Battery Cannot be Identified

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by jellobean, May 28, 2013.

  1. jellobean

    jellobean Private E-2

    I get the following message on bootup:

    WARNING: The battery cannot be identified.
    This system will be unable to charge this battery.
    Strike F1 key to continue.

    This problem came about with a bad malware infection. Most of that has been fixed by the malware forum, but they directed me to come to the hardware forum for the battery problem.

    I don't think the problem is with the battery (unless malware could somehow have killed it), but rather with the drivers or system files or some such. I don't know enough to check this stuff out. I did try to reinstall the battery driver (I think), but the file was already there (again, I think).

    Thanks.
     
  2. gman863

    gman863 MajorGeek

    If you're getting the message in the BIOS boot (before the Windows screen starts up), I doubt it is a malware issue.

    Please post the make/model of the PC and we can give you further advice. Thanks.
     
  3. jellobean

    jellobean Private E-2

    Computer is a Dell Inspiron Mini 10

    Yes, I am getting the message in the BIOS.

    It is not so much that I think the malware caused the problem, but rather the problem happened at the same time. My guess is that it came from something my brother-in-law did when he tried to "fix" the malware problem. He said something at one point about "wiping" the hard drive. When my niece gave me the computer (it is her laptop that was a present from me) when her dad couldn't "fix" it, I could tell that whatever had been done, it hadn't actually wiped the hard drive. A lot of stuff was invisible due to the malware and virus issues, but it is possible that my brother-in-law accidentally deleted necessary files. I know now that the internet connection wasn't working because some .reg and .sys files were missing.

    Appreciate the help!
     
  4. gman863

    gman863 MajorGeek

    Although there are a few other offbeat issues that can cause this, 90% of the time it's due to the battery failing. Although it's meant to be a courtesy warning, Dell takes it a step further by disabling battery charging on certain models - the logic being you'll head directly to Dell's website to purchase a (grossly overpriced) OEM replacement battery.

    If you want or need a new battery, go to Amazon.com and type in the exact model # of your PC. Check the user reviews, as aftermarket battery quality varies widely. You should be able to find a good replacement on Amazon for less than half of what Dell charges.

    There is also a variation of this that states "Your charger type cannot be identified. As a result, the battery will not charge" on certain newer Dell models. If this happens, go the Amazon route as well. A genuine Dell charger for a Dell i7 is about $30 on Amazon, it's about $90 on Dell's website.
     

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