What's wrong with my computer?

[clandestino]

OK, here's an odd one.

When I plug in my laptop, it no longer charges my battery. So I can use my laptop as long as it's plugged into the mains, but that's all. So is the problem with:

(a) My power lead? I bought a new one only recently so I'm not sure it's that, but maybe?
(b) The socket I plug the lead into? I had a few days when I could jiggle the power lead around a little and it would start to charge the battery. Now the jiggling does nothing.
(c) The battery itself?

What do you reckon? I have a MacBook by the way. I seem to get through one a year. It's ridiculous.

 

[ivebeenhigh]

i reckon you need someone else with a mac book to lend you their cable and battery. you try yours in their, they try thiers in yours and it will tell you where the issue is. its probably the battery.

 

[Sunray]

Batteries just seemingly go after a while. My work Dell laptop had 4+ hours life for a few years but now can't even keep the computer in standby for more than a few hours.

 

[Crispy]

One a year does seem ridiculous. I don't know of anyone in that situation anyway.

 

[keybored]

Try removing the battery, checking the contacts are clean (if you can see them) and reinstall.

Or this

 

[pk]

More than likely power supply... those crappy mag contacts and the oddball diode arrangement in the plugs are wrong from the factory door.

The batteries are shite, but there are alternatives.

$99.95

Clicky here if you think the battery is flattery...

http://fastmac.com/laptop.php

and for older Macs...

http://www.newertech.com/products/laptop.php

 

[lozenge]

your problem isn't that odd... google turns up 62000 hits, here's one of them
Good luck.

 

[Kanda]

I have a PSU you could test with.

 

[editor]

What do you reckon? I have a MacBook by the way. I seem to get through one a year. It's ridiculous.

Normally, my advice for anyone suffering such awful problems with an particular brand would be to switch brands sharpish, but if you're sticking with Mac, then I'd suspect that the battery is at fault and a replacement is needed.

I bought a cheapo rubbish battery for an old laptop a few years back and very quickly it performed much as yours did: i.e. it wouldn't hold a charge. As others have suggested, check that the contacts haven't become gunked up and try charging it from another socket on the off chance.

It's also worth trying out Kanda's PSU before you splash out on a new battery too.

 

[Sunray]

If the mac is the same and the batteries keep dying then perhaps the mac is at fault. Highly unlikely because the charge circuitry is inside the battery.

 

[clandestino]

Turns out the answer was (b). Took it into the Apple Store today, and they fixed it in a few hours, for fifty quid. Plus they gave me a new casing for the laptop, as a chunk had fallen out of the original one. And it looks like I've got a new keyboard too - all these extras for free! I'm very impressed. It's like I've got a new computer...

 

[pk]

Turns out the answer was (b). Took it into the Apple Store today, and they fixed it in a few hours, for fifty quid. Plus they gave me a new casing for the laptop, as a chunk had fallen out of the original one. And it looks like I've got a new keyboard too - all these extras for free! I'm very impressed. It's like I've got a new computer...

Good stuff.

Glad you didn't switch brands now aren't you?