Techie help: Laptop battery charging.

[fudgeflaps]

I've got a new laptop, which unfortunately uses Windows Bisto (Vista)- so for the laptop battery, there are all sorts of fancy power options/ power plans- all easy enough to use.

The thing is- I run the laptop off the mains supply, but, despite the battery being totally flat with the laptop running off the mains, it doesn't seem to be charging! When I check the status of the battery, it says, "0%, plugged in (not charging)".

So, how on earth do I get the battery to charge up??!!!

Please help, oh wise techie heads of OT-land.

Thanks in advance, (frustrated) ff.

!tears! !wink!

[welshfella]

Has the battery ever charged?

[sparky]

Sounds to me more like a computer issue than a Vista one.

Presumably if you try to switch on the computer with out the mains connected nothing happens.

Have you tried removing the battery? If not do so, look that the connections are clean and not bent out of position then replace battery.

If no joy probably either duff battery or duff charger inside laptop to be sorted under warranty, or if only a few days old persuade supplier to swap it.

[Sam Slater]

Fudgey, it may just say 'not charging' because it is fully charged, or senses it's plugged in to the mains.

Turn it off, unplug it from the mains and then turn it on again and use it until the battery dies. Time it. Then charge it up again fully.

My powerbook just says 'charged' when full, but yours may just use different semantics. Remember that it may take a few battery drains to 0%, and charges to 100% before the battery works at it's premium.

[JonathanWilson]

With vista it should say "100%, not charging" (might say 98 or 99 as its a lil iffy at times) when the battery is fully charged.

However, its a new laptop so may have some tape/plastic over the battery conections to make sure its always off when its packed with the battery in place so worth checking.

Jon Xx