Laptop battery life?

[PolythenePam]

Okay, the PolytheneKiddo has been using my laptop. Now all of a sudden when I try and turn the comp on I keep getting the 'battery is low...' message, but when I plug it in, nothing happens. She always used the power cord as far as I know so I don't think she actually broke anything . What to do? Do I need a new battery pack or is the whole thing just dead? It's a Dell Inspiron that I've had for about three years. Oh yeah, I have the battery pack plugged innow and it's not getting warm like it normally does....
Please help?

 

[JerseyBoy]

Mine died a bit ago too...get a new one!

Try ebay for a 'new' in package if you can get one.

If your battery dies altogether then everytime the plug is taken out you will have to reset the date/time each time

 

[PolythenePam]

Thanks JerseyBoy--I didn't even think of eBay--and god knows I'm on there for everything else I can think of! Thanks again.

 

[JerseyBoy]

Thanks JerseyBoy--I didn't even think of eBay--and god knows I'm on there for everything else I can think of! Thanks again.

no prob...my latest Ebay was a network card for my laptop for $1...works like a dream

Dell wants like at least $60 for batteries..you should be able to get one for under $10...course those are the guys who want $15 for shipping!

just make sure it will work with your laptop

 

[PolythenePam]

....bump....
I appreciate JerseBoy's suggestion about eBay, but surely somebody else has an idea on how to jumpstart the stupid battery?? How can I tell if it's the battery or the power cord that's bad?? Help!

 

[Weird Harold]

....bump....
I appreciate JerseBoy's suggestion about eBay, but surely somebody else has an idea on how to jumpstart the stupid battery?? How can I tell if it's the battery or the power cord that's bad?? Help!

Do you have an auto adapter cable, or just the plug in transformer? If it works on the car adapter and not on the transformer, then the transformer is bad.

Call your local Radio Shack -- some radio shack stores have a capability to test laptop (and other) batteries.

It does sound more like a bad power cable than a suddenly bad battery.

 

[PolythenePam]

Thanks Harold--I'm gonna try swapping power cords with a friend at work who has the identical laptop and see what happens--then I'll try Radio Shack. I have the plug in transformer that came with the laptop, and the little box on it that usually gets warm when I plug it in isn't heating up--that's what made me think it's the cord. Pretty high-tech of me, huh?? Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Weird Harold]

little box on it that usually gets warm when I plug it in isn't heating up--that's what made me think it's the cord. Pretty high-tech of me, huh??

That's high tech enough to be useful, it's about the only way to check the transformer without using a volt-meter.

 

[JerseyBoy]

I'm still betting on a bad battery. Mine failed without warning. It always said charging but never did. If the laptop works while plugged in I dont see how the plug is faulty.

And once the battery won't take a charge...faggedabadit

good luck

 

[PolythenePam]

I'm still betting on a bad battery. Mine failed without warning. It always said charging but never did. If the laptop works while plugged in I dont see how the plug is faulty.

And once the battery won't take a charge...faggedabadit

good luck

It won't work when I plug it in either--it keeps telling me the battery is low....hopefully I'll get a full diagnosis tomorrow--I can let the tech guy at work look at it, too.
Thanks to both of y'all for the help!

 

[JerseyBoy]

It won't work when I plug it in either--it keeps telling me the battery is low....hopefully I'll get a full diagnosis tomorrow--I can let the tech guy at work look at it, too.
Thanks to both of y'all for the help!

oh, I thought the laptop was working fine with the plug (even though it would tell you about the battery). In the bottom right of your screen it will show a little battery if its on battery power or a plug if its on plug power.

The plug is usually made up of 2 sections. I'm sure you made sure they are plugged into each other tightly.

 

[PolythenePam]

Nope, it's really and truly dead. I've made sure all plugs are plugged and I've even performed the tried and true trick of popping out the battery and popping it back in--all to no avail. ~sighs~