How to Fix a Laptop That Only Works When Plugged In

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If your laptop is a “desktop” because it dies the moment the cable is pulled, you have one of three issues: a dead battery, a faulty charging circuit, or a “Ghost” battery driver.

1. The “Battery Driver” Reset

  1. Right-click Start > Device Manager.
  2. Expand Batteries.
  3. Right-click Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery and click Uninstall.
  4. Restart. Windows will reinstall the driver. If the battery was just “glitched,” it will start working now.

2. Testing the Cells

If the laptop works for 1-2 minutes and then dies, the battery cells can no longer hold a “load.” It is time to follow Article #2 and buy a replacement.

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