Category: developers journal

How to improve battery on a laptop running XP?

Author: seven October 28, 2006

If somebody has any useful tips, please – do tell! :) Since I got my new Intel T2400 CPU powered laptop, I can’t get more than 2 hours of battery work time with it. The laptop brand is Compal (yes yes…I know) and it doesn’t come with auto screen dim power settings in BIOS. I would really like to know why XP doesn’t have that pretty OS X feature which dimms the screen on laptop automatically when you are not working (power saving options). I couldn’t find 3rd party implementation of this aether.
I tested SpeedswitchXP, little utility that switches processor speed – my best guess is – it doesn’t do squat. Since Intel already introduced this into mobile cpu’s. I tested some shitty 1996 battery extender apps – no luck. One thing I find very annoying is the laptop screen dimmer built into XP. I have no idea why it does not remembers my settings.

Example – I am on AC power and I set screen brightness to maximum. Then I unplug AC power and dimmer doesn’t apply minimum brightness settings. When I apply it manually (FN+F4), and swtich to AC power, screen undimms, then I disconnect AC, screen goes to low brightness. After standby or hibernation settings are forgot. When I go to battery power, screen does not dimm it self.

Author
seven
CEO/CTO at Nivas®
Neven Jacmenović has been passionately involved with computers since late 80s, the age of Atari and Commodore Amiga. As one of internet industry pioneers in Croatia, since 90s, he has been involved in making of many award winning, innovative and successful online projects. He is an experienced full stack web developer, analyst and system engineer. In his spare time, Neven is transforming retro-futuristic passion into various golang, Adobe Flash and JavaScript/WebGL projects.

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