Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop. Need a new battery or a new AC power adaptor?

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dixierose

New Member
I have a Dell Inspiron 1545 that is almost 2 years old. When I turned on the laptop today I get this message:

AC power adapter wattage and type cannot be determined. Battery may not charge. System will adjust the performance to match power available. Please connect Dell 65W AC adapter for best performance. To resolve issue, reseat power adaptor.

The battery icon on my laptop says 0% - plugged in but not charging.

Dell wants $$ for their support/help as laptop is out of warranty. I did the troubleshooting steps they suggested. It said if BIOS was outdated it could cause AC adaptor problems. I tried to upgrade but I have to have 10% battery power to do so and could not finish this step.

I cannot see any breaks in the cord, but have heard it crackle 3-4 times when I plug it in.

My question is will it hurt to run my laptop like this? It works fine on AC adapter cord I just don't have any battery. I checked battery life and it said battery life is able to charge normally, however, it is reaching the end of its usable life.

So, what is wrong? Do I need a new battery or a new AC power adaptor?
Would appreciate any info.
 
I had an inspiron 1501 that basically had an issue where it didn't recognize the battery. A reinstall of the the bios fixed that issue. However, its not a good idea to run your laptop if you are hearing crackling and stuff when plugging it in. You may have a bad power port on the back of the laptop. Most likely you need to get a new battery and a new power adapter.
 
How can I update the BIOS when I have to have 10% battery charge? Also, I am not hearing the crackling any more, but of course, it just may not be happening every time I plug it in. If I buy a new adapter and battery I might as well buy a new laptop at the price Dell charges, and Dell says not to use generic adapter or battery. What brand laptop do you think is best?

Sure appreciate your help. :)
 
You can't update bios unless the laptop is plugged into a power outlet. At least my dell wouldn't update on battery power even at 100 percent.

Toshiba may be one of the better brands to go with.
 
When I go to Dell website to download and run update on BIOS I get the message: Battery must be charged above 10% before system BIOS can be flashed.

Of course, I cannot do that as my battery power is 0% and the AC adaptor will not recharge the battery
 
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