Let's keep it simple.
1. Reinstall the OS per Dell's guidance.
2. If that fails call Dell and arrange for repairs.
In closing, Dell's battery is rated for 300 cycles so maybe it's an old battery?
Bob
My laptop battery meter constantly reads "plugged in, not charging" in the system tray and won't charge when the AC adapter is plugged in (even though the laptop draws power).
I have tried a number of supposed fixes and none has worked including:
- opening Device Manager, deleting then scanning to reset the ACPI
- cleaning pins and ports on the battery and AC slot
- changing the battery,
- changing the power adapter
-flashing the bios
- updating all drivers out of date
- tapping the laptop near the inspiron logo ('cause I read it could be a short)
- a series of variations on removing the battery shutting down and restarting with the battery in or out etc.
I can very rarely get my battery to charge by unplugging and plugging in my AC adapter. Sometimes after about 20-30 minutes of unplugging and plugging in the adapter it suddenly starts charging.
Note: each time I unplug and plug in the adapter the screen intensity lowers to reflect the battery power plan and then returns to brighter when I plug in the adapter. leading one to suspect that the laptop is drawing power from the ac adapter fine.
Reading on various support forums, it seems this is an intermittent problem for nearly all makes and models of laptop owners who all have one thing in common: Vista O/S.
So, the most likely reason for this problem seems to be an undiagnosed bug in Vista.
I run Visa ultimate 32bit on a Dell Inspiron 1525.
I am looking for help with this problem.

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