Will a laptop battery stop taking a charge?

Yes. Absolutely. I have a couple of doorstops right now. Sometimes they can be reconditioned, but eventually they will fail or just get unreliable and then fail. Usually at a bad time. Like at the accountants. When you are having your taxes done.

That sucks.

Over the last year or so it's gone from lasting about 2 hours on a full charge to lasting less than twenty minutes recently. Looking at my little battery icon, it's not moving from 10% at all right now, and it's plugged in.

Yeah, that's what they do when they wear out.

I've got a 2003 laptop. Hasn't had a working battery in it since 2005. I just keep it plugged in the wall.

By the way -- take it out. It stops doing the annoying panicky stuff with all messages.

Just plug it in the wall with no battery. The computer relaxes and quits telling you things about the battery.

My battery on the old Wallstreet doesn't even register that it is connected anymore. It was working fine last year when I got a new computer and let the battery drain. Now it is toast. The battery for my very old 1400CD lasted all of 5 minutes in its prime. You can get a new battery. I don't know how much they run these days. Or you can try to recondition, which involves completely draining and then recharging. Possibly multiple times. Save data first before attempting.
Good luck!

I looked around online a bit, and it seems a new battery is going to run me between $120-150. I think I'll be doing without for awhile.

Gack! You can get a used laptop for about that! Check the computer swap lists in your area. You might get lucky.

I went without a battery for years with the 1400. It was OK. I am a bit spoiled, now, though.

I was appalled at how quickly the battery in my wife's newest laptop deteriorated.

Yep. THat's what happened to me.

No way around it. Everybody knows the battery thing. You'd get a ragged out battery, most likely.

Lots of time plugged into power is what ages it, I think. It cycles through many little neurotic charge cycles, constantly heating the battery.

I wished I had pulled my battery and put it in the drawer when I wasn't using battery power.

I think you are correct. It spent almost all of its time plugged in.

What's the make and model of your laptop? I just looked up a replacement for my new Inspiron 1525 and I can get one for about $80.

Sony Vaio VGN-N320E.

According to the Sony website your laptop has 2 battery options

The Standard Battery which is Part # VGP-BPS2C

http://www.laptopbatterystore.com/categ ... agodij2V4g $71.90

http://www.order-bulk.com/product_info. ... n&cPath=68 $35.95

http://allforlaptops.org/index.php?main ... rrency=USD $47.00

Or the Large Capacity Battery which is Part # VGP-BPL2C

http://www.titannotebook.com/product/Po ... d=TTN63567 $89.95

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-BATTERY-FOR-SON ... dZViewItem Buy it Now $44.99

http://www.laptop-ac-adapter.org/7200ma ... -2511.html $62.99

I did have a laptop once that lost the ability to charge a battery. You could put a known-good battery in it, but it wouldn't ever charge it up. A system board problem most likely.

My laptop is on its third AC cord and I have two different batteries for it. Ironically, the third party large capacity battery I bought for it second, is the one that rarely charges correctly.

It's also on its second hard drive. That thing has been to hell and back. Also, Johannesburg.

I'll check out those links. Thanks!