Battery/charging erratic - No battery recognized or ability to update BIOS

[Pharazir]

I have an HP 15 laptop with what I fear may be a mainboard problem. It spawns a battery warning at startup and charges/discharges weirdly, The battery is recognized in Windows and charges up to 100% properly. When running on the battery, though, its behaviour is erratic. Even in "Battery Saver" mode, it goes from 100% to 50% in an hour. Then, if I plug in the adapter momentarily, the charge level jumps to 85% or so and stays there even when the adapter is immediately disconnected. Then the charge gradually falls to about 80% over the next 30 minutes or so and then ... the laptop suddenly dies. When the adapter is plugged back in, the battery is at 0% but charges back up to "100%" within an hour or so (though I cannot be sure because clearly the battery level shown is questionable).

I disassembled it and found that the battery was swollen, so I replaced it, taking care to purchase a battery that was guaranteed to be compatible and was highly-rated by other HP-laptop-using purchasers, but found that the laptop acts the same way. Then I tried replacing the new battery with another, separately-purchased battery but the results are the same as they were with the old, swollen battery and the first replacement.

I've read many posts, both in this forum and elsewhere, and have tried each the following steps several times:

• Making sure that Windows 10 (x64) is fully updated

• Power-cycling the battery (running it down to nothing, waiting 30 minutes and then fully charging it)

• Resetting the power circuit (removing adapter and battery, pressing the power button for 30 seconds and reassembling/charging)

• Using the HP Support Assistant to run Windows-level diagnostics (which 'Canceled' the battery test and the 'Hard Drive' test)

• Using the HP Support Assistant to run a battery test (which says "a battery was not detected", though it does show that it is "Discharging" and the percentage of remaining current)

• Using the "HP Hardware Test" to run BIOS-level diagnostics (see note 1, below)

• Uninstall/reinstalling The MS AC Adapter and the ACPI-Compliant Control drivers in Device Manger (see note 2, below)

• Attempting (unsuccessfully) to upgrade the BIOS (see note 3, below)

Note 1 - "HP Hardware Test" - The hardware test presents options for testing memory and hard drive. The memory tests OK but the hard drive test reports that although the SMART test is passed, the "Short DST" and "Long DST" tests are "Not Available". Further, the postings I've read indicate that there are supposed to be option(s) for recovering/reverting the device's BIOS but no option of this kind is presented.

Note 2 - Battery Drivers - I've read in postings that when the MS AC Adapter and the ACPI-Compliant Control drivers in Device Manger are uninstalled, there should be a check-box allowing the user to delete the driver files so that they must be re-downloaded and installed. In several tries, this check-box has not been presented, so the Microsoft drivers already present (dated 6-21-2006) are reinstalled.

Note 3 - BIOS - One of the recommended steps was to upgrade the BIOS (currently v F.25) to the latest version (v F.56, as of this date). I downloaded the latest BIOS version's installer (sp111733.exe) and attempted to install it but was presented with the message that "This BIOS update is blocked on this device." I reset the BIOS to its default configuration, as the recommended solution to this problem, but this did not resolve the issue. There is no indication as to why this BIOS install is "blocked".

None of these measures has changed the laptop's behaviour, which has been the same with all three batteries. If anyone can suggest a way to upgrade the BIOS or any remedy that I have not tried, I would be grateful. Thanks, in advance, for the time and energy you spent reading this.

[ub6424]

Hello @Pharazir 

Sorry to hear that you are having problems ... I would like to help you.

Let me check your basic system configuration then we talk about the bios and battery problem ...

(1) Run    msinfo32

- Select <System Summary>:

--->>> Copy/screenshot/paste following key/value pairs:

OS Name

Version

System Model

System SKU ( equals HP product number (p/n) )

Processor

BIOS Version/Date

(2) Please report your results

[Pharazir]

Thanks, Ub6424

OS Name:           Microsoft Windows 10 Home

Version:              10.0.19044 (Build 19044)

System Model:  HP Pavilion Notebook

System SKU:      Y1N95UA#ABA

Processor:          Intel Core i5-7200U, 2.50GHz,  2712MHz, 2 Cores, 4 Logical Processors

BIOS Ver./Date: Insyde F.25  12/12/2016

[ub6424]

Hello @Pharazir 

(1) Your BIOS version is too old. We have to update to at least F.45 Rev.A !

