Windows 7: Notebook shuts off at 50%

Hybrid · 08 May 2009

Hey guys.
This is the only major problem I have had.
When the notebook is running off battery power, it shuts off around 50%
Not sure why, just started happening.
No warning, no nothing. Just a instant shut down.
I tried taking the battery out and putting it in, to see if it would fix the problem. Which it didn't.
Does any know how to fix this or even know about the problem?

YupYup · 08 May 2009

Check your current power plan it may be set to shutdown when the battery reaches 50%.

Hybrid · 08 May 2009

Alright, I set the settings to default on high performance. It's at 71% so far, Gonna see if it will shut off this time.

Hybrid · 08 May 2009

Ok, that didn't work.

Also, if you go to turn it on after. It shuts off almost 1 second later you press the power button. So you have to plug it back in for it to start pretty much.

ccatlett1984 · 08 May 2009

Go into the power options, click advanced, then expand the "battery" heading, check what percentage of the battery remaining that the computer has set for the warning and critical settings.

After it shuts itself off, try going into the BIOS (usually F2 or DEL key while the computer is booting up) and see if it shows you the battery charge level. I wonder if windows is not correctly reading your computers battery level.

What make and model laptop do you have?

TheProphet · 08 May 2009

Judging by how it will shut down after rebooting, before the operating system is even loaded, I think overheating is a likely possibility. Go into the BIOS, and see if it has an auto shutoff temperature. Try a program like Speedfan to keep track of fan speeds and temperatures. I would also check to see if there are any BIOS updates available, as it could be a problem with the motherboard reading the battery charge status incorrectly.

johngalt · 08 May 2009

I have an HP Pavilion, and it does not run the CPU cooler fan all the time when on battery - only as needed. I have forced it (via BIOS) to always run when on AC power, so if I unplug it after booting off of AC power it continues to run.

If yours is similar, then it is entirely possible that TheProphet is correct - however, it could also be that your battery is partially dead, and in reality can only hold half it's normal charge.

Check your BIOS settings also or what the shutdown time is for battery power, and check out some of the other options there as well....

ccatlett1984 · 08 May 2009

Quote: Originally Posted by TheProphet

Judging by how it will shut down after rebooting, before the operating system is even loaded, I think overheating is a likely possibility. Go into the BIOS, and see if it has an auto shutoff temperature. Try a program like Speedfan to keep track of fan speeds and temperatures. I would also check to see if there are any BIOS updates available, as it could be a problem with the motherboard reading the battery charge status incorrectly.

If the laptop will power back up and work plugged in, then its not an overheating issue. It would heat more quickly if plugged in, since the cpu would be running at full power.

johngalt · 08 May 2009

Conversely, if the fan were running it would cool off a lot faster too...

ccatlett1984 · 08 May 2009

This again depends on the model laptop, even while plugged in my XPS M1330 does not run the fan full time (speedstep disabled) it cycles.

Windows 7: Notebook shuts off at 50%

Notebook shuts off at 50% problems?