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JDHinAL
My Toshiba Satellite L55-B5271 laptop updated to Windows 10 Version 1809 Build 17763.475 (Home, 64) a couple of weeks ago. Like every other update, I had mild annoyances occur. Like before, I fixed lost settings, file associations, and the like, while ignoring anything less intrusive to my work. Note: I used to chase down and try to fix every issue, but rarely was a fix ever available except to wait for Microsoft to patch things. So I decidedly jumped off of the merry-go-round until an issue surfaced that couldn't be wholly ignored.
Well, it arrived yesterday. My laptop gave me a critically low battery indicator message, then promptly shut down. Boom! Dead as a doornail. I thought, "Oops! My power got unplugged!" Not the case: power supply was intact everywhere. So I unplugged everything... power to wall, power to converter, and power to laptop... and plugged it back in. Booted laptop. Laptop came on, Windows began to load and battery indicator appeared to be charging. However, by the time Windows fully loaded, the battery indicator was back to its ugly state: 0% available (plugged in, charging). To date, it has not changed from that state.
I have done some research. Sorry Microsoft! But as usual, your ultimate response is to blame it on failing hardware. Some people have purchased all new hardware (power adapters to batteries), but are still having the same problem. So I am not going that route. In fact, through the years, if I had purchased a new pc every time there was a Windows mystery problem, I would be financially broke with a warehouse full of not really broken pcs. Furthermore, this problem is occurring on brand new out of the box pcs updating to Version1809.
I tried to uninstall and reinstall the 2 battery drivers. No joy.
My battery is not removeable. So I cannot discharge/reset it without opening up the back. Over my head! (PC manufacturers, I sure hope this was an obsolete trend (major faux pas) by the time I have to buy my next laptop.)
Flash the bios? Previously did that in real time with a manufacturer tech on a brand new Windows 8/Windows 8.1 Ready laptop and the laptop bricked. Only willing to do now as a very last resort.
Ran power trouble shooter. No issues found. Really?!? How can that be given the info to follow?
Read where power plan settings could be a problem. Set mine years ago, never looked at them again. Decided I should.
Wow! I found power plan settings in 4 different locations on this laptop!
1.) Toshiba eco Utility is accessed via the taskbar battery icon. It has 2 on/off switches for the eco power plan. The first switch is easily seen on main page. The second switch is a couple of levels deep. The switches appear redundant to me. But one of my switches was on, while the other one was off. I read them as both should be on, or both should be off.
2.) Windows Power Options had the power plan as Balanced with different inactivity/time-out minutes set than the Toshiba eco Utility.
3.) Windows Advanced Power Settings had different settings than the previous 2 plans in regards to inactivity/time-out minutes.
4.) Windows Mobility Center had a different power plan than Toshiba eco Utility.
Really?!? 4 location settings for just the battery? All with primarily non-matching settings? Plus the trouble shooter thought all was well? Oh, my!
Because I rarely use the battery (except to change rooms), I selected the eco setting across all 4 locations. Still no joy. Now I am wondering about my having a corrupt registry. I think I remember that can be repaired, but I will have to read up on it again before trying it.
The main purposes of this posting is:
1.) See if anyone else has a solution.
2.) Share what I think is odd about the 4 power setting locations.
3.) Ask everyone with this problem if they also have OEM installed battery software that maybe isn't playing nice with Microsoft so that a recognizable common denominator might be found.
4.) Ask Microsoft if the OEM installed battery software can be uninstalled so that only Microsoft controls my power/battery.
5.) Ask everyone if they had one of the laptops with a potentially bad battery that a special software install and check had to be done on a couple of years ago. (Just discovered that I never uninstalled my software check package. Hmmm, more outside interference? Need to uninstall it now?)
6.) And, sorry in advance... vent! Please Microsoft, would you please get an across the board stable Windows edition for most reasonably aged laptops before putting Windows on steroids again with more brand new features. (For example, if my home's roof leaks, I think that I should truly fix it instead of simply patching it before I install an Olympic size pool. Just saying.)
Hope everyone affected or interested will exchange thoughts or ideas towards a solution.
Continue reading...
Well, it arrived yesterday. My laptop gave me a critically low battery indicator message, then promptly shut down. Boom! Dead as a doornail. I thought, "Oops! My power got unplugged!" Not the case: power supply was intact everywhere. So I unplugged everything... power to wall, power to converter, and power to laptop... and plugged it back in. Booted laptop. Laptop came on, Windows began to load and battery indicator appeared to be charging. However, by the time Windows fully loaded, the battery indicator was back to its ugly state: 0% available (plugged in, charging). To date, it has not changed from that state.
I have done some research. Sorry Microsoft! But as usual, your ultimate response is to blame it on failing hardware. Some people have purchased all new hardware (power adapters to batteries), but are still having the same problem. So I am not going that route. In fact, through the years, if I had purchased a new pc every time there was a Windows mystery problem, I would be financially broke with a warehouse full of not really broken pcs. Furthermore, this problem is occurring on brand new out of the box pcs updating to Version1809.
I tried to uninstall and reinstall the 2 battery drivers. No joy.
My battery is not removeable. So I cannot discharge/reset it without opening up the back. Over my head! (PC manufacturers, I sure hope this was an obsolete trend (major faux pas) by the time I have to buy my next laptop.)
Flash the bios? Previously did that in real time with a manufacturer tech on a brand new Windows 8/Windows 8.1 Ready laptop and the laptop bricked. Only willing to do now as a very last resort.
Ran power trouble shooter. No issues found. Really?!? How can that be given the info to follow?
Read where power plan settings could be a problem. Set mine years ago, never looked at them again. Decided I should.
Wow! I found power plan settings in 4 different locations on this laptop!
1.) Toshiba eco Utility is accessed via the taskbar battery icon. It has 2 on/off switches for the eco power plan. The first switch is easily seen on main page. The second switch is a couple of levels deep. The switches appear redundant to me. But one of my switches was on, while the other one was off. I read them as both should be on, or both should be off.
2.) Windows Power Options had the power plan as Balanced with different inactivity/time-out minutes set than the Toshiba eco Utility.
3.) Windows Advanced Power Settings had different settings than the previous 2 plans in regards to inactivity/time-out minutes.
4.) Windows Mobility Center had a different power plan than Toshiba eco Utility.
Really?!? 4 location settings for just the battery? All with primarily non-matching settings? Plus the trouble shooter thought all was well? Oh, my!
Because I rarely use the battery (except to change rooms), I selected the eco setting across all 4 locations. Still no joy. Now I am wondering about my having a corrupt registry. I think I remember that can be repaired, but I will have to read up on it again before trying it.
The main purposes of this posting is:
1.) See if anyone else has a solution.
2.) Share what I think is odd about the 4 power setting locations.
3.) Ask everyone with this problem if they also have OEM installed battery software that maybe isn't playing nice with Microsoft so that a recognizable common denominator might be found.
4.) Ask Microsoft if the OEM installed battery software can be uninstalled so that only Microsoft controls my power/battery.
5.) Ask everyone if they had one of the laptops with a potentially bad battery that a special software install and check had to be done on a couple of years ago. (Just discovered that I never uninstalled my software check package. Hmmm, more outside interference? Need to uninstall it now?)
6.) And, sorry in advance... vent! Please Microsoft, would you please get an across the board stable Windows edition for most reasonably aged laptops before putting Windows on steroids again with more brand new features. (For example, if my home's roof leaks, I think that I should truly fix it instead of simply patching it before I install an Olympic size pool. Just saying.)
Hope everyone affected or interested will exchange thoughts or ideas towards a solution.
Continue reading...