Stopreset

Stopreset is a term used in computing and process control to describe an operation that both halts ongoing activity and returns a system to a known initial state. It combines the functions of stopping processes and resetting state, intending to remove transient errors and prepare the system for a fresh start. In practice, a stopreset may be triggered automatically by fault detection or manually via a user command, and it can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of both.

Implementation varies. A soft stop may terminate tasks gracefully and quiesce I/O without erasing memory, followed by a software reset that reinitializes variables and state machines. A hard reset, by contrast, resets hardware registers and reboots the processor, effectively clearing most volatile state. Some systems implement a warm stopreset that preserves certain non-volatile configuration while resetting runtime state. The term is not universally standardized; different domains describe analogous concepts as stop-and-reset, fault recovery, or reinitialization sequences.

Applications include embedded devices, industrial controllers, and safety-critical systems where a known good baseline is required after fault conditions. In software, stopreset can be part of a supervisor or watchdog strategy to recover from unresponsive components. In user interfaces, a stopreset may be exposed as a reset button that stops all activity and reinitializes the app to its default state. Overall, stopreset serves as a practical mechanism for fault recovery and deterministic reinitialization across diverse technologies.