Greetings all, I’d like to share with you an interesting tidbit of information that I ran across recently. I have several customers that have purchased and been very happy with the Acer Aspire series of Netbooks. I liked them so much I even got one for myself, and I too am very pleased with this little dynamo. I’ll post a review later maybe, it really is a great machine. Especially considering the price, but now I will get back to the topic at hand.
One of these customers suddenly had a problem with the battery not charging. In fact, the battery was non-existant, it wouldn’t charge or give an error light or really … anything. Now, the little netbook ran fine when plugged into the AC adapter, so that ruled that out as being bad. The logical assumption of course was that this customer simply had a dud for a battery. You know, a bad cell, and open connection, whatever it is it rendered the battery useless much quicker than it should have.
Here’s the neat part of this and the reason for this post. Before contacting Acer to get a replacement battery, I did some research just to be thorough and also to get options for replacement batteries in case a longer life battery was desired. What I found was that many other folk out there in the great wide open Internet were having similar problems. Again, initial thought was a run on bad batteries. However, as I read more, it seemed that a bug in the netbook firmware had cropped up and would cause the BIOS to stop recognizing the fact that there was a battery in the machine at all. Well now, isn’t that interesting?!
The information I got specifically referenced netbooks running on firmware (BIOS) versions 3305, and then suggested upgrading to the (at that time) latest version of 3309. I check the netbook that was in for service with the battery problem and found that it was actually on version 3301(!), so I upgraded to the latest version as of yesterday which was 3310. Now, here is where I have to be honest with all you folk and tell you that in my case, this did not fix the problem. I was really hopeful that it would, but no dice. Why am I posting this then, if it didn’ t work? Good question! In my research, among the forum posts and websites and such that talked of performing these BOIS updates for this problem, the majority of the folk reported success with the procedure. I’d say probably 75% to 80% had the update fix the battery problem after all, and did not have to purchase (or submit for warranty and wait for) a new battery.
All this being said, I am going to file this tidbit away for future reference. If I run across this problem again, be it with my own netbook or another customer unit, this is a fast and easy thing to try, and if it solves the problem even half the time it will be worth it. Now, you know about it too so you can add this to your kit for when you run across this problem too. You never know, it might save you some time and buckage some day. Enjoy!
Here is a link to the Acer support site where you can pick up updates for your model of netbook: http://support.acer.com/
Brilliant, a 30 sec download and I now have a battery powered Aspire again, do not forget the battery only charges when the Aspire is turned on
My Acer is having the same problem, but my main problem is that I don’t have a clue what I’m looking for to download.
Firmware (BIOS) versions – where do I find it, and what am I looking for? I have an Acer Aspire 5741.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
Cheers from New Zealand!
my acer battery shows it is in but stays on 1 percent charged and only works with the cord plugged in if i take it out it shows it is not there but while in it always says 1% available (pluged in, not charging).
I also dont know what i should download to fix the problem if it is fixable.
also my mouse pad sometimes jumps the mouse around the screen and wont stop unless i leave it turnd off for about 15 minits if you have any ideas about the mouse i would appreciate it.
please give me some advice. thanks from new zealand
i just downloaded the right file it was called something like bios – change critical from 3% to 5% and change low from 7% to 9%.
strait away after reading the read me file and installing the update the battery started working properly.
honestly thank you heaps.
In a random search for help with replacing my Acer One battery I ran across this post… and thank goodness!!! I am (Happily) one of the 80% .. and reading this post saved me so much money, time, and effort!!! One little bios update and my battery is charging like new 🙂
Thank you for passing this info along even if it didn’t work for you – much appreciated!
I have a AS3810TZ with the same problem. I updated the BIOS as reccomended (the new version was specifcally lablled for battery improvement) but it did not work. I also got a new battery before doing it and there is no effect on both (old and new) ones. I do not know what to do.
I have a problem with a new battery for my Aspire 5741-A. The orange light is blinking, and system is telling me battery is not charging. I have recently updated the BIOS. Does anybody know if the answer is to replace the battery like-for-like. This is because the old battery is charging (extremely slowly, if at all) and that the old battery was a 4400 mAh and 48w 10.8v battery made by Acer, and i replaced it with a battery from 2power at 5200 mAh 11.1v.
Help!!!
Having a similar issue with an Acer Timeline 5830T. However even after a BIOS update and uninstall and update of the Microsoft ACPI Battery Control Driver it is still listing as not charging. Don’t have the option to remove the battery as it’s fixed inside the case!!
Anyone have a solution??
In my case I think the battery is gone. It was sitting uncharged for too long and even with the bios update it refuses to function. I have ordered a new battery for my AS3810TZ….
to be continued…
I can’t update my bios, the windows update program needs a 20% battery to update my bios I have 0% 🙁
the problem with my acer aspire 4730z (w/ newly purchased battery) is that when i plugged the charger, the power button is blinking as well as the battery light. i havent tried the bios update yet. but the temporary solution i have discovered is that when the laptop is turned off and plugged in, the battery charged up to 100%. so basically, i cannot charge it while using the laptop. maybe i will try to update the bios one of ths days.
update: my officemate also have an acer laptop. i borrowed her charger and plugged it, powered it On and everythings is Ok. the battery is charging while it’s On and the power button is not blinking anymore.. so the solution now is to buy a new charger..
