Sony is one of the top-of-class laptop and electronic device manufacturers. However, just like any other device, their laptops are also susceptible to daily errors and defection.
One of the most delicate parts of a computer is usually its power unit, so in case you have any trouble with it, we hope this Sony laptop battery troubleshooting might come in handy.
Let’s dig into some of the most common problems for Sony Laptop battery charging, battery runtime, and how to fix them.
Sony Laptop Battery Troubleshooting
#Case 1: Faulty AC Adapter
The first thing you need to look at if the device doesn’t charge is not the power cells themselves but the external device such as the AC adapter. You should make sure that you are using the correct AC adapter for your computer.
If the AC adapter works alright when plugged into a power outlet but not via extension blocks or surge suppressor, consider checking them first. Sometimes the electricity source can also be a problem.
Next, check if the illuminator on the AC adapter is on when plugged in. You should see a bright green light. If not, then maybe the adapter needs a replacement.
Occasionally, the AC adapter’s light is still working, signifying there’s power running through it, but the charging doesn’t work as usual. It might be due to the low power supply from the adapter, which allows the laptop to charge when sleeping but not when turned on.
In this case, you still want to replace it.
#Case 2: Regular Wear And Tear
Batteries are electronic devices that are not blessed with a long lifespan thanks to their nature. A Lithium-Ion power unit should expect to last a couple of hundred life cycles before going bad.
If you have used your PC for a couple of years and notice that it doesn’t last more than 15 minutes without plugging in, please consider replacing that poor cell.
To check the health level of the battery, do as follows
- Navigate to the Search function
- Type in VAIO Control Center to access
- In VAIO Control Center, access the Battery and Power section > Details
There, you should see if the battery is Excellent, Good, Poor, or Critical. If it’s anything less than good, consider replacing it with a new one.
#Case 3: Defective Port Or Contact
A more severe problem occurs when the charger port or cell contact is faulty. If your adapter works appropriately on another laptop but not yours, consider this situation.
Sony laptops have a charging illuminator to signify if it’s working correctly. If you have plugged in your standard AC adapter and this light hasn’t turned on, try wiggling the cord at the port a little bit to make sure it’s entirely connected.
If the connection is ensured but still fails to charge, consider cleaning your port first. Sometimes dirt and debris can block electricity transmission. Remember to use clean, dirt-free cloth or Q-tip to do this. Deal with the device gently so that you don’t cause any damage to delicate parts.
Still not charging? Then the problem might be due to the battery’s connections to the motherboard or some other severe hardware issues. At this point, you should bring your laptop to service as soon as possible.
#Case 5: High-Performance Settings Affect Battery Life
Another contributing factor if you are experiencing shorter runtime is your settings and software used. If this is the case, you might wonder how to extend the battery lifespan. Under regular use, the screen brightness will affect your runtime the most.
A brighter screen is easier to see outdoors and gives you a better color experience. Still, it also consumes more energy. If you run multiple CPU and GPU-extensive software at a time, you shouldn’t expect your laptop to run all day long either.
Most laptop cells can only handle easy tasks like web surfing or writing documents for a couple of hours. Graphically demanding games, computing, and scientific software can drain the power of both your system and power really fast.
#Case 6: PC Won’t Run Without Plugging In
If your PC refuses to run without plugging in, try removing the power unit. If the PC still operates normally, it might strongly indicate that your power unit is defective and you need to change it now.
#Case 7: PC Won’t Recognize Battery
This situation is likely to occur when
- Your connection is faulty; if so, return to #Case 2
- You are using a 3rd company power unit
In some cases, if you can’t purchase an OEM battery from Sony, you will need to find a 3rd supplier’s power unit. The device will announce something like “battery not compatible” should it refuse the new one.
In this case, remove the new power cell, connect the PC to its AC adapter and turn it on.
Then, proceed with the following steps:
- Press Windows + R to access the Run command
- In the field, type in MSCONFIG, then press Enter, type in the password required if needed.
- Navigate to System Configuration > Startup > Open Task Manager
- In the next screen, disable the ISB Utility
- Reset the computer, install the battery and see if it works now
If that doesn’t succeed, try navigating to File Explorer > Local Disk (C:) > Program Files (x86) > Sony > ISB Utility > find the ISBMgr file, right-click to Rename.
Rename that file to “ISBMgr.old” (without the quotation mark) then press Enter. Lastly, reset the laptop.
Also, make sure that the new power cell is from a Sony-recognized supplier.
#Case 8: Stop Charging At Certain %
You should feel lucky if this is your problem since it’s not an error; it’s a function. Sony calls this “Battery Care Function,” and it should help lengthen your power unit’s life cycle from their perspective.
Whether that’s true or not is still up to debate, some users will find this extremely annoying since the software won’t let them exceed a certain amount of charged cells. In most cases, it will automatically stop at 50% or 80%.
To deal with this, turn off the function in the VAIO Control Center > Battery and Power > Details, access through steps described in #Case 2.
Final Words
We hope that our Sony laptop battery troubleshooting guide can help you with what’s going on with your PC. In any case, you should consult an expert and bring your machine to service if repairing/replacing something is out of your hands.
Paul Sullivan is the leading writer for articles on our website. He has over 10 years of experience as a technology reviewer, especially on laptops and computers.
With his long experience, we believe that he will bring you accurate and valuable knowledge and assessment.
