locked
Plugged in, not charging on HP Business Notebook RRS feed

 > 

  • Question

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    I'm an IT professional that is working on a client's HP Business Notebook.

    It is an HP Compaq 6720s and is running Windows Vista Business 32-bit.

    This thing is less than 6 months old and has been in my office at least 4 times.

    It will be plugged in to the A/C power supply and if you hover over the battery meter it will say "Plugged in, not charging".

    I've messed around with it and it seems that if you get it to charge to 100%, unplug and let it drain to below 75-80%, then plug it back in it will not charge.

    If you pop out the battery then pop it back in it will immediately start charging.

    That is a fairly simple workaround, but not an answer to the problem.

    I have applied ALL updates from the HP website including bios, chipset, system default settings for Microsoft Windows Vista, and essential system updates for Microsoft Windows Vista.

    Also followed these instructions that I found on a forum:

     

    "This document pertains to HP Notebook PCs with Windows Vista. Understanding battery charging issues If the notebook battery is not charging or the notebook does not indicate that the battery is charging, the most likely scenario is that the battery itself is operating correctly, but its power management software may have become corrupt. In order to correct the problem, you will need to uninstall and reinstall the power management software by using the Device Manager. This document will explain how to uninstall and reinstall the ACPI Battery listings in Windows Vista, as well as how to obtain and install updated BIOS files, if needed to correct other battery issues. Uninstalling and reinstalling power management software in Windows Vista In order to correct problems with the battery's power management software, follow the steps below.

    1.

    Click Start and type device in the search field, then select Device Manager .

    2.

    Expand the Batteries category.

    3.

    Under the Batteries category, right-click the Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery listing, and select Uninstall .

    WARNING: Do not remove the Microsoft AC Adapter driver or any other ACPI compliant driver.

    4.

    On the Device Manager taskbar, click Scan for hardware changes .

    Alternately, select Action > Scan for hardware changes .

    Windows will scan your computer for hardware that doesn't have drivers installed, and will install the drivers needed to manage your battery's power. The notebook should now indicate that the battery is charging."

     

    I contacted HP support and they were no help.

    I have replaced both the battery and the motherboard in this notebook and the issue still exists.

    The next step is replacing the laptop but I'm afraid there is a chance the next laptop could have the same issue.

    Type "plugged in, not charging" into a Google search and you will get a ton of results.

    It's not just HP, this effects Dell, Toshiba, Gateway, Acer and other brands.

    The one common link is Windows Vista.

    It does not seem to matter what version of Vista is running.

    I have yet to find a true solution to this issue.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!!!

    Friday, October 17, 2008 2:54 PM

Answers

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Hi James,

     

    This behavior is not related to Operation System. Windows Vista does not have abilities to control the power of laptops. It just shows us the status of the power supply. The power behavior is controlled by your hardware settings. Only the support of HP is helpful on it.

     

    You may try another HP support, for example, Email support and online chat.

     

    http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/contact_us.html 

     

    Important Note: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

     

    Monday, October 20, 2008 8:25 AM
    Moderator

All replies

  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Hi James,

     

    This behavior is not related to Operation System. Windows Vista does not have abilities to control the power of laptops. It just shows us the status of the power supply. The power behavior is controlled by your hardware settings. Only the support of HP is helpful on it.

     

    You may try another HP support, for example, Email support and online chat.

     

    http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/contact_us.html 

     

    Important Note: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

     

    Monday, October 20, 2008 8:25 AM
    Moderator
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Funny...  I have an HP Compaq nc8430 that was just today upgraded from Windows XP to Vista Ultimate...and it is now doing the exact thing as stated in this post.  This morning, the battery operation was fine, but after the upgrade it is stating "...plugged in, not charging..."  That would seem to be a problem with the operating system.

    Tuesday, October 28, 2008 3:06 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Hi Arthur Xie,

     

    I have a hard time believing that this is purely an issue with the hardware.  Please do a Google search on this issue and browse through some of the forums that come up.  As I mentioned in my original post this is not only a problem with my model of laptop but with several HP models and several other brands of laptops.  I also mentioned the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery component in my original post.  From what I've read this is for battery monitoring and management.  I'm wondering if there is a problem with the way this works in Windows Vista.

     

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa939594.aspx

     

    Tuesday, October 28, 2008 2:51 PM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Hi,

     

    From the website we can read that Windows systems just show us the status of the power supply, but it cannot control the power behavior.

     

    If the power is charged but the displayed status is incorrect, we would try to find if there is any issue on the operation system then. However, if actually power is not charged,  we need to handle this issue from the hardware side.

    Tuesday, November 4, 2008 9:57 AM
    Moderator
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    I have replaced the battery, system board, and tried a different A/C power supply.  At this rate I will have built a new laptop with new parts.  What other hardware could cause a problem like this?

    Also, why is it that this is not a problem on Windows XP?  Many users have said that this problem started for them after they upgraded from Windows XP to Windows Vista.

    Wednesday, November 5, 2008 6:04 PM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
    I find it hard to believe this is NOT a Vista problem.    Google this and you'll find tons of people all having this problem that do not have it with Vista PCs.     Something is wrong within Vista.   It needs to be fixed.
    Friday, November 14, 2008 5:03 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

     

    i don't use HP Compaq 6720s. i think dell laptop have the same problem with you. how to resolve it?

     

    Saturday, November 15, 2008 3:28 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    The lady that owns this laptop has reported that the issue doesn't happen all the time. 

    In fact, it hasn't been happening as often lately but it still happens a couple times a week. 

