laptop doomed?

[swedeheart]

Don't know anything about computers - I just do what I'm told. So tell me what to do, please:)

I have a laptop, a Vaio, three years old, I use as a desktop. So never feel the need to use the battery, but I've been instructed to nevertheless run it on battery at least once a month as this keeps the battery AS WELL AS THE COMPUTER healthy. So that's what I've been doing, and making sure that the battery is charged before I put it away again.

However, the last few times I've performed this procedure the battery has run down from 100% to 5% in just oh say seven or eight minutes; the last time I did it the computer closed itself down before I could close it myself. So I guess the battery is a last cause.

Now here's my question. I don't feel the need for a battery, ever, so no need to buy a new one for that reason. BUT the person who gave me these instructions stressed the fact that using the battery now and then was something you should do also to keep the computer in shape. So does that mean that if I keep on using my laptop without ever again using a battery it will be to the detriment of the laptop? *

* (Which is fine at the moment and I don't want a new one, would rather buy a new battery, if necessary.)

[swedeheart]

*lost cause*

[VHG]

Using the laptop on battery will not "keep the computer in shape".

A laptop does not realy care if it is running on the mains or battery and will perform roughly the same on both.

If your battery is "dead" either buy a new one (expensive) or always use it on the mains.

[Buenchico]

The components of your computer have no way of differentiating between electrons flowing out of your laptop's mains adapter and those flowing from a battery. The information you've been given (in relation to the 'health' of your laptop, rather than of its battery) is COMPLETE, UTTER AND TOTAL B0LL0CKS!

[VHG]

>>> is COMPLETE, UTTER AND TOTAL B0LL0CKS!

Chris, dont beat about the bush, say what you mean.

To be fair, a laptop CAN behave differently if it is running on battery. It will often slow down the CPU and other components to save energy.

However that is nothing to do with keeping the laptop healthy or in shape and is not "required" at all.

[swedeheart]

Hi guys. Well I'm surprised and pleased to hear that. Pleased, for obvious reasons. Surprised, as the man who told me this is very knowledgeable indeed when it comes to computers. But I know that you are too, so thanks for that:)

[horseshoes]

Mine hasn't worked on battery almost from new! It was never anything that troubled me - I've used it on mains now for about 6 years!

[Maydup]

Same thing happened to me swede, the batteries only have limited lives and in the end do exactly what yours did.

As the others have said, it will not however effect the performance of your laptop. Just use it on the mains but power it down when you've finished as this is good for it. Powering down prompts the updates and clears out your memory on a regular basis.

[swedeheart]

Oh great, horseshoes, that's very reassuring!

[VHG]

I should say that this saving of energy by slowing components down (CPU etc) and dimming the graphics is built into Windows.

This is part of the "power management" component of Windows, which the user can control.

However, all nothing to do with keeping the laptop healthy or "in shape"

[swedeheart]

"Power it down" means turn it off, Maidup? (I'm a Swede:)

[swedeheart]

Thanks again VHG (I can't keep up here:)

[Psybbo]

We removed battery about a year ago and just run it on the mains. Works better with no battery in it.

[swedeheart]

Yes that's my feeling too sibton. ~ Signing out now, will be back later to see if anybody has anything contrary to say. If "power it down" means anything other than "turn it off", please could somebody make sure I get what it means:) Thanks all.

[musicator]

Three years ago you were given a recommendation on the periodic discharge/recharge cycle of stored laptop batteries and that the 'health' of the laptop was not related to battery usage...

http://www.theanswerb...0.html#answer-2848935

musicator

[Maydup]

Sorry Swede, yes powering down means switching it off. BUt we use the phrase to describe using start/shutdown rather than just pressing the off button or pulling the plug out.

[Psybbo]

Agreed, always Shut Down, it doesn't take kindly to being switched off.

[swedeheart]

Thanks sibton and Maidup, I have been doing what you recommend and I've been doing it the way you recommend it - except when I get entangled in the chords and pull them out by mistake of course, I do that on a regular basis:) Just didn't know the phrase for it - thanks for explaining.

Congrats on eerily excellent memory faculties musicator;) I did have a vague feeling it might have been discussed before but I looked through my old questions a while back (including DaSwede) and couldn't find anything about it in the question titles. Your link explains why.