Having a similar issue with an Acer Timeline 5830T. However even after a BIOS update and uninstall and update of the Microsoft ACPI Battery Control Driver it is still listing as pluggedin, not charging. Don’t have the option to remove the battery as it’s fixed inside the case!!
Anyone have a solution??
Having a similar issue with an Acer Timeline 5830T. However even after a BIOS update and uninstall and update of the Microsoft ACPI Battery Control Driver it is still listing as plugged in, not charging. Don’t have the option to remove the battery as it’s fixed inside the case!
Please tell me how to solve this problem?
My acer extenza 4620z only works when plugged in. battery only shows one little line at bottom. I know nothing about computers.. can you help me or do I need a new battery? the battery can only be replace with a BTP-B2J1 battery….
ok
My battery stopped charging about a week ago. My Aspire TimelineX is no longer under warranty so I am unable to contact customer service.
I went to the Acer website, but was unable to find a link I can upgrade my BIOS version. If anyone can help…
Thanks
my batter light is blinking and when the computer boots, the batter meter is showing empty. when i plug the computer into an ac power source a cross sing apperars on the mattery meter and the battery is actually not charging plus the notification that I should coonsider replacing my battery
I had actually given up on my Aspire 6530 for years, I bought a replacement last year and only today pulled the Aspire out of the closet to give to a friend that was robbed. I had searched for “aspire battery not charging” on the web to see by chance if there were any fixes and was directed here. Let me say THANK YOU! The BIOS update seems to have resolved the problem in minutes!
I had the battery not charging problem with my daughters ASUS Aspire V5. I checked the adaptor and it was outputting 19V as expected. I read this blog and decided to try shutting down the computer taking out the battery and unplugging the power cord. Five minutes later after doing this I put the batter back in, reattached the power cord, fired up. The battery now charging.
TWG
Everybody is looking all over for solutions to the dead battery issue and completely missing one important one–IS YOUR CHARGING ADAPTER DOING ITS JOB? If not, there’s the problem and it costs less than $20 to get a new one!
i have acer aspire 5737z laptop every thing is ok laptop battery icon messege in pulged in charging but battery not chaged you have any idia plz help me
Hi
I have an acer aspire 5535 and have a problem when I switch on the laptop. It boots up but nothing on the screen or any processor flashing lights telling me that the machine is operating! Seems to be a n intermittent fault as if I turn it off and reboot sometimes the screen will come on! Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Thank you so much, this has worked for me, on Aspire 5738Z. I was actually searching for a new battery when the link to this page came up, so you have saved me the expense!
I have been having the same problem for the last years I had this laptop. Now that I have decided to use it as a little server for playing, keeping it plugged 24/7, I have found that it is not working at all. My guess is that the battery is still not being recognized and due to that the laptop is not powering up. I can’t, therefor, update my BIOS. Can you think of any solution? I would be very pleased. And I am sorry to revive a thread created so many time ago.
I have a similar problem, kind of, for my acer aspire m5-581t laptop. When the battery is near 97%+ charged, the plug will continue to charge it fine, however when it gets below that the plug will no longer charge the battery, it will just go all the way down to 0% with the plug in. Taking out the plug and putting it back in charges it for about 7-10 seconds, but then the charging ceases again. If I turn the laptop off, or put it in sleep mode for a few hours, it charges up just fine with the power cord in, just not when its on and operating. Read somewhere the sometimes the OEM power cord will not allow enough power through to charge the battery, so after several attempts to change settings, firmware, etc, etc, etc, I purchased a new replacement cord for 15$ from amazon from Super Power Supply company, and it is working fine now!
icar – Try taking the battery out and plugging the laptop in to power it up without the battery in it at all. If it works, powers up that is, you have a bad battery.
I did this update on my aspire one a110. I didn’t believe that it would work, but it did! I sit here now writing this in bed with my aspire one running on battery with about 2.5 hours left on it. Thanks so much for this tip!
Also, everyone who can’t find the download:
use the search by model section and just find your model of netbook in the list. make sure you get the right update, because if you use the wrong one, it could permanently damage the computer.
Thanks again, I will post a link to a tutorial for my model of netbook in the coming time.
I just encounted a similar problem. My acer aspire m5 is not charging at 69% and goes off when the charger is removed.
I want to know where and what to download the bios
Hi I just updated the bios as per instructions but. Ow much aspire one won’t boot up! It gets so far into booting then turns off. Can you advise how to overcome please?
An update to failure to boot after bios upgrade. I tried to boot around 5 times and failed. Then booted in safe mode, no change. Then took out power cable and replaced it and rebooted and it came up fine. Just checked power icon and it now shows that it is charging the battery. Fantastic. Thank you so much.
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