# Dell laptop will not allow battery to charge?



## scoop2.2 (Jan 31, 2008)

Greetings--- I am a novice at fixing problems. When my Dell INSPIRON 8600 LAPTOP boots up it starts with this message " The Ac Power Adapter type cannot be determined. This will prevent optimal system performance" It then gives me 3 choices F1 continue boot -- F2 utility setup -- F3 ignore message in the future.

The laptop will not run unless plugged into charger as the battery is less than 7% charged and I receive a warning about the same. 

THE BATTERY WILL NOT CHARGE UP BECAUSE???????? 

I have had this laptop for 4 years and have had 0 problems til now.

Does anyone have an idea on what to do now?? Laptops are portable but I have to stay tethered to the cord to use. THANK YOU scoop2.2


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

A four year old battery is almost certainly dead, it needs replacement.

Not sure about the AC adapter type warning unless you're not using the original adapter. I think you can mostly ignore that warning, especially if the adapter is original and in good condition.


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## calvin-c (May 17, 2006)

And you're having the problem because it's a Dell. As I found out to my sorrow a few years ago, Dell puts 'identification' circuitry into their AC adapters & laptops. Even when it's compatible (regarding voltage, polarity, etc.) the best it will do if it's not the 'right' adapter is run the laptop. It won't charge the battery. (And the only 'right' adapter is, of course, the Dell adapter that's specific to that model of laptop. You can't even take an adapter from a different model Dell laptop & be sure it will work.)

IMO this problem alone is enough to make me avoid Dell laptops.


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## scoop2.2 (Jan 31, 2008)

calvin-c said:


> And you're having the problem because it's a Dell. As I found out to my sorrow a few years ago, Dell puts 'identification' circuitry into their AC adapters & laptops. Even when it's compatible (regarding voltage, polarity, etc.) the best it will do if it's not the 'right' adapter is run the laptop. It won't charge the battery. (And the only 'right' adapter is, of course, the Dell adapter that's specific to that model of laptop. You can't even take an adapter from a different model Dell laptop & be sure it will work.)
> 
> IMO this problem alone is enough to make me avoid Dell laptops.


Thank You -- Note that all equipment is original and unaltered. All purchased new by me. This problem just started 2 days ago. Thanks


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## scoop2.2 (Jan 31, 2008)

fairnooks said:


> A four year old battery is almost certainly dead, it needs replacement.
> 
> Not sure about the AC adapter type warning unless you're not using the original adapter. I think you can mostly ignore that warning, especially if the adapter is original and in good condition.


Thank You . That is the issue Im trying to solve. Is it the batttery that is gone? The software that recognizes the charger ? or Is the charger bad. I don't know how to test or which is the real problem.


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## calvin-c (May 17, 2006)

OK, at least it's not a problem that was deliberately caused by Dell.

I've never had a battery precipitately fail (i.e. they'll register 100% charge but the runtime gradually degrades) so I'd suspect a failure in either the charger firmware (built into the laptop) or in the adapter's identification circuitry. In either case I think you'll need an electronic tech's help.

Have you tried Dell's user forums? The problem, as I see it, is determining what is bad-battery, adapter, or laptop (firmware that determines whether the power source can charge the battery or only run the laptop).


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## scoop2.2 (Jan 31, 2008)

calvin-c said:


> OK, at least it's not a problem that was deliberately caused by Dell.
> 
> I've never had a battery precipitately fail (i.e. they'll register 100% charge but the runtime gradually degrades) so I'd suspect a failure in either the charger firmware (built into the laptop) or in the adapter's identification circuitry. In either case I think you'll need an electronic tech's help.
> 
> Have you tried Dell's user forums? The problem, as I see it, is determining what is bad-battery, adapter, or laptop (firmware that determines whether the power source can charge the battery or only run the laptop).


Calvin C --- THANK YOU for your direction!!!!! I now have a starting point for discussion. scoop


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

I don't think the battery precipitously failed but....I do think it probably failed but...maybe, a power surge or something else might have messed up the adapter circuitry.


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