Laptop battery acting up...

I did a search for 'computer repair' and read in a news article that
seemed to say this group welcomed such inquiries.

I have a Toshiba laptop (my third) that used to run without the
battery pack. The computer is probably 10 years old. I use it in my
vehicle to look at maps and also run a timer program that keeps track
of where you are on any interstate freeway in the US. The computer is
continuously plugged into a 120 volt power converter. Just a few days
ago it started shutting down with a low battery message (I think that
is what it is saying - it shuts down too fast to read the message)
whenever the monitor is out of the screen saver for more than about a
minute. Since the computer will usually run without the battery pack
installed, it seems that there may be an internal battery that has gone
bad - just guessing here. The computer shuts down as above even with
the battery pack installed and the battery charger plugged in.
Obviously, the monitor is draining too much juice, causing the computer
to croak.

This same thing happened to my 1st Toshiba laptop.

Any suggestion on how this can be repaired will be appreciated!

Thanks - John

battles1550@mailinator.com

Thanks for the reply. The model # is a Satellite 2180CDT.
I have another Toshiba - Satellite that has a like power supply with a
bit more amps out. I tried using that supply on the problem computer
to see if the power supply was the problem, but to no avail.
The reason I surmised that it was a power problem concerning
batteries was the fact that 1 minute into watching the monitor out
of the screen saver, it would power down. I'm sure that you know what
you are talking about - that it could be the mother board.

Well dang! Actually, I use the computer in a vehicle, and I am leaving
this traveling job Monday. It served it's purpose for about 2 years.
I think that I am going with desktops from now on. Never had a
desktop
do this.

Thanks again - John
in Texas panhandle


Barry Watzman wrote:
> I'm A+ and Network+ certified and repair laptops. Mostly I work on
> Toshiba's.
>
> This would be better posted to comp.sys.laptops (which I also frequent).
>
> It would be better also to give the exact model number of the laptop.
>
> Re: "it seems that there may be an internal battery that has gone bad -
> just guessing here"
>
> There are some internal batteries, but they do not actually power the
> computer. They keep the computer's clock running when the computer is
> off/unplugged, and there may be a battery that maintains memory while
> you are switching batteries (with the computer not plugged in either).
> I won't say categorically that they are not the problem, but they are
> probably not the problem. To the extent that you guess that there are
> internal batteries, correct. To the extent that you think that they are
> your problem, very, very unlikely (but I won't quite say totally
> impossible).
>
>
> Re: "Obviously, the monitor is draining too much juice, causing the
> computer to croak"
>
> Not obvious at all. And, in fact, almost certainly not the case.
>
> This is probably a power problem. It could be in the laptop, but don't
> overlook the possibility that the problem is the AC adapter. [If you
> have a model, such as the "early 400-series" (400 to 435) that had no
> external AC adapter and plugged directly into AC wall power, well, there
> IS still an AC power adapter, but it's inside the laptop).
>
> There are other possibilities, but they are much less likely.
> Unfortunately, unless it's an AC power adapter, the "repair" could well
> be a new motherboard, which is not economically feasible in a laptop of
> the age you describe.
>
> Let me know the exact model number and I will be able to be of a bit
> more help.
>
>
>
> wrote:
> > I did a search for 'computer repair' and read in a news article that
> > seemed to say this group welcomed such inquiries.
> >
> > I have a Toshiba laptop (my third) that used to run without the
> > battery pack. The computer is probably 10 years old. I use it in my
> > vehicle to look at maps and also run a timer program that keeps track
> > of where you are on any interstate freeway in the US. The computer is
> > continuously plugged into a 120 volt power converter. Just a few days
> > ago it started shutting down with a low battery message (I think that
> > is what it is saying - it shuts down too fast to read the message)
> > whenever the monitor is out of the screen saver for more than about a
> > minute. Since the computer will usually run without the battery pack
> > installed, it seems that there may be an internal battery that has gone
> > bad - just guessing here. The computer shuts down as above even with
> > the battery pack installed and the battery charger plugged in.
> > Obviously, the monitor is draining too much juice, causing the computer
> > to croak.
> >
> > This same thing happened to my 1st Toshiba laptop.
> >
> > Any suggestion on how this can be repaired will be appreciated!
> >
> > Thanks - John
> >

battles1550@mailinator.com

>>The computer is probably 10 years old.

Ok, I know laptops generally stay in service for longer than desktops
because, well, there much more expensive but I won't put any money into a 10
year old laptop. IMHO

Glenn

SBFan2000