I've encountered a rather surprising problem with some recent Hewlett Packard laptops. Suddenly, they decided to stop charging, whether via the charger or a docking station. Sometimes it's both at the same time, or just one of the two. When you change the charger and docking station, the problem persists. It seems that the problem is with the laptop itself.
At the time of writing this article, I have noticed the problem on 2 models:
- HP 840 G8
- HP 640 G11
I have not, however, checked the BIOS version; it is possible that this problem will be resolved following an update from HP.
Before sending it in for repair, you can try to repair it yourself without disassembling it. This involves reloading the firmware on the motherboard that manages the battery controller.
First, turn off your laptop if it hasn't already. Unplug any chargers or docking stations connected to it.
Press and hold the power button for 20 seconds. The laptop will turn on and then turn off again.
Then, release the button and press once to turn it on, and plug in the charger or docking station. The laptop should now charge.
