laptop battery not charging anymore

[jeepster]

noticed recently that the battery in my laptop (lithium ion and about 18 months old) wasn't holding its charge like it used to, now its refusing to charge at all. i've taken it out and checked the connections, all looks fine. the charge indicator hasnt moved off zero for the last couple of hours though. the power supply still powers the laptop fine, so shall i assume that i need to get my hand in my pocket for a new battery, or is there maybe some setting in windows (power management or somewhere like that) that may have been changed without me knowing.

 

i'm guessing its new battery time but i would have expected to get more than 18months from a lithium ion, and if i can avoid £110 for a new one then i will!

[chesters1]

the settings are in your screensaver page ,r/click desktop / properties,screensaver.

they can also be adjusted in bios usually

[jeepster]

i've checked those ones, and cant find anything that refers to charging, some refer to the battery but only in terms of when it should alert you to low battery power

[chesters1]

ah there maybe a charging software suite that came with your p.c`s CD,i remember my sisters one of old had a button press on startup that "revitalised" the battery ,it went off (so she couldnt use it) but did something in the background to the batteries ,cant remember the make though driving off with it on the roof of her car finally sorted it

[jeepster]

if all else fails, i'll stick it on the roof of the car then

[MickJ]

I read somewhere recently (computer Mag I think)that Lithium Ion batteries would start to lose their ability to hold a charge after 2 to 2½ years or perhaps less depending on use.

 

This is never mentioned when you buy a Lithium Ion powered Laptop.

 

Ni-Cads last longer but then you have the 'memory' problem.

 

Roll on a decent battery for portables that holds a decent charge, a full day's use would be helpful.

 

There was some talk of a ceramic based unit, but that seems to have died the death of so many new inventions.

[jeepster]

i use lithium ions everyday for work and they too are showing signs of problems

 

before i had the problems with the laptop i wondered if the fact i very rarely use it on batteries would make a difference, certainly would have with ni-cads (the dreaded memory effect you mention) but people said it would happen with l-ion, not so sure now!

[Tog]

My Toshi batteries only lasted about a year.

They will keep it going only long enough to run from my desk to a power point in the workshop now!

(for replacements look at CPC.co.uk)

Tog

[Tog]

Roof of the car!!! Thats a good way to get a new laptop! (asuming it's insured)

I got a nice replacement for a 386 a few years ago when I walked away from a machine and did'nt feel the power cord wrapped round my leg, the old 1M drop test was impressive with bits going everywhere.

I scooped it all into a carrier bag and checked with our insurers when I got back, sure enough we had covered it as an individual all risks item 5 years previous when my company paid £1500 for it. Nice insurance man sent me £1500 worth of then current toshi! - now that's 'future proofing'. (Hmmm might be time to do it again?)

(yes that's right folks, a 386 'greyscale' notebook pc with 20Mb hdd did cost loadsabucks back in '92)

Tog

[chesters1]

maybe duff batteries are the laptops equivilent of printer cartridges ,the main bit is relativly cheap but the vital parts cost an arm and leg to replace