Laptop battery not charging problem

[Systreg]

Does anyone know if there's a setting on the laptop to make the battery charge? This is on Windows Vista.

When I hover over the batter icon in the try, it says, plugged in and not charging:

It's been like that for as long as I can remember, but I thought it would be handy to charge the battery in case the electric goes, as there were about 1,100 homes without power in the small town 1.5 miles from us, and the lights here were flickering.

I've looked all through the control panel and power settings etc, but I can't see anything about turning charging on, or could it be that it would automatically charge the battery when I turn the laptop on, and it could be that the battery is just dead?

I did notice when I started the laptop, the message changes from plugged in and not charging, to plugged in and charging, but then after that it says not charging when I hover over it again.

 

[dazc]

I had a similar problem in Windows 8

This is the a solution that worked for me:
http://www.speedguide.net/faq_in_q.php?qid=380

Rebooting will automatically re-install the device manager.

 

[Systreg]

Thanks Daz,

With regards to this on that link:

6. Open "Device Manager" (right-click on "Computer" -> Properties -> click "Device Manager" in left pane)

7. Under "Batteries", right-click and uninstall "Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery" (all occurances)

I'm not sure I should start messing around removing things when I don't know what they are, I was hoping there was something I had missed where I would simply tick a box or whatever to make the battery charge.

I had a look on Google and it seems the solution on your link works for some, but not for others, and where it doesn't work, people don't know what will happen now they've removed the "Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery" thing.

 

[Murray]

Did it just one day have this problem or did the charge life go down and down as time went on? if so you might just need a new battery.

 

[dazc]

I'm not sure I should start messing around removing things when I don't know what they are, I was hoping there was something I had missed where I would simply tick a box or whatever to make the battery charge.

I totally understand what you're saying - I had the same concern but since nothing else worked I just went for it.

 

[Systreg]

Did it just one day have this problem or did the charge life go down and down as time went on? if so you might just need a new battery.

No idea mate, the battery has never been used to power this laptop, it's only used with the mains, so I tend not to notice what the battery is doing, if I do, it's just grey coloured and not charging.

I only noticed it a while back when I turned it off at the mains by mistake and the laptop went off, that told me there was no charge in the battery, so I've only been conscious of it since then.

 

[Admin]

If the battery is in it should automatically start charging when you connect the mains. If you never use the battery you should take it out as keeping it at 100% charge all the time diminishes it over time. It may now be dead as a result.

The only way to know for sure is to borrow one from someone who has the same machine or buy a replacement.

When you get the new one, take the battery out if you are full time on mains, then put it in when you need it.

Admin

 

[retired_member36]

Ive had a few laptops and a few battery problems in the past. When I bought the latest one i told the geezer about the previous problems. He said that if your not mobile with the laptop, use it with the power supply (wire) plugged in and the battery out.

Apparently the battery's are only designed to go through so many charging phases before they no longer hold their charge! I remember one of my old laptops the battery would last less than 5 minutes when it was registering a full charge. Having the battery in constantly with the charger plugged in is like putting it through constant charging phases and thus damages it (according to the tech guy at pcworld)

 

[Systreg]

Thanks, the battery is probably dead then, as this laptop is 7 years old now, so it'll have been sitting in there being charged so many times over the years.

 

[retired_member36]

Thanks, the battery is probably dead then, as this laptop is 7 years old now, so it'll have been sitting in there being charged so many times over the years.

Get the serial number off it and buy one off ebay. There are loads for sale on there mate, pretty cheap as well.

 

[Systreg]

I'll just leave it as it is and hope the power electric doesn't go off, I wouldn't use eBay for anything.

 

[Nova]

Is your laptop a Dell? I have one and I bought an aftermarket battery for it. It worked for a bit and then I had the same message. I think I read somewhere that Dell puts a chip in them as they don't want you to use non Dell products.

 

[Systreg]

This is an Advent 7113 laptop.