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MacBook, MacBook Pro: Battery not recognized or "X" icon appears on menu bar
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Symptoms
The battery of a MacBook or MacBook Pro computer may:
- Appear to have no charge (zero percent)
- Be unable to power the computer by itself; the computer might work only when it is connected to the MagSafe power adapter, which only shows a green LED
- Appear with a black "X" icon on the menu bar
Note: If a red "X" icon appears on the menu bar and the power adapter displays an amber LED, see MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air: Battery not recognized after being fully drained instead.
Products Affected
MacBook Pro, MacBook
Resolution
- Shut down, then remove and reinstall the battery. Test for the issue(s) again.
- Connect the MagSafe power adapter (if you haven't already) and see if the behavior continues.
- If the issue(s) persist, download and install the Mac OS X v10.4.9 Update.
- If the issue(s) persist, download and install Battery Update 1.3.
If, after installing the Mac OS X v10.4.9 Update and Battery Update 1.3, a black "X" still appears in the menu bar, follow the steps in MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air: Battery not recognized after being fully drained.
If the battery charge status still shows zero percent, yet appears to show a nearly full charge shortly thereafter, see Calibrating your computer's battery for best performance.
If any other of the above symptoms persist after following these steps, please contact support for further assistance.
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