Force battery drain

[weeag]

I've got an older black MB that I'm having trouble with the battery. When I unplug it from the wall with a full charge the MB immediately dies. I think this is something more serious (I hear possibly a logic board issue) and wanted to totally drain the battery and fully recharge it to see if that would help any. Since I can't run it down while the computer is plugged in, I wondered if there was any software that would force it to run down. Or software that would let you refresh the battery like good battery chargers do.

Thanks for any help.

 

[movieboy23]

You could always try finding a friend who has a MacBook - white or black, it doesn't matter. Have them put in the battery and see if they can get any juice out of it. If the battery is dead, then you can buy a new one for $129. Otherwise, I'd go to an Apple Store and have them run the MRI diagnostic to determine if it's your battery, the dc inboard or the logic board.

 

[weeag]

Good thought - unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere and have no friends with an older macbook. May have to make a trip to the city to get to an apple store... How much will they charge for a diagnostic?

 

[GGJstudios]

When I unplug it from the wall with a full charge the MB immediately dies.

Try resetting the SMC. If you're able to run on battery after that, calibrate your battery to make sure your readings are accurate. If you still can't run on battery, it's likely you'll need a replacement. The worst-case scenario is a problem with your logic board.

This should answer most, if not all, of your battery questions:

Apple Notebook Battery FAQ​