What is the function/purpose of the pinhole on the battery of a Samsung Series 5 ultrabook?

Question

Some background (not entirely relevent to main question): I can't find my specific model of laptop online but it has all the same specs as this excluding the touchscreen: http://bit.ly/18netZQ

It's a Samsung Series 5 Ultrabook (windows 8) that's a mere 2 months old. Unfortunately, I've had a complication with the battery. Specifically, when I plug in the adapter, the battery no longer charges. Instead, I get a notification message saying, "Plugged in, not charging" followed by some other warning message about the battery.

To make matters worse, I can't even power the system on without the adapter plugged up to it. If I even unplug the adapter while the system is on, it will immediately shut off. Initially it showed that the battery was resting at a 70% charge. However that number has slowly dropped while I've been looking for a fix and is now resting at a 4% charge. I'm worried it won't even be able to turn on once it drops to 0.

Anyways, almost every fix I've found online requires taking out the battery. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx62t6qZ34U

However, this model does not have a traditionally removable battery, but I did find this pinhole at the bottom:

I've already tried uninstalling/reinstalling the battery drivers. I've also checked for updates. I've also done the basics: checked the chord, the pin, connections. It is still a new laptop, so these all seem perfectly normal. All other process of the laptop work flawlessly.

Because it's so new, I haven't put that many files on it, and I would like to reset the whole system, but it didn't come with a recovery disk, and I cannot find any other drives other than the C drive. So I'm also assuming there is no recovery drive.

I don't actually have the laptop on me (I'm out of town), so it may take me a few days before I can try anything, but any help, feedback or suggestions is still greatly appreciated.

Solution 1

It is a battery disconnect button which is neccessary since you can't physically remove it.

From : Chromium.org - Samsung Series 5 Chromebook

How to hard-reset the EC

You should never have to do this. If you think you need to and haven't been specifically instructed to do so by Google or Samsung, please contact one of those companies to tell them why.

The Samsung Series 5, like most portable computers, has a small embedded controller ("EC") inside it that controls things like battery charging, LEDs, fans, and so forth even when the device is turned off. The EC runs anytime that power is available, even battery power. In the extremely rare and unusual case that the EC needs to be reset, the only certain way is to remove power. But since the Samsung Series 5 battery is not removable, there is a battery disconnect button for this purpose. Unplug the AC, flip the device over, and use a paperclip to gently press the battery reset button through the hole on the back of the chromebook. Hold it down for a few seconds, then release it.

This process turns the battery off. It won't turn on again until you've connected the AC power cord and the EC has booted. After that, things should work normally again. You may have to press the power button once or twice, since the EC may take a moment or two to fully reboot.

Solution 2

What does the button do?

The button is a hard reset incase the laptop ever falls into a lock state that requires removing the battery to recover.

---

Why is your battery misbehaving?

There are several possible explanation:

• Battery not calibrated

New Lithium Ion batteries do not achieve their full capacity until they have been exercised. Apple recommends that you fully drain and charge the battery 3 times.

Samsung has a document on calibrating laptops

• Bad Battery

It sounds like your battery may be defective from the manufacture. It should still be under warranty.

• Bad Charger

Try turning off your laptop, and see if the battery charges. Your charger will still be under warranty.

Unless the battery isn't calibrated, all your other options would involve returning it to the store.

Comments

[Daniel R Hicks]

Looks like some sort of a reset. But the icon is confusing -- kinda looks like a battery, kinda looks like an open laptop.

[Grant]

I found this, but I didn't know if it would apply to my laptop because mine is an ultrabook, not a chromebook. I'm also unsure if this reset will work seeing how the laptop turns off the second I unplug the AC. It doesn't indicate whether the laptop needs to be on when I attempt the reset.

[Brian]

The symbol is a battery crossed out so you can be pretty sure it's to disconnect it.

[sam boosalis]

thanks, this worked. i'm been charging a european outlet. could that have caused this?

[yass]

It is better if you explain to OP how to change the battery it seems his problem