Jim Yanik wrote in
4:

"N_Cook" wrote in
:

.....

it's probably just a resistor value that gets read,forms a voltage
divider and the developed V gets read. Simple,cheap to implement.
No resistor,you get the "insufficient supply" message.


[quote from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspiron]

"AC power adapter type cannot be determined"

When I startup my computer, I get the message “The AC power adapter type
cannot be determined. Your system will operate slower and the battery will
not charge."

This error occurs due to a communication error between an id-chip within
the AC adapter and the laptop. Mostly the issue is due to unprotected
1-wire id-chip getting destroyed, or the laptop motherboard being damaged.
This issue has been known for a long time and DELL has done nothing to fix
it or compensate customers more than replacing the damaged component
within warranty, i.e. AC adapter or laptop motherboard. There are reports
of customers replacing the AC adapter several times. This indicates that
it is a design flaw, wrong construction that can destroy the id-chip. More
info on

http://www.laptops-battery.co.uk/blo...r-type-cannot-
be-determined-solution/#content

[end quote]

--
bz

please pardon my infinite ignorance, the set-of-things-I-do-not-know is an
infinite set.