Issues with third-party batteries and Sony laptops

Sony laptops are arguably some of the best Windows laptops available, but there are a few issues that many users won’t appreciate. One of these issues is a type of protection that Sony includes to prevent users from using third-party batteries with their Sony laptop.

Sony would prefer that users use only Sony laptop batteries, partly because it means they must be purchased directly from the manufacturer, but also to ensure quality. Users who have found a trusted third-party manufacturer for their laptop batteries, however, are likely to be frustrated by this limitation. Fortunately, there is a workaround to let you use third-party batteries with your Sony laptop, as the battery check is a software program rather than something included in the Sony system board. Follow these steps to disable the software check.

  1. Power down the laptop, remove the battery, connect the AC adapter, and power the laptop back up.
  2. Click the Start button and type “msconfig.exe”. You may need to enter your password to continue.
  3. Click the “Startup” tab and look for a listing for “ISBMgr.exe”. Uncheck the box.
  4. Click “OK” to save the changes, and choose to restart the laptop. There may be a popup once you restart; alerting you that certain programs have been disabled. Simply dismiss this dialog box.

Now you can install your third-party battery, and you should find that it works without problems. Visit our Sony laptop parts page to view other parts and upgrades that are compatible with your laptop.