I did a quick search and nothing popped up, so maybe it's time for a new technical help thread. Here's what's currently baffling me: How is it possible for my laptop battery (which I bought last week) to be *draining* when it is plugged in and indicates that it is *charging* (the replacement battery is the identical model that came with my laptop)? The laptop itself is older than dirt (Gateway, bought in 2004/5), and I replaced the power supply (currently using a Targus APA01) in 2009. Do I need a new power supply? This laptop only needs to last through the end of the academic year (May of 2013).
I'm suspecting the power cord - it fits, but after talking with the resident campus Alpha Geek, there's the question of whether there is sufficient amperage coming from the power source (the entire cord/box/cord unit). Since the replacement is nearly four years old (and may be fluctuating, since there have been times when it is hot to the touch), my first inclination is to replace it. Related to this, I pulled the battery and tried to run the laptop only using AC power, and it died after a few seconds.
Yeah, definitely sounds like a power cord problem, which shouldn't be that expensive, maybe $40. Probably the "box" was damaged, either by overheating or just banging it around, or the actual wires themselves got frayed (that happened to me). You might want to invest in buying yourself a laptop cooler for Christmas too, if you haven't already.
