Can I restore T14 Gen2 after reset using backup of SSD?

[Thinkpad2024]

The USB-C charging port on my T14 has been flaky for a while and today stopped working. The battery is now discharged and I can't even run the computer on AC power. So I'm thinking of trying to reset it with the hole on the back. If I copy the SSD onto an external harddrive before I reset the computer, can I just restore everything afterwards if the reset works?

[axur-delmeria]

The reset hole in the bottom is for that kind of reset. It's simply for situations where the computer stops responding (e.g. holding the power button doesn't turn off laptop) and you need a way to briefly disconnect power and turn it off.

[dr_st]

If the main charging port is bad you should still be able to charge and run off the second Thunderbolt port, which is part of the docking connector. Unless both ports (or the controller itself) have died.

[Thinkpad2024]

When I plug into the second port, I see no indication of charging - no light, etc. And when I start it up, the "your battery is low, you should plug in your computer" message pops up repeatedly. I hit OK, it disappears, then it reappears, over and over - so often in fact that it was hard to shut the PC down. So I guess that means "both ports (or the controller itself) have died." If that's so, is that something I could fix? I don't know where the controller is.

[axur-delmeria]

Also, instead of an external hard drive, just get a USB NVMe enclosure so that you can just pull out the SSD from your T14 and use it directly as an external drive.