Laptop Power Supply not Recognized

I recently purchased a refurbished Dell Inspiron AMD Laptop. It has Vista
Home installed as an operating system. Everything appears to be working find
except for the power supply (from now on ps). When I plug the ps (shipped
with the computer) in I get a message stating "power supply not recognized".
I tested the tip of the ps plug and I am getting voltage there at approx.
19.6 volts. Evidently the ps is working and the laptop is acknowledging that
something has been inserted into it but it does not know what. My question is
- does Vista have some type of software protection and I need to click on
something to get it to recognize the ps?

Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. Please don't tell me to
contact Dell as I have invested approx. 5 hours with them and have basically
got nowhere. The last person I talked to had such a heavy accent that I am
not sure what he talked about besides asking all the same questions I had
answered to two other tech help and still do not know if my laptop is
registered with Dell.

Thank you in advance
--
Ralph

Ralph,

A long time ago I had a problem with a laptop (XP) whose external brick had
failed. Attempted to use another brick with same connector and got a message
like yours. Basic problem was that although the voltage and connector were
correct, the wattage was not. When the replacement brick arrived message
went away. I think the 'correct' brick was 70 watts and the one I was
attempting to use was only 45 watts. (it been a long time so details may
vary, also seem to remember that it was a Dell, but again may not have
been).
At least a point to check is that the wattage required by the laptop and the
wattage supplied by the brick match.

Michael


"Ralph" <Ralph@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:70CCE81D-484E-4176-85EC-29761035C5F5@microsoft.com...
> I recently purchased a refurbished Dell Inspiron AMD Laptop. It has Vista
> Home installed as an operating system. Everything appears to be working
> find
> except for the power supply (from now on ps). When I plug the ps (shipped
> with the computer) in I get a message stating "power supply not
> recognized".
> I tested the tip of the ps plug and I am getting voltage there at approx.
> 19.6 volts. Evidently the ps is working and the laptop is acknowledging
> that
> something has been inserted into it but it does not know what. My question
> is
> - does Vista have some type of software protection and I need to click on
> something to get it to recognize the ps?
>
> Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. Please don't tell me to
> contact Dell as I have invested approx. 5 hours with them and have
> basically
> got nowhere. The last person I talked to had such a heavy accent that I am
> not sure what he talked about besides asking all the same questions I had
> answered to two other tech help and still do not know if my laptop is
> registered with Dell.
>
> Thank you in advance
> --
> Ralph

Sorry, but its best you contact Dell since this is a possible hardware
defect that only Dell can resolve, not Windows or Microsoft.
--
Andre
Blog: http://adacosta.spaces.live.com
My Vista Quickstart Guide:
http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog...3DB!9709.entry
"Ralph" <Ralph@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:70CCE81D-484E-4176-85EC-29761035C5F5@microsoft.com...
>I recently purchased a refurbished Dell Inspiron AMD Laptop. It has Vista
> Home installed as an operating system. Everything appears to be working
> find
> except for the power supply (from now on ps). When I plug the ps (shipped
> with the computer) in I get a message stating "power supply not
> recognized".
> I tested the tip of the ps plug and I am getting voltage there at approx.
> 19.6 volts. Evidently the ps is working and the laptop is acknowledging
> that
> something has been inserted into it but it does not know what. My question
> is
> - does Vista have some type of software protection and I need to click on
> something to get it to recognize the ps?
>
> Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. Please don't tell me to
> contact Dell as I have invested approx. 5 hours with them and have
> basically
> got nowhere. The last person I talked to had such a heavy accent that I am
> not sure what he talked about besides asking all the same questions I had
> answered to two other tech help and still do not know if my laptop is
> registered with Dell.
>
> Thank you in advance
> --
> Ralph

"Ralph" <Ralph@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:70CCE81D-484E-4176-85EC-29761035C5F5@microsoft.com...
> I recently purchased a refurbished Dell Inspiron AMD Laptop. It has Vista
> Home installed as an operating system. Everything appears to be working
find
> except for the power supply (from now on ps). When I plug the ps (shipped
> with the computer) in I get a message stating "power supply not
recognized".
> I tested the tip of the ps plug and I am getting voltage there at approx.
> 19.6 volts. Evidently the ps is working and the laptop is acknowledging
that
> something has been inserted into it but it does not know what. My question
is
> - does Vista have some type of software protection and I need to click on
> something to get it to recognize the ps?
>
> Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. Please don't tell me to
> contact Dell as I have invested approx. 5 hours with them and have
basically
> got nowhere. The last person I talked to had such a heavy accent that I am
> not sure what he talked about besides asking all the same questions I had
> answered to two other tech help and still do not know if my laptop is
> registered with Dell.



Just get the machine specs from the Dell website...
there is no need to talk to anyone.

Make sure the supply is in-fact the correct one.

Also...check to see if it is capable of charging the batteries...
just because you found voltage there...it can still be defective.

Your DVM does not put a load on the device..and I have seen a number of
supplies that had a normal
"open circuit" voltage...but under load...would drop down way out of spec.

An open diode in a bridge rectifier could explain that

Ralph wrote:
> I recently purchased a refurbished Dell Inspiron AMD Laptop. It has Vista
> Home installed as an operating system. Everything appears to be working find
> except for the power supply (from now on ps). When I plug the ps (shipped
> with the computer) in I get a message stating "power supply not recognized".
> I tested the tip of the ps plug and I am getting voltage there at approx.
> 19.6 volts. Evidently the ps is working and the laptop is acknowledging that
> something has been inserted into it but it does not know what. My question is
> - does Vista have some type of software protection and I need to click on
> something to get it to recognize the ps?
>


No. This is purely a hardware issue: you either don't have the correct
AC Adapter (the "power supply" is an internal component in the laptop)
for that make/model laptop, or it is defective.


> Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. Please don't tell me to
> contact Dell as I have invested approx. 5 hours with them and have basically
> got nowhere. The last person I talked to had such a heavy accent that I am
> not sure what he talked about besides asking all the same questions I had
> answered to two other tech help and still do not know if my laptop is
> registered with Dell.
>


If you don't won't to deal with Dell, the best source for resolution of
the problem (it may even be covered under warranty), try Googling for
companies that make/sell AC Adapters compatible with your laptop. Be
sure to consult the laptop's manual or Dell's support web site for the
precise electrical and physical specifications required before starting
such a shopping "expedition."


--

Bruce Chambers

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I would like to thank everyone who answered this post. I just looked at the
posts today and I will check out the power suppy as recommended. Thank you
for your help.
--
Ralph