Battery icon disappeared from taskbar, can't get it back

Bogof_Babe

Very strange thing - I noticed earlier today that my battery indicator icon has disappeared from my taskbar. I have gone through the procedures to turn it back to visible but (a) it is already set in task bar properties to "show icon and notifications", (b) in "turn system icons on or off" it is shown as "off" but greyed out so I cannot changed it, and (c) when I click on "restore default icon behaviours" it just sits there and doesn't do anything.

I've tried it both disconnected from the mains and connected. Also the reading is stuck at "5 hours 15 mins 82% remaining" and has been for ages, so I have no idea how much battery I have left, and no way of checking.

I only bought the netbook (Acer Aspire) a couple of months ago so should I take it back to the shop, or is there anything else I can try?

When I plugged it back in, the little battery light on the machine itself came on, so charge must be getting through, but something ain't right. I'd be grateful if anyone has any ideas.

flashg67

My Acer laptop had a similar problem - have you tried removing charger & battery (switch off first), refitting battery and trying to charge again?

If not, go to device manager (presume you're running windows?), expand the 'batteries' heading, right click on the entry 'Microsft ACPI compliant control method battery' and select 'uninstall'. After it's uninstalled, right click on 'batteries' heading, click 'scan for hardware changes' and let it re-install the battery controller. This worked for me but do not uninstall any other item under the 'batteries' heading!

Bogof_Babe

Thanks, sounds like a plan. I'll try the battery remove and replace route first, so will do it tomorrow when I am not using it.

Interesting that you had a similar problem. Must be a glitch in the hardware of this particular machine.

web_ferret

Go to control panel
Power options
Advanced tab
Tick always show power icon on task bar

Bogof_Babe

Curioser and curioser. I turned it and the router off overnight, switched on this morning and the little blighter is back! A couple of days ago my Bookmarks button vanished too (along with the bar it was in), and that came back by itself too. I'm honestly not doing anything to make these things happen - I don't fiddle about unless I absolutely have to - so it will remain a mystery to me.

Thanks web ferret - if it vanishes again I will try that.

vicx

The battery and volume icon occasionally disappear from my taskbar but a quick restart usually solves the problem. Sometimes even when the volume icon is there, nothing will happen when I click on it.

As you say, it must be a glitch in the hardware