118 If Something Goes Wrong

Power and the batteries

Power and the batteries
Your computer receives its power through the AC adaptor and
power cord/cable or from the system batteries (battery and real-time
clock (RTC) battery). Power problems are interrelated. For
example, a faulty AC adaptor or power cord/cable will neither
power the computer nor recharge the batteries.
Here are some typical problems and how to solve them:

The AC power light does not come on when you plug in the

AC adaptor and power cord/cable.

Make sure the AC adaptor and power cord/cable are firmly plugged
into both the wall outlet and the computer.
If the AC power light still does not come on, check that the wall
outlet is working properly by plugging in a lamp or other appliance.

The AC adaptor and power cord/cable work correctly, but the

battery will not charge.

The battery does not charge while the computer is consuming full
power. Try turning off the computer.
The battery may be too hot or too cold to charge properly. If you
think this is the probable cause, let the battery reach room
temperature and try again.
If the battery has completely discharged, it will not begin charging
immediately. Leave the AC adaptor and power cord/cable
connected, wait 20 minutes and see if the battery is charging.
If the battery light is glowing after 20 minutes, let the computer
continue charging the battery for at least another 20 minutes before
you turn on the computer.
If the battery light does not glow after 20 minutes, the battery may
have reached the end of its useful life.

The battery appears not to power the computer for as long as

it usually does.

If you frequently repeat shallow charge and discharge, the battery
meter may become inaccurate. Let the battery discharge
completely, then try charging it again.
Check the power options via your Power Plans (see “Power Plans”
on page 77). Have you added a device that takes its power from the
battery? Is your software using the internal storage drive more? Is
the display power set to turn off automatically? Was the battery
fully charged to begin with? All these conditions affect how long
the charge lasts.