My own laptop won't charge

[joydivision]

I have a Medion E1225 netbook. I was getting around 5 hours a day on the battery but all the of the sudden it no longer holds a charge.

It is my own personal laptop. I am going away in about ten days time, so this has come at a bad time. I don't think I can handle 9 days with only a smart phone for my internet!.

Does anybody know what this could be? It works fine with the AC adaptor, it is only he battery that is dead. The charge LED no longer lights up either.

The DC jack doesn't feel loose but is this likely to be the issue? Could it be a charge circuit which is duff?

It could of course be the battery but it seems a bit odd for it to suddenly die.

 

[TekSolution]

It wouldn't be DC jack as it would shut off if you have the battery unplugged. Sounds like a bad battery, worst case scenario it could be the power board that is shot.

 

[compnet]

Without seeing it but from your info, I'd say -

%90 chance its battery
%10 its the charging circuits in the board
%0 its the dc jack

Can you test the battery terminal with a multimeter when the laptop is plugged in??

 

[joydivision]

Without seeing it but from your info, I'd say -

%90 chance its battery
%10 its the charging circuits in the board
%0 its the dc jack

Can you test the battery terminal with a multimeter when the laptop is plugged in??

I am sure I have come across some cases of a loose DC jack causes charge issues, if it has three pins.

I have an ossciscope in my office, so I can check the output from the laptop, and the voltage on the battery tomorrow.

I can't find any replacement batteries for this, as it is so obscure, I think it is made by MSI but unless I can actually see an MSI Wind battery I wouldn't want to just guess.

 

[Gary Rockliff]

Yeah the brand is usually sold through the ALDI chain of stores in Australia. Have never worked on them at all. Getting 5 hours battery life out of it is pretty good.

The concern for me is that the charging indicator is not lighting up!

You have probably already tried this! Try unplugging the AC adapter and take out the battery. Then, you push the power button 10 times in a row at one second intervals. Next, you push and hold the power button for 30 seconds. Then you put the battery back in and push the power button…

 

[NYJimbo]

Then, you push the power button 10 times in a row at one second intervals. Next, you push and hold the power button for 30 seconds.

Is that still making the rounds ?

Google "push the power button 10 times in a row at one second intervals" for all the people who don't get it. Its not the 10 times, its the final 30 seconds.

 

[joydivision]

I got it from a home shopping site, the laptop was very very cheap at the time, paid £150 for it brand new, which for an Atom 570 with a 320gb hard drive was very cheap. The charge LED is my concern too.

I did spill some copper oxide on the laptop when doing a job at a pottery place, and I am concerned some of that might have got inside and is maybe shorting something out. I will remove the motherboard tomorrow and investigate.

This spill happened 8 months ago and was fine since. I can't source any replacement batteries for it anyway as it is too obscure. Microdirect have some factory refurb Asus netbooks for £115 but I would rather spend that money on my holiday.

 

[NYJimbo]

Without seeing it but from your info, I'd say -

%90 chance its battery
%10 its the charging circuits in the board
%0 its the dc jack

I'm gonna go with 70%, 30%, 0%.

 

[joydivision]

I am pretty sure there is a condition which can mean a faulty DC jack will cause charging issues but maybe I am wrong.

 

[NYJimbo]

I am pretty sure there is a condition which can mean a faulty DC jack will cause charging issues but maybe I am wrong.

But it depends on the jack.

 

[brandonkick]

Measure the voltage of the AC adapter, just to be sure.

I'm betting on a bad battery.