The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Macbook 13 will not hold a charge

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by MSGaldenzi, May 9, 2011.

  1. MSGaldenzi

    MSGaldenzi Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    109
    Messages:
    1,251
    Likes Received:
    85
    Trophy Points:
    66
    I have an older Macbook (Black plastic one with a C2D) and it will not hold a charge. The original battery was where I thought it was going bad, so I purchased another one and it worked for a while (about a month or so) and now it will not charge at all. Is there anything else it could be?

    One person suggested the backup battery thats built into the motherboard... I doubt thats the case.

    Right now when its plugged in, it works great. When I shut the lid and disconnect the macbook (for 24 hours or so) and leave it shut then plug it back in I get the "halfway bootup screen"... the one where it was suspended and then comes back to life... Not exactly a full bootup, but I still need to hit the power button. For this reason, I think the small battery inside is functioning well.

    Is there anything else I should try? Its way out of warranty, and I plan on selling it or just using it as-is, so I don't really want to bring it to the apple store. I would be able to sell it for more if I could get to the bottom of this battery issue...

    Thanks in advance

    ps. I just thought of this, could it be my charger thats causing the problem?
     
    MSGaldenzi, May 9, 2011
    #1
  2. doh123

    doh123 Without ME its just AWESO

    Reputations:
    996
    Messages:
    3,727
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    106
    while it might be something wrong with the charging circuit that is killing the battery... what I've seen most often is people buying really cheap 3rd party batteries that only last a few months.
     
    doh123, May 9, 2011
    #2
  3. MSGaldenzi

    MSGaldenzi Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    109
    Messages:
    1,251
    Likes Received:
    85
    Trophy Points:
    66
    I am guilty of that... After my factory battery crapped out I went with a cheap ebay one... Could it be that this battery went bad as well?
     
    MSGaldenzi, May 9, 2011
    #3
  4. Bog

    Bog Losing it...

    Reputations:
    4,018
    Messages:
    6,046
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    206
    That's probably what happened. Third party batteries tend to have poor quality cells. I would recommend buying a legit battery from Apple. The price will be much higher, but at least it is guaranteed to work.
     
    Bog, May 9, 2011
    #4
  5. MSGaldenzi

    MSGaldenzi Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    109
    Messages:
    1,251
    Likes Received:
    85
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Gotcha. Well at least thats good to know. I have a friend who wants the computer anyway, but he plans on keeping at home so I may just end up selling it to him instead of biting the $100 bullet for a new battery from apple.
     
    MSGaldenzi, May 9, 2011
    #5
  6. MSGaldenzi

    MSGaldenzi Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    109
    Messages:
    1,251
    Likes Received:
    85
    Trophy Points:
    66
    This is a 2006 model.... The new ones from what I hear are pretty solid... I have a new air and its miles above the old plastic macbooks.
     
    MSGaldenzi, May 9, 2011
    #6
  7. GP-SE

    GP-SE Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    189
    Messages:
    200
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    GP-SE, May 10, 2011
    #7