Connect Higher Capacity Power Adapter Message

[nickna]

After start-up, I get the following message displayed; ‘For Full Performance, connect a higher capacity Power Adapter’.

The power adapter I am using is the one provided in the box with the notebook. So, I am at a loss about what to do and don't understand the impact using a lower capacity power adapter. 

As far as I know, higher capacity power adapters for the notebook are not listed in the HP Store.

Details of Notebook;

HP Spectre Notebook 13-v051na, Part Number; F6P95EA#ABU

(Note that this notebook is a PCWorld/Dixons variant of HP Spectre Notebook 13-v001na  Part No. F4W33EA#ABU)

Details of charger provided with Notebook; (markings on the charger)

Mains to USB-C charger;

Model; TPN-CA02

HP Part No; 848067-002

HP Spare; 848293-850

Input; 100-240V 1.4A AC

Output;

5V 2A DC

12V 3A

15V 3A

45W max

[E-roq]

Hey @nickna, 

Welcome to the HP Support Forum, 

I understand you're encountering a recurring notice regarding your AC adapter. With the very thorough list you've provided and my cross-referencing it in the PC's Maintenance and Service Guide I am positive you are using the correct adapter. This notification is clearly in error. I would like to help you with this. 

Have you tried a hard reset? If you're not sure how to do this, click here.  Is your PC plugged directly into a wall outlet when the power alert appears? I also recommend you update your BIOS using this link. If you've never done that type of update before, refer to this guide for instructions. 

Additionally, perform the AC adapter tests that are prescribed in this HP article. Please let me know the result of your troubleshooting by responding to this post.  If I have helped you resolve the issue and you liked this post, feel free to give me virtual props by clicking on the 'Thumbs Up' icon below and accepting this solution.  
 
Thank you for posting in the HP Support Forum.  

Have a great day! 

[nickna]

For Information, I raised a case with the online chat support team who were very helpful.

The support agent suggested some steps, which I performed as follows;

• Turn off (shutdown), disconnect the AC adapter. Note that the HP Spectre 13 does not have a user-removable battery.
• Press and hold the power key for 15 seconds.
• Press the power key again then ESC to enter start-up options > select BIOS
• Press F9 to load defaults, then save and exit.
• Restart PC, with AC adapter still disconnected.
• The PC started up OK, without displaying the 'connect higher capacity ....' message.
• After Window was up & running with all apps loaded, I reconnected the AC adapter. The 'connect higher capacity ...' message popped up straight away.

I believe that these steps above are a combination of the 'hard reset' process and 'BIOS reset' process. These processes did not fix the issue.

The Chat support team also sent an email;  with additional comments steps to try.  These were;

• 'The notifications are a false message from an app called HP Quick Launch, so please uninstall that program';  I investigate this;  There is no such software showing in HP Support Assistant > Specification > HP Software, or other software & drivers. Also, there is no such software showing in Control Panel > Uninstall / Change Program.
• Update the BIOS using the link  .../softpaq/sp76001-76500/sp76261.exe; I checked and the excellent HP Support Assistant has already offered this BIOS update which I have applied previously; The Action Log reports BIOS updated 27/6/16; Softpaq Number SP76261, Version F.12Ap1.
• Follow the procedures in HP Notebook PCs - Using and Testing the AC Power Adapter; I followed the guidance, including performing the AC Adapter test in the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI (which is at version 6.1.1.0); The AC Adapter test was passed with no error code reported in the log. On restarting the PC, the 'connect higher capacity ....' message showed up.

So, these steps above also did not resolve the issue.

Thanks again to the HP Chat Support team for their responses.

[nickna]

Hi E-roq

Thank you for taking the time to respond and for your helpful post. Some of your response reflects the response from the HP Chat Support Team, sorry that I have only just found the time to post these in a separate post.

In reply to your comments;

• Good to know that the correct adapter has been supplied with the PC and that the alert / notification is in error. The PC does seem to charge OK but I have no idea if the PC is slowed down in any way as a result of the notification.
• I did perform the hard reset, as I explained in my separate post. Your link was helpful in explaining the steps.
• The power alert occurs when I plug the AC adapter into the PC and during Windows start-up when the AC adapter is connected.
• The BIOS is at its latest version.
• The AC Adapter passes the test in HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI.

So, the mystery continues.  Thanks again for your response.

[EmeraldAvenger]

Hey, 

Thanks for getting back to us. I am glad that you have reached out to more than one of our support outlets. I understand that you were previously working with E-roq. He is currently away from the Support Forums so I have been entrusted to continue to help you. 

I read over all of the posts in this thread so far and I have to agree with E-roq; it appears that your receiving this message in error based on the cross referencing. 

Do you happen to have HP Quick Launch on your Notebook?

When did this error start appearing?

Have you tried to do a system restore?

Please let me know 🙂 

Thanks! 

[nickna]

Hi EmeraldAvenger

Thanks for getting back to me.  Regarding your questions;

1) Do you happen to have HP Quick Launch on your Notebook?

• As far as I can tell, HP Quick Launch is not pre-installed and I have not installed it.
• As I said in my post re the HP Chat Support team, there is no such software showing in HP Support Assistant > Specification > HP Software, (or under other software & drivers). Also, there is no such software showing in Control Panel > Uninstall / Change Program.
• HP Support Assistant is pre-installed and this is at Version 8.3.27.17.

