Laptop Internal Battery Failed Error 601

[Paris_Rubicon]

Hello,

It appears the internal battery of my HP laptop is broken. The external battery that I plug into the wall is fine. (I believe it’s called an AC Adapter, right?) But the internal battery isn’t working, because my computer shuts off immediately when I unplug the external battery, even though I usually have a couple hours of battery power. 

Every time I turn on my laptop, I get this message for 15 seconds:

The system detected the storage capacity of the battery stated below to be very low. For optimal performance, this battery may need to be replaced.

Primary Internal Battery 601

I already read this HP Support page: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01443470. I’m assuming the 601 error means either 1) my internal battery is almost dead, or 2) my computer thinks the battery is almost dead because the gauge is inaccurate. Since I bought this laptop in June 2019, I suspect it’s the former, but I want to make sure I know exactly what the issue is.

So far I have tried doing a Power Reset like this HP Support Page ( https://support.hp.com/ph-en/document/c01684768 ) recommends. No luck. (Note that my laptop appears to have a non-removable internal battery, so I followed the applicable instructions.)

I have also done a Battery Test per the instructions of this HP Support page (https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c04700771 ). When I attempted it using the HP Hardware Diagnostics tool, I received a message that the battery test was canceled. So instead I used the method of testing the battery before Windows starts, and it successfully completed the battery test. It said that my battery failed the test. It said something like:

Battery Check: Primary – Replace (45)

Primary: Logic State - Very Weak (70), Charge State – Not Charging (45)

As well, it provided a Failure ID: 9LMP3W-9MKBAS-XD7XGJ-C73S03

I think it offered other stats, but I would need to run the battery test again in order to write them all down.

I did not attempt to calibrate my battery like the HP Support page above recommended because 1) it didn’t provide that option after the battery test ended, and 2) I don’t have 2-4 hours to calibrate the battery right now.

One thing I did not try yet was updating my BIOS like this HP Support Page (https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00042629 ) recommends. This is because that it says that if you install it incorrectly it could crash your computer and make you lose all your data. I wanted to consult with an expert first before trying that.

Based on my description of the problem and the Failure ID number, what do you think is the problem?

If my battery is broken, do I have a limited time to replace it before my entire laptop will be rendered unusable? Or can I use my laptop for as long as I need to so long as it’s plugged into my external battery, and I can replace my internal battery at my own leisure? If I do need to replace my battery, would it ultimately be less expensive than just buying a new laptop?

[NonSequitur777]

@Paris_Rubicon,

Welcome to our HP User Forum!

The error quote you posted means:

Meaning, you'll have to replace the battery in your HP Notebook - 15-Db0046nr (5YH34UA).  According to: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06268339, and: https://partsurfer.hp.com/partsurfer?searchtext=5YH34UA, your laptop requires this battery, HP (p/n): L11119-855 ("Assembly-battery 3C 41W 3.6A LI HT03XL").

You can purchase a quality HT03XL replacement battery online, such as this example: https://www.amazon.com/HT03XL-15-CS0053CL-15-DA0053WM-15-DB0011DX-17-BY0061ST/dp/B0B3QQ46WT/ref=sr_1....

Hope this was helpful.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Paris_Rubicon]

@NonSequitur777, Thanks so much for your quick reply! I’m grateful you went through the extra effort to identify the exact part I needed.

I do have a couple more questions, though.

First, how would I go about replacing my laptop battery after I purchase it? I believe my laptop has a non-removable battery, and this HP Support page (https://support.hp.com/ph-en/document/c01684768 ) recommends that the average user shouldn’t try to replace it themselves, lest they void their warranty. I’m pretty sure my warranty has already expired, but I still feel like I shouldn’t go unscrewing the bottom of my laptop and messing around if I don’t know what I’m doing. Unless maybe there’s an instructional video somewhere showing the process for the exact same model I have ( HP Notebook - 15-Db0046nr (5YH34UA))?

Also, I would like to know how long I have to replace the battery. Right now, my laptop seems to be working okay so long as I keep the AC Adapter plugged in at all times. I’m not sure how soon I’ll have the time to order and install a replacement battery, especially since I’ll need to use my laptop for my work-from-home job for a major assignment later this week. Can I rely on my external battery for as long as I need to, until I have the time to replace the battery? Or is it a bad idea to sit on this for a while, since it could possibly put some strain on my external battery or cause damage to other parts of my computer?

[NonSequitur777 · Accepted solution]

@Paris_Rubicon,

Here is a User-made instructional video how to open up your laptop.  If you go easy and take your time, you should be able to replace your HT03XL battery just fine: (583) HP 15-db0064nr Basic Disassembly - WHY NO INFO HP?!?! - Jody Bruchon - YouTube, or this video: (583) HP 250/255 G7 - HT03XL Battery Replacement Guide - 6BN96EA - YouTube.

Yes, you can do it.

Once you have pried/opened up your laptop, it is just a matter of unscrewing these three (3) screws (red circled) that secures the battery to your laptop, lift it up, and it will slide out:

A defective battery should be replaced as per manufacturer's instruction. You could continue to work with your defective/dead battery (powered by your AC power adapter), BUT if the battery shows ANY signs of bulging (your keyboard will show a bulge) and/or is leaking, remove/replace it immediately. My strong recommendation: replace it.  The link I showed you, for example, shows that it will cost you less than $30, or even less than $20 via Amazon if you look around.

The other problem is that when the inevitable power outage/power bump occurs, your battery will not provide any backup power protection, and you may lose data.  Also, motherboards don't like it very much if the power is cut off abruptly.

Hope this was helpful.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Paris_Rubicon]

@NonSequitur777

I think I’ve mostly got it from here, but I do have a couple of quick questions.

The battery on Amazon you suggested doesn’t list my particular kind of laptop (HP Notebook - 15-Db0046nr (5YH34UA)) as one of the devices it can be used for. In fact, the Amazon description only seems to list HP Pavilion devices, not HP Notebook devices. However, the part number for the battery itself (L11119-855) matches what HP Partsurfer ( https://partsurfer.hp.com/partsurfer?searchtext=5YH34UA ) said I should use to replace the battery. So long as the part number for the battery matches, it should be fine, right?

Also, the second video you shared (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Fh4rHihRM )makes no mention of how to remove the DVD drive when unscrewing the bottom, and the first video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8oKBXXkvEw ) only makes a passing mention of it. Will I probably need to unscrew the DVD drive after I remove the panel on the bottom, or is it something I can slide out before I begin because it’s not necessarily attached to the rest of the computer?

[NonSequitur777]

@Paris_Rubicon,

Yea, I think -that is, by looking at these videos, that you do need to remove the optical drive.  That shouldn't be a big deal anyway, as it only requires the removal of a single screw. Once you have reattached the bottom panel/cover, you can reinsert the optical drive, and secure it with the one screw as shown.

Don't worry about the missing reference to your particular laptop.  Your laptop does require the HT03XL battery model.  I had double & triple-checked this before I mentioned the Amazon link, which I thought was a nice compromise in both pricing and customer satisfaction.

For example, searching for your laptop's battery model, here is the Cadillac version: New Orig Genuine HP Pavilion 15-DB0046NR 15-DB0047NR Notebook Battery - reliablelaptopparts, which, as you can see, references the very same battery, albeit presented with an inflated price tag.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777