I've installed ThinkVantage Power Manager driver, but App?

[jrumohr]

Prior to a clean XP install, it was factory. It had a large green power monitor on the bottom right, which I believe is the TP Power Manager. I've installed ThinkVantage System Update, Toolbox and Access Connections. The first installed the Power Manager *driver* but no application, hence no green icon on the bottom right. I have also manually uninstalled/re-installed the driver. I keep reading on this forum and others about the driver and app, are they one and the same? If not, I can't seem to find the app on Lenovo's site, could someone direct me to a link? And why would System Update or Toolbox not ask if I want to install this app?

This is for a T40, xp pro, original battery. Thanks!

[yak]

They are separate. Not sure why it doesn't show up in System Update, here's a direct link to the XP version:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 70602.html

[jrumohr]

Thanks for the link, Yak! After the install it works now. For some reason the T40 is not listed a supported device for this version of the Power Manager. But it seems to work.

Under the "battery" tab in the Power Manager, on the top right it says "The battery is in good condition" but on the left side bar it says "1-Main Battery, Condition Poor". The battery has a cycle count of 318 (is that high?) and I get about 30-40 minutes use time from a full charge. Why the two different condition levels?

Also, I read somewhere that you can program the Power Manager to not charge your battery until it has been drained to "x" level and to stop charging at "y" level. I don't see those options in the Power Manager, maybe that is a different version?

[GomJabbar]

Battery MaxiMiser is for the T42, T41, & T40. Power Manager is for the T43 and above. Users have installed Power Manager on the pre-T43, T4x series, but with mixed results. I still use Battery MaxiMiser on my T42 in XP. For Windows Vista and Windows 7 I used what came with Windows.

EDIT: Here is a link to the drivers for your machine.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-46258

[jrumohr]

Thanks, Gom (loved the dune series!) for the tip. Yes, now I have the MaxMiser running, which looks more like what I had before. The Power Manager was giving me an error message upon boot up and now that's gone.

BTW, I love these thinkpads, I'm new to them. I'm pretty sure my T40 has the dreaded Southbridge/GPU problem and I am saving up for probably a T60.

[yak]

For some reason the T40 is not listed a supported device for this version of the Power Manager.

Ah, T40. Yes, you need the Battery MaxiMiser instead.

Also, I read somewhere that you can program the Power Manager to not charge your battery until it has been drained to "x" level and to stop charging at "y" level.

AFAK, this feature was introduced in T42. I remember my T41 didn't have it either.

[Neil]

I read somewhere that you can program the Power Manager to not charge your battery until it has been drained to "x" level and to stop charging at "y" level.

So have I. I've been trying to get BMM to do that for a long time, and even though it has a place for such settings they wouldn't do anything on my machines. Most recently I was trying to make those settings on my X40, then I discovered Power Manager while setting up a R51 for a friend, and installed that on both of my X40 machines, and it works very nicely.