Wikiposts
Search
Computer/Internet Issues & Troubleshooting Anyone with questions about the terribly complex world of computers or the internet should try here. NOT FOR REPORTING ISSUES WITH PPRuNe FORUMS! Please use the subforum "PPRuNe Problems or Queries."

XPS M1330 battery light

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 22nd Nov 2009, 05:43
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: I'm a wanderer
Age: 43
Posts: 421
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
XPS M1330 battery light

Hi All;

Just wondering what a alternate blue/red flashing light for the battery indicator on the front of the panel means? It flashes blue once then 5 red very quickly.

The 9 cell battery still lasts over 5 hours when fully charged, charges correctly to 100% in the usual time. I have removed the battery and just run off the power adapter, the red light does go away.

I am hoping it is just the sign of an impending battery failure, rather than a complete melt down of the PSU.
empacher48 is offline  
Old 22nd Nov 2009, 06:13
  #2 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: I'm a wanderer
Age: 43
Posts: 421
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Thanks StaceyF, I have reseated the battery and checked the BIOS. Also with the battery out I checked the status lights which showed 100% health, the BIOS said the same too.
empacher48 is offline  
Old 22nd Nov 2009, 09:17
  #3 (permalink)  
Hippopotomonstrosesquipidelian title
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: is everything
Posts: 1,826
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Blue & amber means "battery too hot". See your user manual around p. 100. Blue & 5 red flashes, no idea :-)
Bushfiva is offline  
Old 22nd Nov 2009, 11:06
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As a personal guess I would say your AC adapter is knackard or about to be knackard in the not so distant future.

If you put your hand on it see if its roasting hot.

The blue then red red red red red says to me the thermal cut out is cycling. It puts charge through (blue) then over heats cuts out and cools (the reds) then once cools puts charge through again which then overheats etc etc.

But looking at this article Nabble - cheapbattery - Dell XPS M1330 Battery Q&A it seems like there could be a whole raft of issues going on under the hood.

Actually scrub the idea on the AC adapter after reading some more articles on that machine box it up and send it back to Dell looks like that model is a right lemon.
mad_jock is offline  
Old 22nd Nov 2009, 19:20
  #5 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: I'm a wanderer
Age: 43
Posts: 421
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Thanks guys.

I do realise the M1330 was a right lemon (3 motherboard replacements later - at Dell's expense thank you). The AC adapter is about as warm as the others around the house and the light sequence does stop when the battery is removed.

Oh well, it looks like I'll be getting that Macbook Pro a bit earlier then.
empacher48 is offline  
Old 22nd Nov 2009, 20:07
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ouch. Get your mac and stick some version of linux on it and see if that cures it.
mad_jock is offline  
Old 22nd Nov 2009, 20:30
  #7 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: I'm a wanderer
Age: 43
Posts: 421
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Anything has to be better than windows...
empacher48 is offline  
Old 23rd Nov 2009, 07:43
  #8 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: I'm a wanderer
Age: 43
Posts: 421
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Just tried the laptop fix suggested in one of the threads here. All that has done is told the BIOS that the battery is indeed on the way out - but won't stop the lights.
empacher48 is offline  
Old 23rd Nov 2009, 07:53
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This is getting to the clutching at straws stage but...

Take the battery out and use a small screw driver the scrape all the contacts then clean them with some aftershave on the end of a cotton wool bud.

If this doesn't work its going to have to be a black bit of tape over the lights. I for one would be mighty pissed off with dell about this machine. They arn't cheap!!!
mad_jock is offline  
Old 23rd Nov 2009, 19:38
  #10 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: I'm a wanderer
Age: 43
Posts: 421
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
They aren't cheap, but they've had major problems. I've had the motherboard/GPU replaced twice due to overheating. I did receive this one as part of the first batch into NZ when I bought it so its done plenty of miles as a partial desktop replacement!

But I did clean the contacts as the first thing I did, to no avail. The cost of a replacement battery for it is NZD$600 from Dell. There aren't any cheaper on NZ's version of e-bay either...

Next laptop isn't going to be Dell after this one.
empacher48 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.