Gateway m520 User Manual

							Chapter 5
55


■Checking and recharging the battery
■Recalibrating the battery
■Changing batteries
■Extending the life of the battery 
						

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Monitoring the battery charge
Your new Gateway notebook is designed to provide an exceptional 
balance of performance and portability. Your notebook uses the latest 
chipset and mobile processor technologies to manage the processor speed 
and power consumption for a greater battery life experience. This design 
provides you with maximum performance when plugged into AC power 
balanced with optimized battery life when on battery power.
Closely monitor the battery charge. When the battery charge gets low, 
change the battery or connect to AC power immediately to prevent losing 
any unsaved work.
To monitor the battery charge:
■Double-click the power cord icon  or battery icon  in the 
taskbar. The Power Meter dialog box opens.
■Look at the battery charge indicator:
■LED off - battery is fully charged.
■LED on - battery is charging.
■LED blinking - battery charge is very low.
■Wait for a Low Battery warning message to appear.
ImportantIf the power cord or battery icon does not appear 
on the taskbar, click the show hidden 
icons button. If the icon still does not appear, 
make sure that Always show icon on the taskbar 
is checked on the Power Options Properties 
Advance tab.
For more information, see “Changing advanced 
settings” in Using Your Computer which has been 
included on your hard drive. To access this guide, 
click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway 
Documentation.
ImportantThis LED only lights up when the notebook is 
connected to AC power. For the location of the 
battery charge indicator, see “Front” on page 10. 
						

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If your battery charge indicator displays what looks like an inaccurate 
charge, you may need to recalibrate the battery. For more information, 
see “Recalibrating the battery” on page 57.
Recharging the battery
The battery recharges while it is installed and your notebook is connected 
to AC power. While the battery is recharging, the battery charge indicator 
turns on and the battery icon in the taskbar has a lightning bolt .
Recalibrating the battery
If your notebook unexpectedly goes into Standby mode while you are 
using it but the battery charge is not low, you may need to recalibrate 
your battery. You should also recalibrate the battery periodically to 
maintain the accuracy of the battery gauge.
To recalibrate the battery:
1Close all open files and programs.
2Connect your notebook to AC power and allow the battery to 
completely charge.
3Disconnect the AC power and restart your notebook.
ImportantIf the power cord or battery icon does not appear 
on the taskbar, click the show hidden 
icons button. If the icon still does not appear, 
make sure that Always show icon on the taskbar 
is checked on the Power Options Properties 
Advance tab.
For more information, see “Changing advanced 
settings” in Using Your Computer which has been 
included on your hard drive. To access this guide, 
click Start, All Programs, then click Gateway 
Documentation. 
						

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4Completely discharge the battery by doing the following:
aFrom the desktop, right-click on the power icon, then select 
Adjust Power Properties.
bClick the Power Schemes tab.
cClick the arrow button to open the Power Schemes list, then click 
Always On.
dClick the Alarms tab.
eClick to deselect the Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm 
checkboxes. Let the battery drain until your notebook 
automatically turns off.
5After the battery is completely drained, reconnect your notebook to 
AC power.
6Charge the battery completely until the yellow battery status 
indicator goes out.
7When you are ready to use your notebook again, do the following:
aFrom the desktop, right-click on the power icon, then select 
Adjust Power Properties.
bClick the Power Schemes tab.
cClick the arrow button to open the Power Schemes list, then click 
the power scheme you want.
dClick the Alarms tab.
eClick to select the Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm 
checkboxes.
ImportantDo not use your notebook during the recalibration 
process. Do not connect the AC adapter to your 
notebook during this process, or you will interrupt 
the recalibration process and will have to start 
again. 
						

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Changing batteries
If your notebook is connected to AC power, you can change the battery 
while the notebook is turned on.
Replacing the battery
To replace the battery:
1If your notebook is on and is connected to AC power, go to Step 2.
-OR-
If your notebook is on and is not connected to AC power, save your 
work and turn off your notebook.
2Close the LCD panel.
3Turn your notebook over so the bottom is facing up.
WarningDanger of explosion if battery is incorrectly 
replaced.
Replace only with a battery specifically 
manufactured for your Gateway notebook. Discard 
used batteries according to the manufacturer’s 
instructions.
The battery used in this device may present a fire 
or chemical burn hazard if mishandled. Do not 
disassemble, heat above 212°F (100°C), or 
incinerate. Dispose of used battery promptly. Keep 
away from children. 
						

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4Slide the battery lock to the unlock position.
5Slide the battery release latch, then lift the battery out of the bay.
6Place a recharged battery into the bay and press down until it snaps 
into place.
7Slide the battery lock to the lock position. 
						

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8Turn your notebook over.
9Open the LCD panel and press the power button.
Extending battery life
Conserving battery power
To conserve power while using the battery to power your notebook:
■Dim the display as low as is comfortable.
■Remove PC Cards and IBM Microdrive cards when you do not need 
them. Many PC Cards and Microdrive cards use a small amount of 
power while inserted, even if they are not being used.
■Modify the power management settings for maximum power 
savings.
■Close the LCD panel to turn off the display while you are not using 
your notebook. The display stays off until you open the panel again.
■Use Hibernate mode for maximum power savings while your 
notebook is not in use.
Tips & TricksFor more information about using power 
management settings, see “Changing 
Power-saving Settings” in Using Your Computer 
which has been included on your hard drive. To 
access this guide, click Start, All Programs, then 
click Gateway Documentation.
Tips & TricksFor more information about using Hibernate mode, 
see “Activating and using Hibernate mode” in 
Using Your Computer which has been included on 
your hard drive. To access this guide, click Start, 
All Programs, then click Gateway 
Documentation. 
						

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■Use the DVD drive only when necessary. These drives use a large 
amount of power.
■Recharge the battery often, take an extra battery, and fully recharge 
the batteries before traveling. For more information, see “Recharging 
the battery” on page 57 and “Changing batteries” on page 59.
Using alternate power sources
To extend battery life, use alternate power sources whenever possible.
■If traveling internationally, take electrical adapters. Save the battery 
for times when you cannot use a power adapter. If you plan on taking 
your AC power adapter, also take a single-plug surge protector.
■If you will have access to an EmPower™ in-flight power receptacle 
or an automobile cigarette lighter, use an airplane/automobile power 
adapter or power inverter. Save the battery for times when you 
cannot use a power adapter.
■To find AC power outlets in airports, look for them next to support 
pillars, in large areas such as boarding gates, and under banks of 
telephones.
Changing power modes
You can use the following power modes to lengthen the life of your 
notebook’s battery:
■Standby - while your notebook is in Standby, it switches to a low 
power state where devices, such as the display and drives, turn off.
■Hibernate - (also called save to disk) writes all current memory (RAM) 
information to the hard drive, then turns your notebook completely 
off. The next time you turn on your notebook, it reads the memory 
information from the hard drive and opens the programs and 
documents that were open when you activated Hibernate mode.
Using power saving modes
Always save your work before using Standby mode. In Standby mode, 
your notebook reduces or turns off the power to most devices except 
memory. However, the information in memory is not saved to the hard 
drive. If power is interrupted, the information is lost. 
						

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When in Hibernate mode, your notebook saves all memory information 
to the hard drive, then turns the power completely off.
If your notebook is... ...and you want to... ...then
On Enter Standby mode Press FN+F3.
On Enter Hibernate 
mode (must be 
activated)Click Start, then click 
Tu r n O f f C o m p u t e r. Press and hold 
SHIFT, then click Hibernate.
In Standby or 
Hibernate modeExit Standby or 
Hibernate modePress the power button. 
						

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