Toshiba Tecra A3-S711 User Manual - Page 126

Power System Monitoring battery capacity Remaining battery power can be monitored by the TOSHIBA Power Saver utility. ■ Wait for a moment after turning on the computer before trying to monitor the remaining operating time. The computer needs this time to check the battery's remaining capacity. ■ With repeated discharges and recharges, the battery's capacity will gradually decrease. Therefore, an often used, older battery will not operate for as long as a new battery even when both are fully charged. Maximizing battery operating time A battery's usefulness depends on how long it can supply power on a single charge. How long the charge lasts in a battery depends on: ■ How you configure the computer (for example, whether you enable battery power saving options). The computer provides a battery save mode to conserve battery power. This mode has the following options: ■ Display auto off ■ Hard Disk Drive auto off ■ System auto off ■ LCD brightness ■ How often and how long you use the hard disk, CD-ROM and the diskette drive. ■ How much charge the battery contained to begin with. ■ How you use optional devices, such as a PC Card, to which the battery supplies power. ■ Enabling Resume mode conserves battery power if you are frequently turning the computer off and on. ■ Where you store your programs and data. ■ Closing the display when you are not using the keyboard saves power. ■ Operating time decreases at low temperatures. ■ The condition of the battery terminals. Make sure the battery terminals stay clean by wiping them with a clean dry cloth before installing the battery pack. TECRA A3/S2 6-9