Dell Inspiron Plugged In but NOT Charging Resolved

[Harvard]

Had a spare power adapter to confirm problem not the adapter.

About ready to shell out $$$ for a new LapTop.

Luckily I thought I would Google the problem and presto:

The fix !!!

START QUOTE:
Shut down laptop...Unplug AC adapter....Remove battery.... Plug in AC adapter.... Start laptop..... Go to control panel.... Locate and select device manager... Left click batteries.....Uninstall Microsoft AC Adapter, uninstall Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery... In fact, uninstall all that you can under Batteries, but that should be all there is. It will re-install when booting....... Shut down laptop..... remove AC Adapter.... Replace battery..... Plug in AC adapter.... Start laptop...... All should now be good
END QUOTE

[TakingThe5th]

Harvard wrote:

1492 wrote:
Well, at least it didn't involve too many steps? :B

You have to wonder how people figure out these fixes?

OP Here:

The thing that really took me by surprise is that the unit powered up from the adaptor when the battery was removed. Up to that point, with the battery installed, I had two different power adaptors that refused to start the battery charging. Lesson here is to always try using the device with the battery removed BEFORE you think about giving up.

Now we know why Dell called it an Inspiration er.. I mean Inspiron. 🙂

[Harvard]

1492 wrote:
Well, at least it didn't involve too many steps? :B

You have to wonder how people figure out these fixes?

OP Here:

The thing that really took me by surprise is that the unit powered up from the adaptor when the battery was removed. Up to that point, with the battery installed, I had two different power adaptors that refused to start the battery charging. Lesson here is to always try using the device with the battery removed BEFORE you think about giving up.

[1492]

Well, at least it didn't involve too many steps? :B

You have to wonder how people figure out these fixes?

[fj12ryder]

I had to replace the input plug on the laptop on a friend's Inspiron. It started working more and more sporadically and finally wouldn't do anything no matter how she moved the cord. The cord was fine, but the plug wasn't. Got a new one off Ebay for less than $10. Disassembled the laptop, installed the new plug, reassembled laptop, and good to go. Been working fine every since.

There's a ton of cheap parts for laptops and such. Beats throwing a good computer away. I even fixed my Kindle DX with parts off Ebay since they don't make the DX anymore.