My Dell Inspiron 6000 battery light flashes four times amber then once green. It's been on for the last two days and still has not fully charged. It went from 85% to 95% charged over the last 24 hours. Any suggestions?

The diagnostic procedures from the Dell User Guide are as follows:

Total Power Failure When Using a Battery
If an AC adapter is not connected to your computer, the computer's power source
is a battery. If the battery indicator flashes amber or is a steady amber, the
battery needs to be charged. If the battery is flashing green and amber, the
battery may be defective. To troubleshoot this problem, use the following
procedure.
1. Turn off the computer and peripherals, and disconnect them from AC power.
2. Reseat each installed battery by removing it and then replacing it.
3. Turn on the computer. Does the green power indicator light up?
Allow one minute for the computer to initialize its components before checking
for signs of power.
Yes. Continue to step 4.
No. Use the AC adapter to connect your computer to AC power. If the computer
operates normally when using AC power, go to step 7. If the computer does not
boot when using the AC adapter, see the previous subsection, "Total Power
Failure When Using the AC Adapter."
4. Does the battery indicator flash amber or show a a steady amber light?
Yes. The battery needs to be charged. Go step 5.
No. Go to step 7.
5. Connect the computer to AC power, and fully charge the battery.
For instructions, see the topic titled "Charging the Battery" in the online
System User's Guide.
6. As the battery charges, does the green battery indicator light up?
Yes. Go to step 9.
No. Go to step 7.
7. Is the battery indicator flashing green and amber?
Yes. Your computer may be in a hot environment. Charging the battery in this
condition may affect the life span of the battery. Continue to step 8.
No. The problem is resolved.
8. Disconnect the computer from AC power. Is the the battery indicator still
flashing amber?
Yes. You may have a defective battery. Continue to step 9.
No. The problem is resolved.
9. Remove the battery, and press its test button. Is the uppermost indicator in
the charge gauge of the battery flashing?
Yes. You have a defective battery. Continue to step 9.
No. The problem is resolved.
10. If a spare battery is available, fully charge it, and then install it in the
computer.
11. Turn on the computer. Is the power indicator off?
Yes. Your original battery is defective. Call Dell for a replacement. (See
Chapter 5, "Getting Help," for
instructions.)
No. Call Dell for technical assistance. (See Chapter 5, "Getting Help," for
instructions.)

Troubleshooting a power problem is fairly simple:
1 Try a different AC adapter, see if there is any change 2 If system will not power on with a known good or new AC adapter, then the power connection on the motherboard is likely damaged and the motherboard will need to be replaced.

That is normal, to flash green during charging. Once charge is complete it should go solid green.

the battery has reached its expected life, you need to replace it. If it is under warranty, you can call dell and have them replace it. You can still use you laptop with the wall power/charger plugged in, remove the battery to get rid of the flashing red/green light.

Battery.

Dell has a chip internal to the battery programed to shut down after a certain number of charge cycles. This means every time you plug the laptop in with the battery installed. When it reaches this determined number the battery effectively shuts down, even though technically it's still good. There have been loads of complaints on the net toward Dell over this issue. I have myself experience this. Battery good one day, powered down, went home, powered up... only to receive the deadly flashing light. Only cure is to replace battery. Several hacks trying to get around this but they're all horrible. Bad Dell - bad, bad Dell!

sounds like your charging circuit isn't working or the adapter isn't putting out enough power or amprage to fully charge the battery, or you battery went bad. if the charging circuit is bad then so is *********** board, time to burry the system and buy a new one

I have had three different laptops, last one an XPS from DELL which did the same thing. Replacing the battery solved all three laptops. How old is the battery you have in there now?

The diagnostic procedures from the Dell User Guide are as follows:

Total Power Failure When Using a Battery
If an AC adapter is not connected to your computer, the computer's power source
is a battery. If the battery indicator flashes amber or is a steady amber, the
battery needs to be charged. If the battery is flashing green and amber, the
battery may be defective. To troubleshoot this problem, use the following
procedure.
1. Turn off the computer and peripherals, and disconnect them from AC power.
2. Reseat each installed battery by removing it and then replacing it.
3. Turn on the computer. Does the green power indicator light up?
Allow one minute for the computer to initialize its components before checking
for signs of power.
Yes. Continue to step 4.
No. Use the AC adapter to connect your computer to AC power. If the computer
operates normally when using AC power, go to step 7. If the computer does not
boot when using the AC adapter, see the previous subsection, "Total Power
Failure When Using the AC Adapter."
4. Does the battery indicator flash amber or show a a steady amber light?
Yes. The battery needs to be charged. Go step 5.
No. Go to step 7.
5. Connect the computer to AC power, and fully charge the battery.
For instructions, see the topic titled "Charging the Battery" in the online
System User's Guide.
6. As the battery charges, does the green battery indicator light up?
Yes. Go to step 9.
No. Go to step 7.
7. Is the battery indicator flashing green and amber?
Yes. Your computer may be in a hot environment. Charging the battery in this
condition may affect the life span of the battery. Continue to step 8.
No. The problem is resolved.
8. Disconnect the computer from AC power. Is the the battery indicator still
flashing amber?
Yes. You may have a defective battery. Continue to step 9.
No. The problem is resolved.
9. Remove the battery, and press its test button. Is the uppermost indicator in
the charge gauge of the battery flashing?
Yes. You have a defective battery. Continue to step 9.
No. The problem is resolved.
10. If a spare battery is available, fully charge it, and then install it in the
computer.
11. Turn on the computer. Is the power indicator off?
Yes. Your original battery is defective


good luck

usually, its an indication that the battery is nearing the end of its useful life. you can try to use another battery to isolate it further. If the same thing happens with another battery, chances are, the mobo is failing. Flashing the BIOS can usually help with battery issues. If another battery works fine and your computer is within its first year since you bought it, you can request a replacement battery from Dell

It means you need to replace the battery. My wife's Inspiron did the same thing. Here is a link to someone else with the same issue, as well: http://west-wind.com/WebLog/posts/365.aspx I recommend third-party batteries from a quality source. They are quite good, and much cheaper than Dell-branded ones. Here's a source for both Dell-branded and third-party versions: http://www.batteries.com/index.asp?N=4294967279+4294967148+4294949141&Ne=25&Nu=p%5Fprodcode Plus, they are having a 20% off sale right now, using coupon code "FREE8"!