Laptop computer question

[BlueDaisy]

This is more of a "why" than a "how to".

I recently got a laptop computer. It's used (got it from a discount computer store), and pretty ancient as far as computers go.

On to my question. It is a Dell Latitude CPi. It is a Pentium II, running Win98.

When it is not plugged in, and the battery gets to around 50% or less, it freezes up. I then have to either wait for the battery to totally run down or pop out the battery for a couple of seconds. Why might it be doing this? Is it common? I originally purchased a Latitude CP, "plain" Pentium, with Win98. Hubby said I could upgrade to the next one "up" they had, so we traded it in to get this. The first one did the same thing.

Please don't tell me that I got a sucky computer; I wanted a laptop and this is the best I can do for right now.

Oh...I don't know if it is important to my query, but it is "connected" to our main desktop via wireless internet.

Thanks.

 

[Nonchalant]

i dont know why your lap is freezing up.. but i DO know if you hold the power button down for 3-4 seconds.. your laptop will shut off.. so you dont have to wait for the battery to run down.or pop out the battery

 

[BlueDaisy]

i dont know why your lap is freezing up.. but i DO know if you hold the power button down for 3-4 seconds.. your laptop will shut off.. so you dont have to wait for the battery to run down.or pop out the battery

You mean when it is frozen hold the button down? I've tried pushing the power button when the darn thing is frozen, but nothing happens. Next time I'll try holding it like you suggest. Thanks.

 

[ReadyOne]

Look at the power options setting. Right click the desk top, select the "Screen Saver" tab, click on "Power Settings" at the bottom.

Then explore to see when the machine will switch to standby based on remaining battery power.

Also, batteries deteriorate over time and stop holding a charge. A ni-cad that's several years old might go from 100% to 0% in 10 minutes or less. Also, ni-cads develop a "memory" of the lowest charge level the reach before recharging. If you constantaly recharge a ni-cad when its 50% down, it doesn't want to discharge below the 50% point.

Li-NH batteries don't have the memory problem, and can be "reconditioned" by discharging them 100% before recharging. Most chargers have a a button on them to start the reconditioning process.

I suppose that knowing exactly what your "hang" really was would tell me the solution for your problem. But if I could swap batteries with a friend for a day I'd try that to see how my battery was behaving.

 

[ReadyOne]

PS: Turn off power management in the BIOS and let Windoze do it.

 

[BlueDaisy]

Look at the power options setting. Right click the desk top, select the "Screen Saver" tab, click on "Power Settings" at the bottom.

Then explore to see when the machine will switch to standby based on remaining battery power.

Also, batteries deteriorate over time and stop holding a charge. A ni-cad that's several years old might go from 100% to 0% in 10 minutes or less. Also, ni-cads develop a "memory" of the lowest charge level the reach before recharging. If you constantaly recharge a ni-cad when its 50% down, it doesn't want to discharge below the 50% point.

Li-NH batteries don't have the memory problem, and can be "reconditioned" by discharging them 100% before recharging. Most chargers have a a button on them to start the reconditioning process.

I suppose that knowing exactly what your "hang" really was would tell me the solution for your problem. But if I could swap batteries with a friend for a day I'd try that to see how my battery was behaving.

I don't have anyone with whom I can switch batteries.

The settings: Power Schemes is: Always On.
Everything else reads: Never.

I think hubby set these, because with the first one, when it went on Stand By it would freeze. Should the settings be different from what they currently are?

 

[BlueDaisy]

PS: Turn off power management in the BIOS and let Windoze do it.

I'm afraid to touch the BIOS; I'd have to let hubby mess with it.

 

[BlueDaisy]

Also, batteries deteriorate over time and stop holding a charge. A ni-cad that's several years old might go from 100% to 0% in 10 minutes or less. Also, ni-cads develop a "memory" of the lowest charge level the reach before recharging. If you constantaly recharge a ni-cad when its 50% down, it doesn't want to discharge below the 50% point.

Li-NH batteries don't have the memory problem, and can be "reconditioned" by discharging them 100% before recharging. Most chargers have a a button on them to start the reconditioning process.

I suppose that knowing exactly what your "hang" really was would tell me the solution for your problem. But if I could swap batteries with a friend for a day I'd try that to see how my battery was behaving.

Oops....forgot to reply to the battery comments. I guess I should let it discharge overnight, then give it a fresh recharge in the morning?

I don't know the exact point it freezes, but the little battery icon is always showing the half-way point when it happens.

 

[TopBanana]

I agree with ReadyOne. I think it's going into hibernate mode because of low power.

Back in the Win95/98 days it never really worked properly. I suggest you turn off the hibernate function.

Try looking in Display properties / screen saver / power. Somewhere in there you will hopefully have a hibernate option. Change it to off/never. It's been quite a few years since I've use Win98 though, so it may be hidden elsewhere.

