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	Replies: 7 - Pages: 1 - Last Post: 17-Aug-2011 12:37 Last Post By: Matek	Threads: [ Previous \| Next ]

Matek

Posts: 4
Registered: 12/08/11

NB520 - battery problem
Posted: 12-Aug-2011 12:26

Hi there,

I'm really "nooby" about computer stuff, so please go on with as simple answer as you can.
Yesterday I bought toshiba nb520 and I've already discovered this strange problem.

When the battery has been fully charged, the image of battery placed in the right down corner of screen tells that it will be working for another +/- 7 hours ( the light is set into full brightness, the music is playing, to call it with one word - we've got a party aboard).

The strange stuff starts to come up up when I check this image after maybe a half of an hour. Now it says that battery will run only 5,5 hours longer, and something is wrong, because 7 - 0,5 doesn't equal 5,5. I thought it's not that big deal, but what happened after helped me change my mind.

After few hours, when the level of battery was showing that it will run for another >2 hours, the screen became dark without any warning. The computer shut down just like that. After connecting the supplier it continued previous session of windows and the image of battery showed that it has runned of the power completely.

After second full charge the history repeated - the same thing happened - when it was showing that it should work for another 1,5 hour computer just shut down.

Can anybody tell me what's going on?
Is the battery broken or sth? Should I send back this netbook? Please help.
Regards,
Mateusz

PauPau

Posts: 4,320
Registered: 21/09/09

Re: NB520 - battery problem
Posted: 12-Aug-2011 13:48

in response to: Matek

Helpful

Hi

The battery working time depends on the notebook usage.
For example; the battery would discharge faster if the CPU or the GPU would run at higher level. The higher display brightness affects the battery working time too.
Also the running processes are responsible for the battery usage.
This means that the battery working time can change always.

After few hours, when the level of battery was showing that it will run for another >2 hours, the screen became dark without any warning. The computer shut down just like that. After connecting the supplier it continued previous session of windows and the image of battery showed that it has runned of the power completely.

This happens due to the different configuration of power profiles.
You can configure the power profile for battery usage only or you can configure the power profile for notebook connects to the mains.
Please check this:

How to handle the power managment features of Windows 7
http://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/kb0/HTD12017W0001R01.htm

Xardas

Posts: 3,144
Registered: 02/10/09

Re: NB520 - battery problem
Posted: 12-Aug-2011 14:37

in response to: Matek

Hi Matek,

I don’t think that battery is not ok because battery time is depending on a lot of other things. Higher screen brightness needs a lot of more battery power and also if you browse through the Internet some CPU power is required.

Battery time of 7 hours you only get if you do nothing with the notebook and set the screen brightness to lowest level.

Furthermore if want maximum battery life choose the Eco mode. Toshiba provides a nice tool called Eco Utility for saving energy that can improve the battery life. That’s pretty nice.

Last but not least this could be useful too:
How to get the most out of the battery pack

Matek

Posts: 4
Registered: 12/08/11

Re: NB520 - battery problem
Posted: 12-Aug-2011 16:07

in response to: PauPau

Thanks guys, now I've learned some useful things about how does the battery work

.

Nevertheless, I'm still dealing with problem.
~PauPau - You said that I "can configure the power profile for battery usage only or you can configure the power profile for notebook connects to the mains". Ok, by how do I do that? I've read the article below your post and couldn't find anything that would matter in my case (maybe because there wasn't any useful information or maybe because my english is that poor

.

And one more thing. I've called Toshiba to ask them about this thing and no one could help ->
When I was charging my nb520 for the first time everything was great and the power bar reached 100%. After that everytime I try to charge the battery it reaches just 99% and can't go any further. As they told me in Toshiba, I've actualized BIOS, Windows7 and also downloaded some drivers for "chipset utility" (or sth). It didn't help -> it still reaches 99% at its best.

Sorry for another lame and nooby post, I'm probably overreacting while my case is not-so-complicated but I just want to know if the computer is completely well

.

Once again thanks for help and your time,
Regards,
Mateusz

TwoLags

Posts: 1,058
Registered: 30/09/09

Re: NB520 - battery problem
Posted: 13-Aug-2011 09:03

in response to: Matek

Hey,

~PauPau - You said that I "can configure the power profile for battery usage only or you can configure the power profile for notebook connects to the mains". Ok, by how do I do that?

I think PauPau means that you can configure the power plan e. g. balanced for “on battery” and “plugged in” mode.
For example for battery mode you can set a lower screen brightness, optimized battery cooling instead maximum performance, WLAN power saving, etc. to improve the battery life. For plugged in mode you can set performance options because the notebook is connected to mains.
Do you know what I mean?

After that everytime I try to charge the battery it reaches just 99% and can't go any further

Leave the AC adapter connected until the battery LED on notebook shows that battery is fully charged. It will change the color.
Do you have this problem while notebook is turned off or on? You should try to charge the battery while notebook is turned off.

TomPL

Posts: 42
Registered: 04/04/11

Re: NB520 - battery problem
Posted: 16-Aug-2011 17:48

in response to: PauPau

Hi Mateusz (czyzby wreszcie ktos z Polski?)

PauPau said:
The battery working time depends on the notebook usage.

And that's right, but in this case we need to concentrate on 2 things:
1. It's new netbook and probably the life of battery is still formatting - I mean - growing. Look in this thread about my investigating with battery in NB550D:
http://forums.computers.toshiba-europe.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=61196&tstart=45
2. Not only the "power profile" is important - examine closely: low battery level and critical level parameter (measured in percentage of battery capacity) to not to be suprised by shutting down!

Generally, the better way is to look at the actual battery capacity (percentage) then the showed time to run wich is caculated by a (toshiba?) software. In my NB550D this software is really smart and reacts in case of turning on wi-fi, bt or processor running at high level with some video or hdmi output - at those situations you can read eg. still 75% (battery) but time falls from 6 to 4 hours

Matek

Posts: 4
Registered: 12/08/11

Re: NB520 - battery problem
Posted: 16-Aug-2011 20:03

in response to: TomPL

~TomPL: Tak, nareszcie ktoś z Polski, za to totalnie nieznający się na rzeczy

Sorry for not replying, but I was offline for couple of days.
Thanks for advice, but I've also tried to charge the battery with computer being shut down. It didn't help - I wonder if I ever see green light under the sign of battery and "100%" in the corner of the screen again. When I called Toshiba last time, they said that maybe I should reinstall Windows (assuming that this could be some sort of software issue). Maybe I'll try. Once it'll be done I'll write down what happend.
Regards i pozdrawiam

Mateusz

Matek

Posts: 4
Registered: 12/08/11

Re: NB520 - battery problem
Posted: 17-Aug-2011 12:36

in response to: Matek

Okay, finally I managed to "cure" my nb520

.
Idea of using option called "restore your pc to the very previous settings

" worked fine. After that battery acts normally. Just as I finished charging it said that I've got one fully-100%-charged batttery. Also, green light appeared.
Thanks a lot for all the advices, hope it'll be helpful not just for me but for another stressed out user of toshiba's device as well.
Regards,
Mateusz

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