Dual batteries and standby mode

[Guest]

I have a Dell Inspiron 8600 (laptop,) with the latest BIOS updates. I am
running WinXP Pro SP2, with all of the latest updates. I obviously use the
primary battery and usually run the spare battery in the swappable slot
provided in the computer for floppy drive, CD-ROM or spare battery. I have
WinXP’s “Critical Battery Alarm†(under POWER OPTIONS in the Control Panel)
set to put the computer into standby when the power level reaches 3%.

When I fully charge both batteries and then use the computer without AC
power, the spare battery is used first. The problem is that the computer
enters standby when the SPARE battery reaches 3%. Now, the primary battery
is STILL at 100% capacity – and the TOTAL POWER REMAINING percentage is at
around 65%. (That makes sense because the primary battery is obviously
stronger than the spare battery.)

Once I get the computer out of standby, I can continue working until the
primary battery wears down. However, it is EXTREMELY annoying to be working
and have the computer all of a sudden enter standby - when I obviously have
plenty of battery power to continue working.

My guess would be the problem resides somewhere within Windows XP, but I am
not sure. Thank you in advance for any suggestions you may have in resolving
this problem.

 

[Guest]

"the spare battery is used first" would not be a windows issue, that would be
a hardware configuration issue.

What happens when you wear down the Primary battery first then insert the
Spare battery.

the hardware is probably configured to use the spare battery first because
with the spare battery inserted in the system, the system may assume that the
primary battery does not have a charge, and so when the spare battery runs
out, as a fail safe the system goes into standby.

Primary = first

Spare = second.

 

[Guest]

I don't have any problem with it using the spare battery first. I agree -
that is a hardware issue and is likely by design. The problem that I
detailed was that the computer was going into standby when the spare battery
reached 3% - and the primary battery was still full. In fact, the TOTAL
BATTERY POWER REMAINING under CONTROL PANEL - POWER OPTIONS - POWER METER is
always well over 65% when the computer goes into standby. The computer
SHOULD go into standby when the TOTAL BATTERY POWER REMAINING hits 3% - not
just ONE of TWO batteries.

 

[Alex Nichol]

When I fully charge both batteries and then use the computer without AC
power, the spare battery is used first. The problem is that the computer
enters standby when the SPARE battery reaches 3%. Now, the primary battery
is STILL at 100% capacity – and the TOTAL POWER REMAINING percentage is at
around 65%. (That makes sense because the primary battery is obviously
stronger than the spare battery.)

That sounds wrong. The Primary should be the one used first, as its
name implies. But what may have happened is that things ran down, it
switched to secondary and stuck, not switching back on recharging. Look
in any Dell support program for Power settings and see if there is one
to switch between batteries manually, if so (and there probably is) put
it on Primary

 

[Guest]

Which ever battery is used first - it doesn't really matter. The problem is
that it enters standby when ONE battery hits 3% - instead of waiting until
the TOTAL POWER REMAINING hits 3%.