    I haven't gotten any help from HP on this at all. 

    The last time I talked to them they told me that unless the laptop acted up all the time then they won't be able to help me.  

    I am fed up with them and Microsoft for not owning up to this problem.

    Since this issue doesn't seem to be a problem on Windows XP I have offered to downgrade the laptop to WinXp for free next week.

    I'll post my results after the downgrade is complete and we've given a week or so for testing.

    If anyone has a hookup with Microsoft it would be great to have an employee involved in this thread. 

    Saturday, November 15, 2008 3:35 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Today same thing happened, HP dv6000, says plugged in  and not charging. I followed the steps:

     

    1.

    Click Start and type device in the search field, then select Device Manager .

    2.

    Expand the Batteries category.

    3.

    Under the Batteries category, right-click the Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery listing, and select Uninstall .

    WARNING: Do not remove the Microsoft AC Adapter driver or any other ACPI compliant driver.

    4.

    On the Device Manager taskbar, click Scan for hardware changes .

    Alternately, select Action > Scan for hardware changes .

    Windows will scan your computer for hardware that doesn't have drivers installed, and will install the drivers needed to manage your battery's power. The notebook should now indicate that the battery is charging."

     
    It's working again.
     
    THIS IS A PURE VISTA (software) problem.
    Saturday, November 15, 2008 4:25 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    I have the same problem but these four steps do nothing. This is rediculous, I am going to install Linux and will post afterwords to see if that will fix the problem.  HP Pavillion 2500, 6 months old Vista Home Premium, New Bios f.24 (didn't help).

     

     

     

    Saturday, November 15, 2008 2:36 PM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
    TanTan1, you've figured it out. Your fix worked for my Gateway. Definitely a Vista problem.
    Tuesday, December 2, 2008 2:25 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Just an update.....I installed Windows XP on the problem laptop two weeks ago and the user has reported that she has had no problems charging the battery or with it showing that it is not charging.

    TanTan: I wrote in my original post that I performed the exact same steps as you did.  Unfortunately I let my coworker do the steps on the laptop while I was away. I took his word that it did not fix the issue, but it is quite possible that he didn't follow the directions carefully.  I'm now wondering if it would have fixed the laptop. 

    Either way, I am 100% sure this is a Windows Vista issue.

    Does anyone know how to report a bug to them?

     

    Tuesday, December 2, 2008 2:35 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote

    Hi Guys,

     

    Thank you for your research and sharing. I have read all of the thread, and finally find that this issue can occur when one of the Battery related drivers is corrupt. TanTan's suggestion suggests us to reload the Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery driver and it may resolve the issue.

     

    Since the battery behaviors are different on various models of laptops, we will monitor this behavior, and find if the this kind of issues are caused by same reason.

    Thursday, December 4, 2008 2:50 AM
    Moderator
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
    I was trying to fix another problem on my laptop and this one was fixed as well try this:

    1) Turned off the laptop
    2) Removed the battery
    3) Held down the power button for ~1minute

    Everything worked after that

    TRY IT!!!!
    Friday, December 5, 2008 4:48 PM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
    Hi NatBug, thanks for your input.  Keep us updated if this actually is a permanent solution for your laptop.  My client foudn that to be a short term workaround and that the issue would come back.  Any info is helpful in troubleshooting the issue though. 

     

    Friday, December 5, 2008 4:52 PM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
    Hi all 
    I have almost the same problem, I have 2 batterys in 1 I have as 0% remaining message but charging, but the battery level never change, and I almost sure that it is charging, I mean that the energy in the battery it is more, but that it is only a battery level that the SO reads wrong, because I notice this....

    In the battery that I have now with 0% before was 4% level and I left all the nigh the laptop plugged, and when I unplug the AC power I receive the critical battery level message, but I didnt plug again the AC power AND THE LAPTOP WAS RUNNING LIKE 40 MINS WITH THE 4% LEVEL, the turn off auto like when you press the power button without turn off normaly, then I connect the AC power and turn the laptop on and now I have the 0% level (charging), but never get increase.

    Then I put the 2nd battery and the battery level is 34% I just unplug a few minutes the AC power and goes down at 30% then plug again and appears charging but same... never increase as the other....

    I did all that appears before in this blog but didnt work for me.... I thinking in do a format of my lap :(

    PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!!!!
    Friday, December 19, 2008 7:50 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
      .......I was able to turn mi laptop with the battery that have "0% level an charging"
    It is working as "normal" the bad thing it is that like I dont know the REAL BATTERY LEVEL, I cant know how much energy time I have and once that the energy goes the lap will shut down not in the correct way.....

    I post this because maybe other have the same thing, the you can know that even when you SO says that you dont have battery you have it, and can work with your laptop.... I will continue in solve this issue.....
    Friday, December 19, 2008 8:03 AM
  • Question
    Sign in to vote
    0
    Sign in to vote
    I have a brand new Toshiba laptop with Windows Vista and I was using it when suddenly I got a message that the battery was almost dead.  But I had it plugged in the whole time!  So then I noticed it said "plugged in, not charging."  I re-booted it and took the battery out & put it back in.  This worked for a while, and then the same thing started happening again!  So then I started looking all over Google for some kind of fix for this and found this forum.

    I would just like to say that I have seen literally hundreds of complaints about this from people using all kinds of different laptops with Windows Vista.  After doing searches all afternoon, I have no doubt in my mind that this is a Windows Vista problem.  Windows should own up to this and get the problem fixed.
    Wednesday, December 31, 2008 3:32 AM