Laptop Battery Problem

I suspect that the battery has died on my HP/Compaq Business Notebook
NX9005.

For a while, the battery status light has sometimes been green (indicating
ok) and sometimes flashing amber (indicating a battery problem). Now, it's
on solid amber (indicating charging) but the icon in the system tray never
gets beyond 0% remaining - even when left to charge up over night, with the
PC off.

If I turn off the AC adapter, the PC stops dead. The battery itself has a
'fuel gauge' on the side - a row of LEDs to indicate various states of
charge when a button in pressed. None of them light up!

My guess is that the battery is dead, and all will be well if I buy a new
one. However, I have a slight concern that there might be a charging system
fault which is preventing an otherwise good battery from charging - and that
I might end up spending a not-inconsiderable sum on a new battery to no
avail.

Is this possible, or am I worrying unnecessarily? [The PC does work
perfectly ok off the AC adaptor, but not off the battery]. Is there any
way - short of buying a new battery - to make sure that it really is the
battery at fault?

[I've just noticed another thread in which it is being suggested that dead
batteries can be revived by putting them in a freezer for a while. Is this
for real and, if so, what is the technical explanation for it?]
--
Cheers,
Roger
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