How to use a non-OEM battery in my sony Laptop (possible BIOS patch)?

[kellmike626]

Long story short, battery conked on my Sony Vaio Laptop (Model VPCSD28EC) to the point where it won't hold a charge. This computer is originally from China, I'm in Canada.

I bought a new battery (Model VGP-BPS24) from ebay for about $115 CAD, shipped. Listing showed it as Genuine, got it in a short period of time.

I insert it, and all I get is a Blinking Battery LED indicator. Laptop will not turn on with the battery inserted, whether it is on A/C or not.

In Windows 7 (64 bit, Ultimate) it shows the battery as "Plugged in and not charging (0%)". The ISBMgr.exe program is not the issue, because I wiped the hard drive completely and installed Windows 7 Ultimate when I got the computer.

The battery itself when I insert it with the A/C plugged in, shows a solid orange battery LED, which is when I can run it off battery, but 20 seconds later, it goes into hibernation or shuts off completely.

I've updated the BIOS to the latest version, but that didn't do squat either.

So, I figure this is a non-OEM Sony battery, and heard there are BIOS patches that could possibly get it working, and wondering if someone could point me in the right direction?

If I can't get this going, hopefully I can return it, seller states I have 30 days in listing but I lose out on shipping ($45, which is almost 50% of everything, so I'm going to fight that too). I bought it because he stated it was genuine, but obviously this is not the case.

 

[Zooshooter]

Sounds like you got yourself another bad battery

 

[COLGeek]

Sounds more like a defective battery OR a poor connection between the battery and your laptop where it plugs into the computer. Make sure the connection is clean when you insert the battery.

 

[dextermat]

Hi,

Also you might have problem with onboard power regulator and you need to replace the mobo to fix the problem.

Buy another computer, I recommend an asus, they are the only laptop that are ok quality.

 

[kellmike626]

Ill try cleaning the connections and see where that takes me...hopefully that'll fix it.

My laptop is working perfectly fine otherwise, so I'm not going to be spending money on replacing it with a new one.

 

[kellmike626]

Okay, so cleaning the battery contacts with isopropyl alcohol didn't do the trick (I used 80%). I'm in contact with the seller of the battery at the moment to see if he can help me out with an exchange.

So is there no chance this could be some kind of issue where sony might be blocking the battery if it isn't "genuine"? It looks exactly like the genuine one (all the way to it being branded Sony on the top left corner), so I'm taking I probably just got a dud, but hate to have to return it and wait for a new one to come.

 

[COLGeek]

That is not a BIOS issue. The battery is defective or the power regulator is the problem. If the old battery will charge even 1%, that would indicate the is the new battery and rule out the regulator.

 

[kellmike626]

That is not a BIOS issue. The battery is defective or the power regulator is the problem. If the old battery will charge even 1%, that would indicate the is the new battery and rule out the regulator.

The only thing I don't know is which one it is. The old battery is completely dead and won't hold a charge, so there's no way I could see if it's the power regulator until I get a new battery (again). Chances of getting a dud again is slim IMO, so that'd be my only way of knowing I guess.

If it is the power regulator, would that mean an entire motherboard swap would be necessary?

EDIT: I installed Battery Care, and got these screen shots:

http/i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q633/km6263/Battery1.png

http/i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q633/km6263/Battery2.png

Shows battery at 100% but does not show any voltage or anything like that. Detects it as a Sony battery, not sure if this will help?

 

[COLGeek]

Return/exchange the battery. Good luck.

 

[JPNpower]

Try buying something from microcenter if possible, they have a huge selection, or batteries plus. Both are genuine American stores with proper QC and return policies.

Anyway, I have a VAIO as well, and it will boot with a non genuine battery I think, but you will get a message in windows ,"Battery is not genuine, windows will shut down, please replace with genuine battery" I get this message even though I am using a genuine battery...

 

[Zooshooter]

Try buying something from microcenter if possible, they have a huge selection, or batteries plus. Both are genuine American stores with proper QC and return policies.

Anyway, I have a VAIO as well, and it will boot with a non genuine battery I think, but you will get a message in windows ,"Battery is not genuine, windows will shut down, please replace with genuine battery" I get this message even though I am using a genuine battery...

I find it hilarious that laptops will do this with batteries but not if you swap out the power cord/adapter.

 

[kellmike626]

Try buying something from microcenter if possible, they have a huge selection, or batteries plus. Both are genuine American stores with proper QC and return policies.

Anyway, I have a VAIO as well, and it will boot with a non genuine battery I think, but you will get a message in windows ,"Battery is not genuine, windows will shut down, please replace with genuine battery" I get this message even though I am using a genuine battery...

That message will not come up on my computer. That message is linked to Some Sony bloatware. The culprit is "ISBMgr.exe". You disable that through the msconfig and through the start up options, and you won't get that message any longer.

However, I've long ago wiped the Original OS (Windows 7 Home Basic) and put on my genuine copy of Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit. So that file doesn't exist on my HDD, so I already know that isn't the culprit.

But what I've read is that the BIOS on VAIO's also check the battery on some models (but not all), and if it doesn't pass as genuine, it won't work or charge the battery, period.

But what's different about mine is once I put it in, the battery indicator LED stays solid for about 20 seconds and I can actually use the computer for that time on battery. But once the light starts to blink, my computer goes into hibernation due to a low battery charge, and will not boot until I re-seat the battery. This is what makes me think it is infact a defective battery, because checking out the battery, it shows Sony brand where it should, and looks exactly like my original. No weird foreign words, doesn't look like a fake.

Still haven't heard back from the seller though..

 

[JPNpower]

Thank you. Now I can assure you that it is a battery problem. Solid battery light means using battery I think, not sure. But anyway, how fast is the blinking? Charging is usually a double blink every second. malfunction is a rapid constant blinking.

 

[kellmike626]

The light usually blinks about 3-4 times per second, not twice. So now I'm pretty sure the battery came DOA.

Still haven't heard back from the seller. Going to try to contact him again.

 

[COLGeek]

How good is the seller's feedback on eBay?

 

[kellmike626]

How good is the seller's feedback on eBay?

99% positive, has a score near 10000 when I checked last. Finally got back to me and issued an RMA, going to send the battery back on Monday when I get back into town.

I even went as far as checking feedback score for my battery I purchased, and all of them were completely satisfied (of the 4 I found out of 1000 of his feedback for other items). Guess ill give him the benefit of the doubt and say I got a bad one.

 

[JPNpower]

Just got a non-OEM battery from Microcenter for my Vaio SZ (damn sony doesn't support it anymore...). Works perfectly, no error, no message.

 

[kellmike626]

Yeah my laptop came from China, and not sure if its still supported there anymore, even though my laptop is less than 2 years old. Good luck to me getting something from Sony, so usually ebay or third party sellers are my only option (plus, don't want to pay $200+ for a new battery).

Been running with no battery for over a week and a half. It stinks, because I need a new battery ASAP because I usually take my laptop everywhere with me.

 

[JPNpower]

Outa luck bro. If a good 3rd party source existed. I would have been Dr.Battery. (microcenter's supplier) http/www.drbattery.com/search.aspx?keywords=VPCSD28EC Check if you want. no matches. I guess sketchy ebay is your only choice, or inevitably a new laptop. sucks huh?

 

[jonathonappleseed]

I'm having the same problem. My Vaio S Series runs well on AC, however with an old or new battery it won't turn on, even with the AC plugged in. Did you ever find a solution to this?