There are fixes related to the battery and charging

Version: F.45 Rev.A	Fixed in this release: - Fixes an intermittent issue where the system battery does not recharge completely. - Provides the updated Intel CPU microcode to improve system stability and security.
Version: F.42 Rev.A	Fixed in this release: - Fixes an issue where the battery information is reported incorrectly. - Provides improved battery health when the system is connected to an AC adapter. - Provides improved security of UEFI code.

(2) Download and try to install ( still blocked ? )

HP Notebook System BIOS Update

F.45 Rev.A

41.7 MB

Feb 2, 2018

Download

Why should you install the update ?

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_4123786-2338478-16

Quote: "

Updating the BIOS is recommended as standard maintenance of the computer. It can also help resolve the following issues:

• An available BIOS update resolves a specific issue or improves computer performance.
• The current BIOS does not support a hardware component or a Windows upgrade.
• HP Support recommends installing a specific BIOS update.

"

(3) Please report back

 Kind regards

[Pharazir]

Thanks for that information; I had tried installing BIOS v F.56 (the latest version listed  in the support page for this device) but, as I said, it reported being blocked from installation.

I downloaded the v. F.45 BIOS installer you linked to and tried to run it. It does not block the update BUT it won't install. When I run it, it has me reboot; In the boot process, the BIOS' "Battery Warning" appears and when I hit "Enter" to dismiss that warning, the system boots into Windows.

I read the "Why should you install the update?" you included and tried to perform the "update BIOS using the BIOS setup utility" strategy mentioned in it but the BIOS setup utility does not show any link or option related to checking for or updating the BIOS.

I prepared a USB drive and used the v. F.45 installer to install the BIOS updater to the USB drive. I am ready to try upgrading the BIOS using the USB drive if, as I expect, that is the next step.

[ub6424]

---

@Pharazir wrote:

...

I downloaded the v. F.45 BIOS installer and tried to run it. It does not block the update BUT it won't install. When I run it, it has me reboot In the boot process, the BIOS' "Battery Warning" appears and when I hit "Enter" to dismiss that warning, the system boots into Windows.

...

Hello @Pharazir 

Always connect charger when performing BIOS update !

Kind regards

[Pharazir]

The charger is (and was) connected. the warning screen still appears.

I tried following the instructions for updating the BIOS using the USB drive (outside of Windows). Pressing 'Esc' and dismissing the battery warning screen (again, with the charger connected) brings up the Startup Menu. Pressing F2 brings up the HP Hardware Diagnostics screen. It does not show any option related to the BIOS; only memory and hard drive test options are shown. I have tried connecting the USB drive three different ways, as the instructions vary from the article (which tells you to boot to the Diagnostics screen, connect the USB drive and use the installer utility) and the installer (which tells you  to connect the USB drive and then power up the laptop). I have also tried inserting the USB drive and then accessing the F2 screen Under no circumstance does the BIOS updater program run or any option relate to BIOS appear.

[ub6424]

Hello @Pharazir 

Do the following trick ...

(1) Power off notebook

(2) Disconnect charger

(3) Press and hold <power> button for 30 seconds

(4) Connect charger

(5) Follow --->>> BIOS Recovery Reinstall with USB

Use another Windows 10/11 computer to create <USB flash drive>

HP Notebook System BIOS Update

F.45 Rev.A

41.7 MB

Feb 2, 2018

Download

or

HP Notebook System BIOS Update

F.56 Rev.A

19.0 MB

Dec 18, 2020

Download

Use a FAT32-formatted small <USB flash drive> (Type USB 2.0)

(6) Repeat reflash procedures:

• windows + b <USB flash drive> connected
• windows + v <USB flash drive> connected 

Keep me updated

Kind regards

[Pharazir]

Is it important that I create the USB drive from another computer? This one runs and I used it to create the USB drive mentioned above.

Also, I am presuming that, unlike the standard "power-circuit reset" procedure, which requires removal of the battery, the trick you mentioned does not require this.

I'll report back presently.

[ub6424]

---

@Pharazir wrote:

Is it important that I create the USB drive from another computer? This one runs and I used it to create the USB drive mentioned above.

...

---

This is optional. Of course, you can also run it on the current computer.

Keep me updated ...