive data from the Wii, and such data cannot be recovered, so users should only perform a factory reset if they're sure they want to do so.