 

[TopBanana]

Oh, a laptop that old will also have poor quality batteries. My experience with laptops over the last ten years or so is that batteries never last for more than a couple of years. They may still work but won't hold much charge.

I'm also running wireless on a new laptop at the moment, and when running on batteries the wireless sucks the juice very quickly.

 

[BlueDaisy]

I agree with ReadyOne. I think it's going into hibernate mode because of low power.

Back in the Win95/98 days it never really worked properly. I suggest you turn off the hibernate function.

Try looking in Display properties / screen saver / power. Somewhere in there you will hopefully have a hibernate option. Change it to off/never. It's been quite a few years since I've use Win98 though, so it may be hidden elsewhere.

Yeah, I know about the old battery thing. Hubby suggested that I get onto ebay and look for a battery. Of course, I don't know how to tell if I'd be getting a newer one or not.

I haven't seen anything about "hibernate" options. The power saver thingie is set to "never", I think.

Win98 is new to me. We went from Win95 on our first PC to XP Home when we bought our new desktop about a year ago. I was finally getting the hang of XP when I got this thing (laptop) and had to try to figure out 98.

I've mentioned it before here on Lit that I'm a techno-dummy.

 

[TopBanana]

I don't think it's worth buying a used battery as it'll probably be no better than your current one, and there's no way to tell without using it.

 

[ReadyOne]

Your power settings (as you report) are OK -- still, have hubby look at the BIOS settings.

If I had one, I'd sell you a new battery. Look for a new one, it will probably run about $150. Dell wans $170.

 

[BlueDaisy]

I don't think it's worth buying a used battery as it'll probably be no better than your current one, and there's no way to tell without using it.

I was wondering about that....how to know if the battery I'd be buying would be any good. lol

 

[BlueDaisy]

Your power settings (as you report) are OK -- still, have hubby look at the BIOS settings.

If I had one, I'd sell you a new battery. Look for a new one, it will probably run about $150. Dell wans $170.

Sheesh....I'll just use the darn thing plugged in! That's information-superhighway-robbery! lol

Thanks for the info on the power settings. I'll have hubby check the BIOS stuff.

So far today it hasn't frozen on me, but I've had it plugged in.

 

[BlueDaisy]

OK....now I'm pissed. What did I just say about this stupid laptop not freezing on me today? As soon as I posted that, I went to my e-mail (Outlook Express) to see about a file I'd sent to myself from our desktop PC (my OE address book). I was looking at that attachment, and this dang thing FROZE on me! It was still plugged in, so there wasn't a power problem. Grrr....

Well, got that off my chest. Of course, I'm almost afraid to look at that attachment again! lol I had to pop out the battery to get back in business. I tried holding the power button down for a few seconds as was suggested, and it didn't go anything. *sigh*

 

[TopBanana]

Windows 98 will do that to you. It's the nature of the beast.

 

[BlueDaisy]

Windows 98 will do that to you. It's the nature of the beast.

Well, I don't like it! I hate when it freezes up on me. When I start up again afterwards, I get the screen that tells me it is checking the hard drive for errors and to avoid seeing that message to always shut down properly. DUH! Kind of hard to SHUT DOWN PROPERLY when the damn thing freezes up!!! Or just reboots on its own with no prompts from me! Grrr....Give me XP...or even Win95! Or a new laptop....lol. Yeah, I wish.

 

[ReadyOne]

This may (from you last incident) be a software problem.

While you may not want to reinstall Windoze, etc. it would probably help IF you get the drivers that go with your laptop.

The hardware inside laptops is generally heavily engineered, and frequently the drivers have to also be engineered to match by the laptop manufacturer.

For example, a laptop may report it has an ATI Mobile graphics chip, so you go to the ATI site and download the ATI Mobile driver and it doesn't work. You have to go to the Dell site and download the ATI driver for your model. (I use ATI as an example because they won't post drivers on their site for anything but their own cards, unlike many companies who will post the drivers they give to manufactures who are customizing thier product.)

So first, visit the Dell site an get all the software for your model (or find the CDs that came with the laptop). They will also have instructions on how to install / upgrade Windoze telling you when to add the Dell provided drivers.

Of course, I don't think you're interested in doing all this youself, but if you find someone that wants to help (or hubby gets brave) you'll have a clue to talk intellegently...

Good luck!

 

[BlueDaisy]

Well, I don't like it! I hate when it freezes up on me. When I start up again afterwards, I get the screen that tells me it is checking the hard drive for errors and to avoid seeing that message to always shut down properly. DUH! Kind of hard to SHUT DOWN PROPERLY when the damn thing freezes up!!! Or just reboots on its own with no prompts from me! Grrr....Give me XP...or even Win95! Or a new laptop....lol. Yeah, I wish.

Quoting myself! Egad! Well, I'm only doing it to say this: I am very surprised that the post I'm quoting posted at all because

THE DAMN COMPUTER FROZE AFTER I HIT "SEND"!!!