Thinkpads Forum

Hi there,

I've just received my new T61p as a successor to my trusty T41. I'm quite happy with it, so far. I erased Vista and put Windows XP on it, and intend to also install Linux on it. I will mostly be using Linux, and Windows only for the occasional game.

In the Power Manager-utility I can set battery charge thresholds. But, does Power Manager need to be running to enforce those thresholds? What if I set it to only start charging when the battery reaches 40% and I then boot up Linux, and connect the power cord? Will it start charging, regardless of the current battery level (since I'm in Linux at that point and Power Manager is not running)?

You need Power Manager running in Windows for it to work, after all PM is a windows app. I know there are ways to set various power thresholds in Linux though, ask this question in the Linux forum.

This isn't specifically about Linux. For example: suppose you've booted up Windows XP, and Power Manager is running. You then connect the power cord to the Thinkpad, but the battery won't be charged because the battery threshold which is set in Power Manager isn't reached yet. What happens when you shut down the machine, but leave the power cord attached? Power Manager will obviously not be running since the machine is powered down. Will the battery start charging the moment Power Manager stops running due to the shutdown?

You may want to take a look at this blog and message threads first:

http://www.lenovoblogs.com/insidethebox/?p=52

Personally, I also had PM started charging the battery when the charge threshold is set to 5% and the battery itself still has 96% charge. However, so far, I only experienced that problem only when I do the following.

Shutdown TP, remove the battery, plug in AC and use the unit (for a while), shutdown the unit, remove AC, re-plug in the battery, plug in AC and it starts charging!

Thanks for the pointer! That thread indeed has some interesting comments. As I understand it, even without Power Manager running, the limits you last set /should/ be used, but there are/were some issues with that here and there...

For the benefit of the archive searchers: the battery charge thresholds set in Power Manager (in Windows, obviously) will remain in effect, even when Power Manager is not running (because the machine is turned off, or running Linux for example).

I'm posting this from a Kubuntu Linux installation on my T61p, and the battery indicator says that the batteries aren't charged right now.