The essential office of a laptop that makes it portable is the rechargeable bombardment. Batteries have given devices the much-needed freedom of movement that humanity craves. Notwithstanding, you volition need an AC adapter in order to charge your laptop bombardment. For Dell users, charging their batteries has somewhat been a problem. There is a item issue that has been bothering several users; as far back as 2005. When the charger is plugged in and the PC is booted upward, the user gets an error in a blackness screen stating "The Ac power adapter type cannot be determined". A variation of this message says "The AC power adapter type and wattage cannot be determined".

The AC ability adapter blazon cannot be determined

The computer will and then state the wattage of the adapter yous need east.m. 'Delight plug in a 130W adapter'. The user has an pick to ignore this message and complete the kicking past pressing F1. This error too occurs when you have fully started your PC and logged in. when you plug in your charger at this signal, a notification message comes upward in the system tray stating that the Air conditioning power adapter type could non exist determined. In both cases, your bombardment will not charge and you will not see any indication on the system tray that the charger is plugged in. This article explores this problem and gives y'all the remedies to it.

Why your Ac ability adapter type cannot be determined?

As the error says, this ways your PC cannot place the charger you plugged in. The power connector consists of 3 pins, 2 are ability and earth, the tertiary is a signal line to place the PSU equally a compatible (Dell) unit. If the Laptop does not become the signal, it does not allow the PSU to charge the bombardment, it will, yet, allow information technology to power the laptop. This volition protect the battery from high currents if the wattage of the charger is higher than the OEM specification. If you choose to ignore this message, the arrangement operation will go downwards, and you lot will notice that your processor clock speed has been halved.

This trouble tin exist acquired by using the wrong charger. It tin also be caused when the data connectedness for charger identification is cleaved; it could be due to a trouble in the charger (cable, plug or cardinal pin) or in the laptop (power input port or motherboard). While trying a new adapter is a good idea, irresolute the bombardment is not. This fault is not acquired past the battery in whatsoever way. In fact, you will get the aforementioned error if you just plug in the adapter without the battery.

Troubleshooting

If you accept a charger that has been working before, so do not worry. The fault is a common 1 and happens because the plug sits so proud from the side of the laptop that it constantly gets knocked and causes the connector on the power lath to fail; most unremarkably open circuiting the signal line. Wriggling it around might solve the result merely temporary. It is a matter of time before your charger volition need you to plug it in in an awkward angle for information technology to work. Somewhen, it will finish working all in all.

You lot can know the source of your problem by trying your charger on a similar laptop, or past plugging in a like charger. If your charger works in another laptop or the new charger still shows the same error in your PC, so your problem is likely to be the DC charging port in your laptop, or a bad charging system on your motherboard. If some other charger works on your PC or your charger shows the aforementioned error on some other laptop, then the problem is the charger. Beneath are the solutions to this trouble.

Power cycle your PC

Completely discharging your PC might prepare the unresponsive state of the charging system.

  1. Unplug your charger, power off your laptop, and remove your battery
  2. Hold downward the ability button for at least 30 seconds
  3. Put the battery back in, with the charger and reboot
  4. Bank check if this fixed it

Workaround with ThrottleStop

At that place is a workaround you can try in order to set this issue. However, you will have to use a tool named ThrottleStop. It's a really lightweight tool that you tin can download for costless. Here is the link. One time the program is downloaded, follow these steps:-

  1. Open up ThrottleStop.
  2. Now uncheck the option named "BD PROCHOT".
    Enabling BD PROCHOT
  3. Cheque if the issue is resolved.

If information technology isn't resolved you will have to do these additional steps:-

  1. Set the "Multiplier" to "Max".
  2. Set the "Speed Shift EP" to "one".
  3. Bank check if the issue is resolved.

Get a new Ac adapter/Charger

If you have tried troubleshooting and you have found that your charger does non piece of work on a like computer or a similar charger works on your PC, then it is fourth dimension to change your AC adapter. If you are certain your charger worked for an extended catamenia before, then the trouble could be anywhere. It could be loose soldering in the charger brick, a broken pin, fried capacitors, a cleaved connection, etc. If you think you tin can endeavour repairing the charger (past changing cables, capacitors, soldering) so go ahead. In most cases, the charger cannot exist salvaged and yous will need to purchase a new charger.

Please note the wattage (e.k. 65W, 90W, 130W etc.) of your OEM charger, the voltage (12V, 19V) and charging current (1A, 2A, 4A). Make sure this numbers match with the new charger, otherwise you will get the same error.

Change your DC power jack

To be honest, Dell laptops come up with some flimsy soldering and charging ports. I have repaired a lot of Dell computers and I have been surprised how easily the soldering comes off, and the corporeality of DC charging ports I have had to replace. If you are the kind that will become the figurer to charge past wiggling the charger around, then it is fourth dimension to modify the DC charging port. Attempting a repair on the port is no adept because you will need to destroy the whole affair to become to the solders.

The power board on some Inspiron models is a separate unit to the motherboard and has the power socket mounted directly on it. You tin can open your PC, unplug the charging port from the motherboard, and supervene upon information technology with a new ane. Information technology will cost y'all a few dollars and yous can get one from Amazon, eBay or from here (search for 'DC power input' or something similar). The local repair shop might take one too. Make certain that the office numbers (eastward.g. DD0R03PB000 or DD0VM9P000) friction match or at least brand certain that the wiring is the same and the units you are swapping are uniform.

If your laptop DC input port is soldered onto your motherboard. You volition have to unsolder it and solder back a new one. If the trouble persists, and then your motherboard might exist the trouble and will need replacement.

NB: Y'all tin can get a direct/external bombardment charger if you can't seem to find the trouble. If your laptop is still under warranty, information technology is recommended to call your manufacturer; a repair will be made, or a replacement sent. Too, make sure that you lot plug in your charger directly into the Ac outlet/socket: ability surge protectors and other power conditioning equipment can affect the sinusoidal nature of your supply and throw this error.

Disabling Power Warnings

If y'all are able to charge your calculator normally only the warning keeps coming upward, you can make the warnings become abroad permanently by changing the BIOS settings. Every laptop has settings which make up one's mind whether the power warnings will testify or non. In this solution, nosotros will navigate to your BIOS and disable the ability warnings.

Note: This doesn't mean that the issue you lot are facing volition get abroad. Nosotros will be simply disabling the warnings.

  1. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS past pressing the DEL key or F2 co-ordinate to the model of your computer.
  2. One time in BIOS, become to the Advanced tab and and then toggle the pick of Adapter warnings. This option may be present in another tab every bit well.
    Disabling Adapter Warnings
  3. Save changes and leave. Restart your computer and the warning will be disappeared.