2 Operating on battery power
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Checking the battery level
The computer features battery-lo w w arning signals that are both audible and
visible. When the battery pack is low, the computer emits warning beeps and the
battery indicator flashes at regular intervals. Also, you can check the battery
charge level using the Windows battery meter.

Using the Windows battery meter

The Windows battery meter indicates the present battery level. Simply rest your
cursor on the battery meter (or A C plug) icon on the taskbar to see the present
charge level of your battery.
Optimizing battery life
This section helps you get the most out of bat tery operation. Optimizing battery
life prolongs the charge/r ec h arge cycle and improves recharge efficiency. Follow
these suggestions to optimize and maximize battery power:
• Purchase an extra battery pack.
• Use Sleep Manager to reserve hard disk space for the Hibernation function.
Keep it running in the background to autom a tica ll y adj ust t he Hi ber nati on f i le
size. See “Sleep Manager” on page 74.
• Use the AC adapter wh enever possible so that the battery is reserved for on-
the-go computing.
• Keep the battery pack in the computer powered by the AC adapter. The
constant trickle charg e maintains the battery level to eliminate the bat tery
self-discharge effect. The charge-in-use function also charges the battery
pack.
• Disable the parallel and seria l po rts i f n o devices are connected to these por ts .
You can do this through the BIO S Utility. See “Onboard Devices
Configuration” on page 93.
• Eject the PC card from the card slot w hen not in use, since the PC card draws
extra power.
• Store the battery pack in a cool, dry place. The rec om m ended storage
temperature for battery packs ranges from 10 to 30 degrees C. The higher the
storage temperature, the faster the battery pack self-discharge s.
• The batteries can be recharged about 300 times when used as directed.
Excessive recharging decre ases battery life.
• Take care of your battery pa ck and AC adapter. See “Care and maintena nce”