Power scheme not reflecting ac status

[Bunzer]

Hi there!

I have two R52 laptops running XP. I don't use either of them regularly, but I look after them, running updates, checking the Lenovo downloads, cleaning up and defragging etc. I used to be an IT guy, so I mostly know what I'm doing.

I have noticed over the last few years, that occasionally the laptops seem to be suffering from poor performance, and after trying all the obvious stuff, I check the power scheme setup. Often, selecting the current scheme in Power Manager (power source optimized) will brighten up the screen, suggesting that it was running in battery mode, even though ac power is coming through.

This is now one of the first things I check, even through several versions of Power Manager, the problem seems to have stayed for a long time. Does anyone know of this issue, and maybe what causes it, or if there is a fix, please?

[RealBlackStuff]

Quite possibly your CMOS batteries are (near) dead.
If you can't find the proper IBM ones, they are common CR2032 cell batteries.
You could tear off the old contacts and tape them tight onto the new batt., using electricians tape.
Don't try soldering them, they're stainless steel.