Laptop keeps cutting out

[Guest]

Hi,
I own an old Protege 7100 laptop using Windows XP. If I watch a DVD on the
machine using the battery and not the mains power, after about 10 minutes,
the laptop just cuts out like it has run out of power. If I turn it on again,
I can watch the DVD for about 3 minutes and the same happens. The large
external battery is new. When it cuts out, I restart and check to see how
much battery life is remaining, and it tells me that the battery has not
fully discharged. This does not occur when using the mains power.

I was wondering if the laptop had another smaller battery that was dead
(because it is so old) and that is effecting its performance. If I am using
the laptop for word-processing or other non-taxing things, there machine is
fine (until the battery fully discharges).

I also know there are a number of different Power Settings possible. I have
checked under Settings->Power Management but there does not seem to help.
Also, I know there are various boot-up options I can take - F10, F12 but I do
not know enough about it!

I do not know a lot about computers, so any help would be very useful.

Thanks,
Adam

 

[Malke]

Hi,
I own an old Protege 7100 laptop using Windows XP. If I watch a DVD on
the machine using the battery and not the mains power, after about 10
minutes, the laptop just cuts out like it has run out of power. If I
turn it on again, I can watch the DVD for about 3 minutes and the same
happens. The large external battery is new. When it cuts out, I
restart and check to see how much battery life is remaining, and it
tells me that the battery has not fully discharged. This does not
occur when using the mains power.

I was wondering if the laptop had another smaller battery that was
dead (because it is so old) and that is effecting its performance. If
I am using the laptop for word-processing or other non-taxing things,
there machine is fine (until the battery fully discharges).

I also know there are a number of different Power Settings possible. I
have checked under Settings->Power Management but there does not seem
to help. Also, I know there are various boot-up options I can take -
F10, F12 but I do not know enough about it!

No, it sounds like the charger component on the motherboard isn't
working any more and/or other motherboard components are failing. By
"external" battery I take it you mean the big removable one. This
problem has nothing to do with the battery on the motherboard that
preserves CMOS settings.

Depending on how old the "old" laptop is, it might not be worth sending
it to the OEM for repair and you should just look around for a new one.

Malke