Laptop Battery Problems

Hello,

I bought my laptop 1 year ago, and have treated the battery like gold! Even
though its a Li-ion battery, I still make sure I only charge it when its
empty. Just recently I have noticed a few problems with the battery:

1. It now only lasts 1 hour, it used to last 3!
2. It completely charges in about 1 hour, and charging used to take over 3
hours!
3. It has started hibernating without warning me of low battery, with about
15% battery remaining (used to wait until 7% before hibernating)
4. In power options, when I check the percentage at which the computer will
hibernate (7%), if I click it, it won't let me set it at less than 13%, when
it previously did.

What is wrong with my battery? When I first noticed problem with it I ran
the battery calibrator thing that came with my computer package - did that
make it worse?

Thanks!
from shannon

Forgot to say, it has been extremely hot weather here recently, and I lived
in a house where the temperature in my room was usually over 35 degrees
celcius. Could this be a contributing factor?

Shannon

"Shannon L" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I bought my laptop 1 year ago, and have treated the battery like gold!
Even
though its a Li-ion battery, I still make sure I only charge it when its
empty. Just recently I have noticed a few problems with the battery:

1. It now only lasts 1 hour, it used to last 3!
2. It completely charges in about 1 hour, and charging used to take over
3
hours!
3. It has started hibernating without warning me of low battery, with
about
15% battery remaining (used to wait until 7% before hibernating)
4. In power options, when I check the percentage at which the computer
will
hibernate (7%), if I click it, it won't let me set it at less than 13%,
when
it previously did.

What is wrong with my battery? When I first noticed problem with it I ran
the battery calibrator thing that came with my computer package - did that
make it worse?

Thanks!
from shannon

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 16:57:29 +1000, "Shannon L"
wrote:

Forgot to say, it has been extremely hot weather here recently, and I lived
in a house where the temperature in my room was usually over 35 degrees
celcius. Could this be a contributing factor?


Yes, if the battery is getting too hot while charging it may stop charging
prematurely. I can't be sure that's your problem though, it might simply
be bad or near the end of it's useful life. A battery is "supposed" to
last longer, but consider that battery life is an average, meaning some
won't last as long as others.

Perhaps running that battery calibrator changed the settings from min. 7%
to 13%. I'm unfamiliar with it so you might see if any documentation
details how to readjust it.