I have a Toshiba laptop. The adapter lights up but the computer won’t charge. Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong and how to fix it? I could always buy a universal charger but those are expensive and I’d hate to get one only to find out it’s the computer and not the charger that’s the problem.
How old is the battery and how well was it working before the problem? Was there any incident that brought on the failure to charge? Specifically, did you connect a new device, perhaps to charge a battery?
Does it work when it’s plugged in? If it does, then it probably needs a new battery.
I would take it to a shop. Since diagnosing battery vs. charger is very simple, and you are going to buy one or the other (tell them that), they may diagnose it for free while you stand there. It’s just a matter of trying one part, and then the other, and seeing what works.
If neither part fixes it, then something is wrong internally-- it could be simple, like a broken solder point, but at that point, you will have to cough up the $40 or whatever they charge for diagnostics, because they have to open it up.
However, if it’s the case that it works while plugged in, then it’s doubtful anything is wrong, like a broken solder point, and the battery being shot is the most likely problem.
Not that I can remember. For a while it had difficulty charging and I had to jiggle the charger to find the sweet spot.
That jiggling thing sounds like the connector is bad - either in the charger, or in the computer. Either way should be relatively easy to fix.
On the other hand, I’ve had several laptops where the batteries up and died after about three or four years. They just wouldn’t hold a charge. I could have gotten a new battery, but I don’t move it much anyway, so I just kept using them on my desk, plugged in, for another year or so before everything else started to fall apart!
That’s about an average lifespan for a laptop battery.
Ugh! jiggling the cable. Yeah, probably a broken solder point or other connection internally. Had this happen twice to my Samsung laptop. Jr. Skippy, guestling the youngest, despite the admontions to be careful with dad’s computer (cause its older than you are son, and fragile) insists on setting the thing in the chair with the cable jammed against the back of the chair thus breaking it twice this year.
How much did the repairs cost you? I’m thinking of bringing it to a computer repair store and want to know what I’m looking at, roundabout.
The charger connection is one of the weak points of modern laptops.
Because it gets a whole lot of use, often being plugged & unplugged 2-3 times per day or more. So there is a lot of stress on this connection. Also, most laptops have this connector right on the motherboard, so it’s not as solidly supported as a separate connector that has wires running to the motherboard.
Unfortunately, it’s also a hard part to repair. Since it’s soldered right onto the motherboard, replacing it requires unsoldering the old connector and soldering in a new one; but sat the same time making sure the heat from that doesn’t affect other components right next to it on the motherboard. Often requires special equipment, and still can risk damaging CPU or memory chips.
That’s why some laptops & cellphones are switching to recharge methods that don’t involve plugging/unplugging a cable. Unfortunately, I understand those are not as efficient at charging. Also, some are restricted by patents.
I recently had this problem with my Asus laptop.
I put it down to my tripping over the power lead.
Tried a new charger with no improvement.
Took it to a repairer who attempted to locate the problem.
As above I had expected it to be the charging port on the motherboard and as my soldering skills have deteriorated to a degree where I wasn’t comfortable replacing or re-soldering the port I thought it better to let an experienced professional take care of it.
I called in a week later for an update and he had the machine on the bench. He buzzed through the connectors and showed the charging port was actually fine, the problem lay further in among the circuitry and was intermittent.
Only sensible fix was a replacement motherboard which would be more expensive than a replacement laptop.
So a replacement laptop it was.
I have a couple of other laptops here with the same problem 
haven’t gotten fixed the second time yet and might not (wife has basically migrated nearly all computing needs to her iclone and ibland set) so I have the use of her acer.
I believe it cost me right around a couple hundred for parts and labor which included;
new port, new cable from power supply to computer, and the labor to remove and replace the port plus the diagnostic
just as a resource for others with similar problems:
http://forums.toshiba.com/t5/Batteries-and-Power-Knowledge/Resolving-battery-and-power-issues/ta-p/264853
I agree with other that if jiggling the connector makes the problem come and go, the problem is probably with the connection point inside the laptop. If it’s ‘hundreds’ to fix, it’s probably time for a new laptop.
Having said that, I have found that when you get to the point that a laptop doesn’t hold it’s charge, or worse, won’t turn on, you can usually buy some more time by keeping it plugged in and leaving the battery out. Almost all my laptops (including the one I’m using right now) hobble along for at least a year like that.
I always keep mine plugged in all the time, they never go anywhere but from my lap to the table next to where I’m sitting. A few weeks ago, the battery icon said it wasn’t charging and about 15 minutes later it shut off. Checked to make sure the outlet was working (since the light next to the connector wasn’t on) and it was good. I assumed I needed a new adapter and on a whim I pulled the battery and hit the power button. Turned right back on.
The only problem now is that if I accidentally pull the cord out the computer shuts off.
TL;DR, pull the battery and plug it in, sometimes you can buy some more time when a bad battery is causing problems (even with it plugged in).