AC adapter not recognised

Had this message pop up a couple of times this past week on my R4 and am not happy about it to be honest.

I've had a search through these forums and found posts/threads dating back to at least 2010 - with people having said back then that Dell claimed it was a bios issue and that A06 fixed the it.

Well, my machine is maybe 3 months old now and is on bios A11. What disappoints is that clearly, whatever fixes were mentioned back then, haven't been fixed at all? How can this be? How can three years have passed and machine still have the same errors with a power supply? The mind boggles on machines as expensive as these.

Heck, I've even seen people say Dell recommended a motherboard replacement. My machine is 3 months old, I certainly don't want the whole thing pulled apart and put back together again if that can be avoided. I think it was someone on this forum saying that the tech guy Dell sent, didn't even know which screws went where when he put the laptop back together!!!

Has there been any news on exactly what causes this? (I certainly can't find any conclusive fixes mentioned anywhere)

I know if it continues there is a possibility it is the power supply and nothing more - but that seems unlikely from all the googling I've been doing. But already I'm at the stage where I dread switching it on each day just in case.

Oh and I don't have the battery connected to my machine. I use it on a small desk in the bedroom and use it solely on the mains charger, so taking off the battery, plugging it back on etc isn't a fix I can try. So far at least, I am just having to switch it off, disconnect the adapter, unplug from the mains, and then cross my fingers that it works.

 

I had a similiar issue, but whenever I'd unplug and plug it back in, Windows would say that it was plugged in, but not charging and upon reboot it would show a screen where the power adapter wasn't the right one and I needed one with more "wattage." A restart wouldn't even fix it, the only thing that did was unplugging everything, removing the battery and holding down the power button, flushing the capacitors on the motherboard.

Ironically, when plugged in, but "not charging" the laptop would go into "dumbed down" mode and everything would lag, not even like it was on battery, but worse than that.

Even flushing the caps, and I had it plugged in, if the power flickered on in my house, the laptop would act like it was plugged in, but not charging and go into the "dumbed down" mode.

Tech said a BIOS flash was needed and that didn't do it. I had to have my motherboard replaced and everything (related to that issue anyway) was resolved. I of course have more issues since then.

Good luck.

 

That motherboard replacement is a worry :/

Especially as it has been an issue for people for literally years now. To think they still manufacture them with the same potential fault.

Can I ask, did they send someone out to replace the motherboard or did you need to have your machine picked up? So wary of tech guys (who are obviously on contract) coming here and having to do a big job like that.

Mentioned before here how when a TV broke the guys who came here were awful and treated my TV like it was pretty much ready for the skip. Makes me nervous - especially as I look after my stuff. Thanks!

edit: I asked about this on Dell's forums, and their initial response is to try another charger to see if it cures the issue. Where the bleeping heck do they think I can just grab another charger from to try it? Do they assume everyone with these machines live in a little commune together so we can swap stories and share parts? Nuts!

 

there's a 99.99% chance that it's the power brick and/or your wall outlet. chill. the other .01% is the motherboard but i hesitate to even suggest that considering its unlikeliness. demand a new PSU and be done with it.

Sent from my PI39100 using Board Express

 

Yeah I appreciate that. I guess the fact it is relatively new and I've had several issues already is just rubbing me up the wrong way.

I've needed a replacement keyboard, both the original and replacement keyboards touch the screen, so I need a soft cloth between them to prevent scratching. And now a psu issue on top of that.

The fact that the above issues have been problems for years and yet still persist is incredibly annoying though on a machine that costs this much money.

 

that's all pretty bogus--your issues, that is--particularly when build quality/QA is supposed to be part of the premium package/price and the machine is that new. i'd be pretty off-put myself. so i don't mean to be condescending, just know that it won't harm your machine. i get the same error at POST on my old XPS every once in awhile, but so infrequently that it has to be either the outlet i'm using or the power cable itself pulling from the brick.

Sent from my PI39100 using Board Express

 

It doesn't matter if it harms it or not, it's an inconvenient and could be a sign of trouble down the road.

