OT: Laptop trouble shooting

[cliftonparksufan]

I haven't used my five-year-old HP laptop in a few months, and I fired it up and the battery is not charging. It works fine plugged in, and I even tried an alternative power adaptor, but it just doesn't charge. I can buy a new battery on Amazon for $25 or on Ebay for $14 but is it possible that it could be something else. Thanks.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

When I shoot my troubled laptop I always use a small caliber bullet. Anything larger and I leave plastic shrapnel all over the yard.

 

[tbonezone]

put your wallet in your back pocket. you'll get a finer grind.

 

[orangecuse]

I haven't used my five-year-old HP laptop in a few months, and I fired it up and the battery is not charging. It works fine plugged in, and I even tried an alternative power adaptor, but it just doesn't charge. I can buy a new battery on Amazon for $25 or on Ebay for $14 but is it possible that it could be something else. Thanks.

If it works fine when plugged in, then it's likely that it isn't anything else, but simply the battery no longer having the capacity to take a charge. If you can get a new battery on the cheap as you mentioned, seems to be a pretty easy trigger (risk v. reward) to pull IMO.

Note: if you haven't already tried this, remove the battery from your laptop. Wait 30 seconds or so and reinstall it. Afterwards, see if it'll take a charge. Good luck!

 

[orangemass]

All it has to do is make shots!

 

[Sudano]

I haven't used my five-year-old HP laptop in a few months, and I fired it up and the battery is not charging. It works fine plugged in, and I even tried an alternative power adaptor, but it just doesn't charge. I can buy a new battery on Amazon for $25 or on Ebay for $14 but is it possible that it could be something else. Thanks.

I think you need a new alternator if your battery isn't holding a charge. I used to be a mechanic so I'm pretty sure.

 

[SUGIANT]

I haven't used my five-year-old HP laptop in a few months, and I fired it up and the battery is not charging. It works fine plugged in, and I even tried an alternative power adaptor, but it just doesn't charge. I can buy a new battery on Amazon for $25 or on Ebay for $14 but is it possible that it could be something else. Thanks.

yeah I think a new battery is the cheapest way to go. You could try cleaning the contacts with a tooth brush if that’s possible…

 

[690West]

I bet Marcus Williams from Storrs can help you

 

[Orangello]

Sometimes the MS battery control driver can become disabled or turned off by repeated Windows updates. You can check this by going to the Device Manager and clicking on batteries then right click and see if the ACPI battery control is installed and running. You can also uninstall the driver then scan and reinstall. I had this issue on an older HP laptop one time.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Sometimes the MS battery control driver can become disabled or turned off by repeated Windows updates. You can check this by going to the Device Manager and clicking on batteries then right click and see if the ACPI battery control is installed and running. You can also uninstall the driver then scan and reinstall. I had this issue on an older HP laptop one time.

Thanks. I tried that and it says that it is installed. I don't want to mess it up any further by uninstalling it, so I'll just buy a new battery for $14 and see if that holds a charge. It's not the end of the world because I hardly use it and it works fine plugged in.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I bet Marcus Williams from Storrs can help you

Hmm I thought that was AJ Price?

 

[bozophobe]

I bet Marcus Williams from Storrs can help you

That or...Louisville!

 

[bozophobe]

Are you buying factory-recommended batteries?

 

[690West]

Hmm I thought that was AJ Price?

Both! Although only one kept the moniker “laptop Williams” for the rest of his life