Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message

Battery ID software for T-61 and T-520

Performance, hardware, software, general buying and gaming discussion..
Post Reply
Message
Author
wsalomon
Freshman Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: Boston, ME

Battery ID software for T-61 and T-520

#1 Post by wsalomon » Mon Jan 07, 2019 3:17 pm

Recently, I needed to pick up some new 33+, 44+ and 55+ batteries. The usual question came up as to identifying "real" Lenovo batteries vs. knockoffs. I remember in the past some utility that was able to give almost all of the ThinkPad battery info. If I remember correctly, it would give the FRU #, the long serial number starting with 11S, the number of charge cycles, perhaps even the version number of the battery controller firmware. Batteries claiming to be Lenovo would not do this and would give a short serial number, etc. (Particularly suspect were two 55++ batteries with identical serial numbers in the usual local, and with another label with 5 digits, and a read-out serial number that had nothing to do with either).

Does the Lenovo Diagnostics do this? Might this a been a Linux utility that I might have made bootable?

Any thoughts? And thanks in advance.


(This is a re-asking of a similar question 3 years ago - before I acquired the T-520, and with a change in Lenovo's software tools.)

dr_st
Admin
Admin
Posts: 9692
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:20 am
Location: Israel

Re: Battery ID software for T-61 and T-520

#2 Post by dr_st » Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:12 am

On Windows , such battery information is built into the Lenovo Power Manager, and the Battery part of the Lenovo Settings / Vantage / whatever their modern app is now called. There may be some generic battery utilities that can display similar information, since in the end it all comes from the battery's embedded controller and any software that knows how to read it can get that info for you.
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad

wsalomon
Freshman Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: Boston, ME

Re: Battery ID software for T-61 and T-520

#3 Post by wsalomon » Tue Jan 08, 2019 1:28 pm

Thanks!

The Vantage utility is a Windows 10 Modern App - 85 MB found at the Windows App Store, which also downloads the Lenovo_Vantage_System_Interface_Foundation driver of 358 MB. The battery section does report out the the battery label string following the 11SxxTxxxxZ prefix, the date battery manufactured, first placed into service, firmware version etc.

The ThinkPad Diagnostics is much abbreviated much like what the generic Win 10 power settings will read.

Interestingly, the Vantage System Update tool found nothing, but the ThinkPad System Update tool did.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Thinkpad - General HARDWARE/SOFTWARE questions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 42 guests