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    Few questions - Smartbay

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by Napbree, Sep 23, 2008.

  1. Napbree

    Napbree Notebook Evangelist

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    Okay,

    I'm wondering how the battery smartbay works. Does it charge the main battery, or supply direct power? And if the smartybay as well as the main battery is in, which does it use first the main battery and then goes onto use the SB battery. Or does it top up the main battery?

    And also can someone tell me if you can get vista to boot off a SB HDD? because it would be cool to have a SB with XP on it, and a few games, and just pop it in and it's like a whole new system :p

    Thanks
     
    Napbree, Sep 23, 2008
    #1
  2. kobe

    kobe Notebook Virtuoso

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    The SB battery always gets used up first, and then the main battery. So, you can also switch out the SB battery when you need more power. However the main battery charges first, before the SB battery.
     
    kobe, Sep 23, 2008
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  3. Napbree

    Napbree Notebook Evangelist

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    Ah okay thanks,
    Anyone know anything about my second question?
     
    Napbree, Sep 23, 2008
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  4. shoelace_510

    shoelace_510 8700M GT inside... ^-^;

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    I am not sure on the specifics, but I know that as long as Windows recognizes the HD you should have 0 problems in switching the computer to automatically booting off of the smartbay. :)
     
    shoelace_510, Sep 23, 2008
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  5. Napbree

    Napbree Notebook Evangelist

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    Hmmm, I wonder what happens if you popout the SB HDD when it's running an OS from it? :p
     
    Napbree, Sep 23, 2008
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  6. shoelace_510

    shoelace_510 8700M GT inside... ^-^;

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    It crashes? haha
     
    shoelace_510, Sep 23, 2008
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  7. linuxguy

    linuxguy Notebook Consultant

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    I have XP and most of my games on my SB HDD. Vista and Linux on the main internal drive. Works fine for me. In regards to pulling out the SB HDD while it's up and running, you end up crashing the O/S and jacking up the file system. Othere than that, everything's fine.
     
    linuxguy, Sep 23, 2008
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  8. kobe

    kobe Notebook Virtuoso

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    :) that's a light way to put it...The m15x is so versatile!
     
    kobe, Sep 23, 2008
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  9. Ennea

    Ennea wwwwww

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    Indeed. Everyone is so focused on the hinge breaking problem, which is a serious problem don't get me wrong, that all the other reasons to get an m15x get undermined.
     
    Ennea, Sep 23, 2008
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  10. DeadLy

    DeadLy Notebook Consultant

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    how do you know when the smartbay drive is full when charging the laptop while its off?
     
    DeadLy, Sep 24, 2008
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  11. exiled

    exiled -_-

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    i guess you can try to use the battery meter that is built in on the smartbay battery. you just press a button on it and if 5/5 leds are lit up it means its mostly charged. mostly charged because at around 85% i still got 5/5 leds on. it isnt the most accurate thing in the world but its better than nothing
     
    exiled, Sep 24, 2008
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  12. kobe

    kobe Notebook Virtuoso

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    There's a button at the bottom of the Smart bay battery. Press it and it will light up the 5 blue lights. That's your meter. :)
     
    kobe, Sep 24, 2008
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  13. DeadLy

    DeadLy Notebook Consultant

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    thats good to know, when I asked AW CS they said only way to tell is with the battery meter software. There is no way to tell if its full when off.
     
    DeadLy, Sep 24, 2008
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  14. bhattsan

    bhattsan Notebook Deity

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    Well, there isn't.... since you can only tell when its mostly full :p
     
    bhattsan, Sep 25, 2008
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  15. jl1989

    jl1989 Notebook Evangelist

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    or when the alien head stops glowing....
     
    jl1989, Sep 25, 2008
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  16. cinek2

    cinek2 Notebook Consultant

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    :laugh: :laugh:
     
    cinek2, Sep 25, 2008
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