"Strange" is an understatement.

Do the outlets feel "loose"?

There is no electrical explanation for that issue.

If I had to guess, there is a loose connection inside the AC plug on the laptop - when you unplugged/plugged-in the cellphone charger, you bumped the laptop cord.

"There is no electrical explanation for that issue."

Loose neutral connection is one possible electrical explanation, but worn receptacles are more likely.

To rule out the possibility of a defective laptop power cord, try doing the same thing with just a lamp. This could be the case if you always wrap the cord around the "box" part of the cord when you bring your laptop somewhere

Thank you all for your help with this.

I'm not exactly sure about the outlet being loose. It fits in the holes pretty well. It doesn't wiggle or anything.

I also tried a lamp in all the different situations. It works just fine in the two outlets where the laptop cord won't work at all and it doesn't stop working in the outlet with the cell phone charger when I unplug the charger.

Could it possibly be the amount of voltage (correct term?) that is needed from that outlet? Maybe I should try my other laptop in the same outlets.

Unless you have noticed very weird things with other appliances, all your receptacles will have essentially the same voltage. That voltage will not change enough to make a difference when you plug other small loads (like a charger) into them.

Your post was a long time ago. But I am suffering from the same problem. The laptop charger in question works in other sockets and the sockets in question work with other devices.

does your laptop charger cord have a 2- or 3-prong plug? I had a Sony Vaio laptop (with a 2-prong plug) and the power connection became unreliable. The connections on the laptop, in general, may be weak and easily damaged.

First thing to try is unplug EVERYTHING from that circuit and test each outlet. Possibilities include an open neutral or even hot somewhere. I've seen strange stuff like this, especially if MWBCs are in play.

Thanks for your reply. Do you mean that I should try that even if other laptops do work in the socket?

Get one of those three prong outlet testers - it will tell you if you have an open ground or neutral. It doesn't tell you about the voltage, however I doubt that's the problem.

My son’s laptop just started having this issue. The laptop only “sees” the power cable when plugged into a wall. I moved to a power strip, nothing. I am currently running anoth laptop from a power strip and we tried his... nothing. A different one was running an air conditioner. Unplugged it, plugged in the laptop, nothing. Plugged the laptop into the wall, works fine.

I am having this problem. For three years it worked, then is slowly started not to make the powerbook pro charge (the lightning bolt does not show up). So, I went to Best Buy, and their outlet worked - then I went to Coffee Bean and outlet worked there. Everything was snappy good.

So, now I have tried a bunch of outlets in my house and NONE of them work.

I think that the charger is just a piece or shit just became way too picky for power. I bought a charger and cable and I was gonna see if it worked and my computer could be the problem, that's when I found that it totally worked in other outlets. Effing piece of crap, I returned the now charger and cable thinging my garage was the problem, but the proble was with every outlet in the house. Jeezus.

I have the same issue... so, it is the laptop, charger, or electricity at home? my laptop is almost new it has around 1 year or so, and I noticed that in the multiple plugger on my bed room that was not working, I turned off and on the multiple plugger and worked the charger again. I also turned off and on the general power at home and all the pluggers that were not working start working again, but after 2 days are no longer working again, I turned off and on the general power again and this time didn't work the pluggers... So, now I'm working on the dining room that it is working the plugger (for now)... but as the others post, some plugs don't work for my laptop. I just tested the same that other previous post and when I charge my cellphone in the other plug of the double plugger, the charger works.... So, I guess I need to call the electrician.

What's a plugger?

I'm guessing it's a receptacle, but who knows?

This started on my laptop two weeks ago. Sent it away and they replaced the charging cord/adaptor. Problem was not solved, but if I moved the power cord plug in my outlet I could get the adaptor green light to come on. Then, I tried charging my laptop in my recently remodeled bathroom -- it seems to work, but often requires me to put pressure on the cord where it sticks into the outlet! Damn! Almost success! I guess I could duct tape the cord plug into the bathroom outlet, charge my laptop, then repeat the process as needed. Damn!

You have a loose connection inside your power cord. When you whiggle or move it in a certain position, the conductors inside make contact and it works. Go to an electronics store, bring your cord with you and buy a replacement cord. You don't have to bring the whole charger, just the cord that plugs into the wall and into your charger. The end that plugs into the charger can have multiple configurations, that's why you should bring the old one with you.