2) When did this error start appearing?

• I can't remember exactly. This is a new PC which I started set up / data load about one month ago. 
• I can't remember if the alert / notification has been occurring from day one or after I applied the BIOS Softpaq SP76261 Version F.12AP1

3) Have you tried to do a system restore?

• I have not performed a System Restore; I have been installing software and loading data so performing a System Restore would set me back a long way.
• Also, I would not know how far to go back - for all I know restarting from the Factory Image then repeating my set-up work may not result in any different outcome!

Thanks again for your input.

[EmeraldAvenger]

Quote: 

1) Do you happen to have HP Quick Launch on your Notebook?

• As far as I can tell, HP Quick Launch is not pre-installed and I have not installed it.
• As I said in my post re the HP Chat Support team, there is no such software showing in HP Support Assistant > Specification > HP Software, (or under other software & drivers). Also, there is no such software showing in Control Panel > Uninstall / Change Program.
• HP Support Assistant is pre-installed and this is at Version 8.3.27.17.

Hey @nickna, 

My bad! I read the information about the HP Quick Launch wrong. You did say that you could not find a trace of the HP Quick Launch software on your Notebook previous to your last post. 

Maybe try to perform a hardware test. HP provides diagnostic software that can test the components to rule out an issue deeper than drivers/software. 

You had mentioned that you are unsure if this has occured since day one or if it was after the BIOS update. Please try these steps and see if they help:

Reload the factory installed BIOS Setup settings:

1.  In the BIOS Setup utility, select the Exit tab.

2. Select Load Setup Defaults.

3. Select Save Changes and Exit (pressing F5 and the Enter key will also load the Setup Defaults).

4. Press Esc and then Enter to exit Setup.

I completely understand your concerns with the System Restore. I found a document for you about System Restore that may help alleviate some of your concerns: Using Microsoft System Restore (Windows 10, 😎. System Restore returns your computer to the files and settings from the restore point you choose. Your personal files and documents are not affected.

There are other sections in the System Restore document that may be of interest to you particularly such as: 

Differences between System Restore and HP Recovery Manager

• System Restore enables you to change a collection of Microsoft Windows system files to a configuration that existed at a particular point in time. No personal data files, such as email, documents, or pictures, are lost or changed.

• HP Recovery Manager enables you to restore the computer's entire software configuration to its original factory condition. It reinstalls the original operating system (such as Windows) and removes all other software and personal data files. When recovery is complete, only the software that originally came with your computer will be available

Undo a restore

• Follow these steps to undo the restore and put the files and programs on your computer back to the way they were before you used System Restore (steps provided in the document). 

I quoted these paragraphs directly from the documentation provided above. For more information or step by step instructions, please read the document and if you feel more comfortable performing the System Restore after reading the document, please try and go back to before the BIOS Update. 

If all else fails, please use the following link to contact us:

Step 1. Open link: www.hp.com/contacthp/

Step 2. Enter Product number or select to auto detect
Step 3. Scroll down to "Still need help? Complete the form to select your contact options"
Step 4. Scroll down and click on: HP contact options - click on Get phone number

Our phone support team may have a tip or trick to help get the error message to disappear or have another option that could result in a solution for you. 

Please keep me in the loop on the results! 

[nickna]

Hi EmaraldAvenger;

Thanks for your thoughts.

a) Re Hardware Test; I went through the UEFI tests (System Fast Test, System Quick Tests and some Component Tests). All passed except the USB test. I will look at this shortly.

b) I had previously loaded the BIOS setup defaults and this didn't fix the false power adapter notification.

c) Windows Restore / HP Recovery Manager.  Thanks for your explanation. I prefer not to perform a system restore in my situation; although system restore will not touch data, some applications are tied to data. For example if I install dropbox and sync 30GB of data, a system restore will remove the application and not the data. However on re-install of dropbox you have to intercept the re-install to avoid a full re-download.

Once again, thanks for your comments.

[nickna · Accepted solution]

Some additional information about the message;

Message displayed; ‘For Full Performance, connect a higher capacity Power Adapter’.

In Task Bar, the icon states that the message is from HP System Information.

Properties of the HP System Information application (found via Task Manager) are;

• File; USBCMSG.exe
• Location; C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP System Event
• File Version; 1.4.14.0
• Product Version; 1.4.14.0
• Date Modified; 20/06/2016
• Original Filename; SysInfo.exe

Good news is that there is a fix.

I was given further guidance from HP Chat Support, including a link to the software & downloads page.  This showed a new BIOS Softpaq that has not been suggested by HP Support Assistant. Details of the BIOS update are;

HP Notebook System BIOS Update (Intel Processors) F.26 Rev.A 15.4 MB Aug 24, 2016

File name: sp77130.exe
Release details
Released: Aug 12, 2016
Version F.26 Rev.A

I applied this BIOS update and the false power adapter warning message no longer appears.

Problem solved. Thanks HP.

[MKazi]

Hi @nickna, Glad to know that your issue with the AC adaptor message is now fixed. Please reach out to us for any further assistance. Happy computing!
Cheers!

Kazi - HP Social Media Support.