Laptop power plan not working properly

[garyfritz]

I've got my laptop power settings set up like this:  (level, power level, action, all for on-battery only)

Low:  15%, do nothing

Critical:  10%, Hibernate

Reserve:  8%  (no settable action)

Notification is on for all levels.

So I should be getting a notice at 15%, and the laptop should hibernate at 10%.  If for some reason it doesn't hibernate, I should get a warning at 8%.

Well last night I was using it on battery, and *poof* it shut down.  No warning, no message, no hibernate.  Lost data.

Any suggestions to make the power settings work properly?

BTW the original battery swelled (and warped the case) so this is a replacement battery.  Non-HP.

[Echo_Lake]

@garyfritz

Thank you for posting on HP Support Community.

Don't worry as I'll be glad to help, 
I am writing you on behalf of Riddle_Decipher as he is away from work, and he suggested that I write to you concerning.
 

I have a few troubleshooting steps we could try to fix the issue:  

Firstly, perform Windows Update and HP Support Assistant: (do not skip any troubleshooting steps if you feel steps are repeating) 

To check for updates now, select the Start button, and then go to Settings  > Update & security  > Windows Update, and select Check for updates.

Install updates from HP Support Assistant: Go to Download HP Support Assistant to install the tool.

1. To open HP Support Assistant, double-click the HP Support Assistant icon .
2. Click My devices in the top menu, and then click Updates in the My PC or My notebook pane.
3. Click Check for updates and messages to scan for new updates.
4. Review the list of updates. Updates with a yellow information icon are recommended. Updates with a blue information icon are optional.
5. Click the update name for a description, version number, and file size.
6. Select the box next to any updates you want to install, and then click Download and install.

If the issue persists, follow the next steps.

• 1. Go to Start, search for Device Manager, and open this result.
• 2. Expand batteries.
• 3. Right-click on the ACPI option (usually the 2nd option) and select delete or uninstall. Follow the prompts.
• 4. Shut down the computer. 
• 5. Disconnect the charger.
• 6. Remove the battery. (only for removable battery)
• 7. Hold down the power button for 1 minute.
• 8. Insert the battery only. (only for removable battery)
• 9. Attempt to turn the battery on.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.
Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

[garyfritz]

• My system was already up-to-date.
• I was already running 8.8.34.31 Support Assistant, which is the current version according to the "Check for latest version" button. The tool said there were no updates available for my system. But there is also a supported 9.7.238.0 version of Support Assistant. Which one do you want me to run?
• I deleted the ACPI option in Device Manager.
• I shut down the system and held down the power button for 1 minute. (The battery is not removeable without surgery.) When I held down the button, the power light came on for about a second, and it continued to flash every few seconds while I held down the button.
• I turned the system back on and let it run until the battery died. Which took only 70 minutes -- apparently I need ANOTHER new battery, after only one year. (It's a 3rd-party battery, but the original HP battery didn't do any better; after a year it started swelling and warped the case.)  Once again, I got no warning, no hibernate, just boom! Shutdown.

[Echo_Lake]

@garyfritz

Thank you for posting back. 

I appreciate your efforts to try and resolve the issue. This sounds like hardware related issue with the battery and in order to fix this issue,  your computer needs to be serviced.  As we have limited support boundaries in the support community as of now. 

I would request you to reach out to our Support and our Support Engineers should be able to check the available service options in order to diagnose the computer physically.  HP Support can be reached by clicking on the following link:  www.hp.com/contacthp/​​​​​​​
 

Please feel free to contact us here anytime you need any further assistance. Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

[garyfritz]

Sorry, but sending my laptop in for service, and having it out-of-service for an indeterminate time, is a worse inconvenience than having it lock up every week.

My last 2 laptops were HPs, and they were bombproof.  They each lasted 6-7 years, hauled around the country on a lot of business travel.  They were great.

The Spectres have NOT lived up to that reputation.  I got my first Spectre in 12/2017.  I can't remember what problems it had, but it was bad enough that I returned it and went back to my old laptop.  But that one was dying so I bought another Spectre in 10/2018, hoping I'd just gotten a lemon the first time.  That second one had many strange problems (not detecting when it was chargine, refusing to charge, and others) that the HP lab folks didn't understand and wanted to examine, so they replaced it with a new one in 12/2018.  That third one had problems too -- notably the "locking up while monitor off" problem, and later the bulging battery -- but I've put up with it.  

I used to work for HP, and I was a big fan of HP laptops.  The THREE Spectres I've owned, all flaky/faulty, have changed my mind on that.

[Echo_Lake]

@garyfritz

Thank you for posting back. 

I can see how that would be difficult. 
I have brought your issue to the attention of an appropriate team within HP. They will likely request information from you in order to look up your case details or product serial number. Please look for a private message from an identified HP contact. Additionally, keep in mind not to publicly post personal information (serial numbers and case details).

If you are unfamiliar with how the Community's private message capability works, you can learn about that here.

Thank you for visiting the HP Support Community.