Dell Latitude L400 - Manual (Page 11)

l If one indicator lights up, the battery has 1 to 25 percent of its charge remaining.
l If two indicators light up, the battery has 26 to 50 percent of its charge remaining.
l If three indicators light up, the battery has 51 to 75 percent of its charge remaining.
l If four indicators light up, the battery has 76 to 100 percent of its charge remaining.
First Low-Battery Warning
Low-battery operation differs depending on your operating system:
l For Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) compliant systems such as Windows ® 98, Windows 2000, and Windows Me, you
can configure low-battery notifications and actions through the Power Management Properties window (Windows 98) or the Power
Options Properties window (Windows 2000 or Windows Me).
l
For Advanced Power Management (APM) compliant systems such as Windows NT, the first low-battery warning occurs when the battery has
about 20 minutes of life remaining under current conditions and the computer is not connected to an electrical outlet. The first low-battery
warning is indicated in three ways: a battery warning icon appears on the screen, a triple beep sounds from the speaker, and the battery
status indicator (see
Figure 1 ) flashes amber.
NOTICE: When you receive a low-battery warning, save your work immediately. Then replace the battery or connect your computer
to an electrical outlet.
Second Low-Battery Warning
Low-battery operation differs depending on your operating system:
l
For ACPI compliant systems such as Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows Me, you can configure low-battery notifications and actions
through the Power Management Properties window (Windows 98) or the Power Options Properties window (Windows 2000 and
Windows Me).
l For APM compliant systems such as Windows NT, the second low-battery warning occurs when the battery has about 15 minutes of life
remaining under current conditions and the computer is not connected to an electrical outlet. The second low-battery warning is indicated in
three ways: the battery status indicator (see
Figure 1 ) turns solid amber, a triple beep sounds from the speaker, and the computer enters
suspend mode immediately after the beep.
If no further input/output (I/O) activity occurs within a few seconds, the computer enters S2D mode . If the computer has no S2D file, it
stays in suspend mode, in which it can preserve data for several hours.
If the computer is already in suspend mode when the second low-battery warning occurs, the computer enters S2D mode immediately.
If S2D mode has been disabled, the computer reenters suspend mode.
NOTICE: To avoid losing data and possibly corrupting data areas on your hard-disk drive, save your work immediately after a
second low-battery warning. Then connect your computer to an electrical outlet, or place the computer in suspend (or standby)
mode. If the battery runs completely out of power, the computer turns off without properly closing any open files.
Detecting Battery Problems
A battery problem may prevent the battery from being charged to its full potential and can lead to unpredictable operation. To obtain a new battery,
call Dell or access the Dell World Wide Web site at http://www.dell.com.
To avoid installing a defective battery in your computer, first check the battery's charge, indicated by the battery charge indicators on the battery
itself, by pressing the battery test button (see
Figure 3 ).
Your computer system uses both a lithium-ion battery pack and a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) coin cell battery. For instructions about replacing the
lithium-ion battery pack in your computer, see "
Replacing the Battery ." The NiMH battery is a long-life battery, and it is very possible that you will
never need to replace it. However, if this battery ever needs to be replaced, the procedure must be performed by an authorized service technician.
NOTE: If the battery has 0 (zero) percent charge, you cannot use the battery test button to check the battery's capacity. The battery
charge indicators will not light if the battery is completely drained.
Battery Disposal
CAUTION: Do not puncture or incinerate the battery.
NOTE: To purchase a new battery, call Dell or access the Dell World Wide Web site at http://www.dell.com.