HOW TO EXTEND YOUR LAPTOP BATTERY LIFE

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Here are a few steps you can take to stretch out the available electrons in your battery.

Adjust your power settings:
 

To take advantage of power-saving features the manufacturer has built into your laptop, you’ll want to consult your user manual, as they vary from one machine to the next. But you can also give battery life a significant boost by tweaking the power options in your operating system.

Here’s how:
 

Windows Vista gives you control of how your laptop manages power by bundling various hardware and system settings into three default power-plan options:
 

Balanced offers full performance when you need it, but conserves power when your laptop is idle.
 

Power saver gives the biggest boost for extending battery life, but results in lower performance.
 

High performance maximizes system performance at the expense of battery life.
 

Switching between plans is a simple two-step process:
 

1. Click the battery meter icon, located in the notification area on the Windows taskbar.
 

2. Select one of the three default power plans: Balanced, Power saver or High performance.

Windows XP offers two power schemes designed for laptops and other portable PCs:

The Portable/Laptop power scheme minimizes power use to conserve battery life, but adjusts as your processing needs change so system speed isn’t sacrificed.

The Max Battery power scheme also minimizes power use but doesn’t adjust to changing processing demands. This setting is meant for situations requiring minimal processing, such as reading documents or taking notes.

To switch from the Portable/Laptop power scheme to Max Battery:
 

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
 

2. In Control Panel, verify that you’re in Category view, and then click Performance and Maintenance.
 

3. In the Performance and Maintenance window, click Power Options.
 

4. On the Power Schemes tab of the Power OptionsProperties dialog box, click the arrow under Power Schemes, and then click Max Battery.
 

5. Click OK.

Care and maintenance of your battery
 

There are a few best practices that can help preserve battery life:
 

-Keep your laptop battery out of extreme heat.
 

-Clean the battery with dry cloth, especially at the metal connectors.
 

-Defrag your hard drive regularly so it runs efficiently.
 

-Clean your battery contacts with rubbing alcohol periodically.
 

-Use Hibernate mode rather than Standby mode.
 

-When plugged in to the AC outlet for a long period of time, Take out the battery from the system.
 

-Fully discharge the battery once a month by unplugging the AC power cord. After that, charge it again completely.
 

Saving power on the fly
 

Here are some quick things you can do for short-term gain when you suddenly realize you don’t have enough juice to last through a meeting or plane ride:
 

-Dim your display; the less brightness the less power consumption.
 

-Close down unessential programs and keep graphics use to a minimum.
 

-Remove devices you aren’t using, such as a USB flash drive or a DVD.