HP Notebook PCs - Calibrating the Notebook

Battery

This document pertains to HP Notebook PCs with Windows 7 and Vista.

Calibrating the notebook battery

Calibrating the battery means recharging the battery to its maximum capacity and resetting the
battery gauge to display the level of charge accurately.
The Windows system tray battery meter may not correctly display the battery charge level when
a notebook is new or has not been used for a long period of time. If the battery gauge becomes
inaccurate, use one of the methods below to calibrate the battery gauge reading.

Calibrate the battery while PC is in use

A calibration cycle requires that the battery be completely charged and then completely
discharged. During the calibration cycle, the power management properties must be disabled to
allow the battery to completely discharge.
Follow the steps below to calibrate the battery power meter readings.

1. Connect the AC adapter and allow the battery to charge to 99% - 100% of capacity.
2. Disconnect the AC adapter from the notebook PC.
3. Click Start, enter power in the Search field, and then select Power Options from the
list.
4. Select create a power plan from the left sidebar.
5. Click in the Plan name field and type Calibrator. Then, press Enter.
6. Select Never for all topics in the On battery column.
7. Click Create to accept the values and force the battery to consistently discharge.
8. Allow the battery to discharge completely until the notebook PC shuts down.
NOTE: The battery power meter is now calibrated, and the battery level readings should be
accurate.
9. Connect the AC adapter and restart the notebook PC.
10. After calibration, return to the Power Options dialog box (Step 3) and select your default
power plan setting.

Calibrate the battery while PC is not in use

A calibration cycle requires that the battery be completely charged and then completely
discharged. The calibration may take one to five hours, depending on the age of the battery and
the notebook configuration.
Follow the steps below to calibrate the battery power meter readings.

NOTE: Do not use the PC during the calibration cycle.

1. Shut down the notebook PC.

2. Connect the AC Adapter and charge the notebook PC until the battery charge light is
green, indicating that the battery is completely charged.

On some models the battery light glows white, and on other models the light turns off
when fully charged. See your model's User Guide.

3. Restart the notebook.

4. Press F8 several times when the HP logo appears.
5. When the Windows Advanced Boot Options menus displays, use the Up and Down arrow
keys to select Safe Mode and then press Enter.
6. When the Windows Advanced Startup Menu displays, select the Startup in Safe Mode
option.
7. Disconnect the AC power adapter from the notebook PC.
8. Allow the battery to discharge completely until the notebook PC shuts down.

The battery is now calibrated, and the battery level reading on the power meter should be
accurate.

NOTE: While discharging the battery pack, be sure that the power settings are not configured to
initiate Hibernation.

HP Compaq Business Notebook nc4000

Series - Understanding Standby and
Hibernation
Introduction
Standby and Hibernation are energy-saving features that conserve power and reduce startup time.
They can be initiated by manually or automatically by the system.

Standby
Standby reduces power to system components that are not in use. When Standby is initiated,
work is saved in random-access memory (RAM) and the screen is cleared. Upon resumption
from Standby, the system returns to the screen where it left off.

Hibernation
Hibernation saves work to a hibernation file on the hard drive, then shuts down the notebook.
Upon resumption from Hibernation, the system returns to the screen where it left off. If a power-
on password has been set, the password must be entered to resume from Hibernation.
Hibernation can be disabled. However, if Hibernation is disabled, the system does not
automatically save work if the notebook reaches a critical low-battery condition, while power is
on or in Standby.
In the Power Options window, Hibernation is not displayed as an option if it has been disabled.
Enable Hibernation in order to select it in the Power Options window. To verify that Hibernation
is enabled:

• In Microsoft Windows 2000, click Start, Settings, Control Panel, then click the Power
options icon, and Hibernate tab. Make sure that the Enable Hibernate Support check box
is selected.
• In Windows XP, click Start, Control Panel , then click the Power Options icon, and
Hibernate tab. If Hibernation is enabled, the Enable Hibernation checkbox is selected.

CAUTION:If the configuration of the notebook is changed during Hibernation, resuming from
Hibernation may not be possible. When the notebook is in Hibernation:

• Do not dock or undock the notebook in a Port Replicator.

• Do not add or remove memory modules.
• Do not insert or remove the hard drive.
• Do not connect or disconnect external devices.

• Do not insert or remove a PC Card or a Secure Digital (SD) card.