That being said, Retro, I had my motherboard replaced in my house. The guy was great, professional, but... when he left there was an issue with the wireless that still hasn't been resolved (he came out the 26th, I called Dell right after that and was told to wait for Windows Disks (which I did need, but I reformatted with a regular version of Windows 7 too, not AW branded) and they came today and the issue still persists after a "proper" reformat.) This is, unfortunately for me, the second time in a period of six months that a tech has come out and made the computer in a worse case then before he arrived and I've had four tech calls in the span of six months and a total of six since Feb. 2011.

This isn't to scare you, as there are plenty of people on the forum pleased with Alienware, both overseas and where I'm from, the US. However, I am extremely unhappy with this laptop and will probably never buy Dell or Alienware again.

That being said, my advice would be to request a replacement AC adapter first, then test that. It's less intrusive and it'll start the process of elimination at the true root of your issue, unless that is of course, the problem altogether.

 

My experience of this - when I had my M17x R2 - was cured with a change of PSU. Back in the day, the PSU manufacturer I had was Flextronics. I ended up with a replacement and that was made by Delta. From that point on, I had no issues (that I can recall of) of this behaviour. Maybe worth checking the make of your PSU.

I think it all boils down to the proprietary nature of Dell PSU's "handshaking" with the computer itself to permit charging. Something is not "connecting" properly and allowing proper recognition of Dell's own power supply. I'd have to go back through the threads that dealt with the issue to 'refresh' myself with it, as it's not something that I have experienced since - and that was quite a while back.

Yes, it's annoying as hell - that I do remember. Is it a new mobo? - I would say not, right away. Check out the PSU situation first, maybe move on to other remedies if that doesn't work.

 

PSU most likely, since it accepts power the motherboard unlikely the issue, like everyone has said its the handshaking between the PSU and laptop which permits charging, otherwise it might demand more power than available, hence the low power mode.

They are cheap enough in the UK £30-40 for a genuine flextronics one, I've never seen the Delta one for the R4, make sure its the 240W slim power brick.

 

Dell is being A BIG PAIN IN THE !@@ with designing those AC adapters and mobos.

It has been ONGOING issue with ALL dell laptops, ALL.

Dell just sometimes dont give a $!@$, no matter how many . ''AC adapter ISSUES'' threads are created.

It is really annoying, because i also DO have this kind of problems time to time.

@ Alienware-Luis_Pardo - why, WHY !

 

To change the current scheme would be very expensive.

 

Checked my PSU and it is the Delta version (and definitely the 240w version). So I'll see how I go - but reading back on various threads, it did indeed seem like the flextronic one caused more issues. I'm gonna pop to B&Q tomorrow and buy a new extension lead as well. Can't do any harm to buy a new one and rule out that as a possibility. You never know!

Not sure I agree with the claim that it would be expensive to change the current scheme. I mean, the new Alienware has just been released, they could have started with a clean slate - new motherboard and new psu design - and not had this handshaking nonsense.

I don't know anybody who has ever hd issues with any non-Dell laptops. Surely it is less about power management, and more about Dell trying to use proprietary tech to make sure people don't buy third party equipment? Either way, several years on, it shouldn't be an issue at all.

Appreciate all the replies guys.

 

Funny thing is I plugged my 240w psu from my old m17x R3 same numbers exactly as the psu my new 17 came with. When I plug it in the old one it shows not charging. Asks if I want F5 and reboot. Now there must be something inside saying wrong unit because its putting out the right voltage and amps. So they must not want you to use only the PSU they sell.

 

Been down this road with my first R4 , all worked well for the first few months and then the adapter started getting the same warnings. I phone tech support and they shipped me a new adapter over night. That adapter seemed to work well for another 2-3 months and then again it started with the warnings. At this point it was determined that the MB was causing the adapters to fail which if there is a problem with the MB is possible. While nobody wants to see a failed MB in their computers it can and does happen occasionally.

Have them ship you a new adapter first and then just keep an eye on it, just be warned that it could however remotely a chance , be a bad MB as well.