m15x hibernate or off mode discharging battery when unplugged

Hi guys, I have problem,

[EDIT - actually I think this is ALIENWARE m15x PROBLEM - see more in the thread]

My computer is discharging battery when unplugged about 5 to 10% each night when it's left turned off, or in hibernate mode (nevermind it is really off and no power should be drawn, or hibernated (not in sleep mode), which is basically same state of power) and UNPLUGGED from charger.
Example of same problem different brand: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=235456
Personally I had exactly same problem with my tablet Fujitsu-Siemens under Win XP. New tablet Dell XT has no problems with hibernation and surging battery. Can this be hardware incopatibility with MS system ?

Does somebody experiencing similar issue ?
Any thoughts ?

cheers

MarCo

 

Well as those guys in that thread suggest, take a look at your Wake On LAN settings. Wake On LAN is a feature that allows your router/network to turn your computer on automatically, and if you have it on, then your computer will need some amount of energy to listen for the commmand.

 

Probably a basic suggestion but you could try installing SP1 if you haven't already.

 

Nah, I can practically guarantee it's the WOL features -- they're on by default for the m15x. Open up device manager, choose network adapters and then choose properties on the broadcom one. In advanced there'll be a setting called Wake up capabilities and try changing it to none. Now, there may also be a BIOS setting but in the few times I've checked it I can't say I remember seeing one. You may want to check though

 

Thanks for help
I have Vista Ultimate with SP1 already.
I found this switch - it was on the "both" value - whatever it means I switched to "none". In the BIOS I found nothing similar.
Now I have to observe power consumption - I'll post results here after 24hours

cheers

MarCo

 

As promissed:

After "one night trial" - still no success. About 15% (!!!) of battery energy dissapeared during ~24h hibernation.
Could somebody check his m15x for that issue ? I'm curious is it "normal" ( ofc. I mean it is definitely NOT normal) for all examples, or I have faulty one.

cheers

MarCo

 

I did not try to change the WOL settings in my OSes (32 & 64Bit), but I'm also missing some %, maybe not 15%, but lets say 10% after a day... i thought this is normal till I read this thread...

anyone else can confirm this issue?

Does removing the batteries from the notebook help? (As far as I would say, not much...?!?)

 

Definitely abnormal, especially Win XP is NOT surging battery when hibernate or off. I can leave my Asus for one week with full battery in hibernation and unplugged, and after power on - I have still 100% battery.
I think it is Vista issue, but... I have dell XT, which is NOT surging battery in hibernation (or off mode).

Simply do the test: unplug notebook from AC power, note % of battery, switch off or hibernate as you wish.
I am sure, after one day will be min. 10% less. I could resist 1% but not 10...
Imagine my stupid face after one-week business trip without my m15x. When gone, battery was full, when back home - on critical power level. THAT was annonying...

Not in my case

Still looking for solution... maybe there is hope and it can be fixed in new BIOS ?

cheers

MarCo

 

Hi,

I will have one of our machines tested here and look into this.

 

I have the same problem - I switch off my m15x and when it is not plugged to AC power, then the battery discharges cca 10% per day. I tried several power settings in Windows, nothnig helps... Should anybode find a solution, it would be great. Thanks.

 

Thanks, A-A.

In the meantime I checked my XPS/LED - no problems. I have friend with XPS1330/normal LCD, he probably does have same problem as my m15x - he will test his laptop this night.
Anyway, strange.
As I mentioned, in the past I experienced that battery loose in hibernation or off mode with Fujitsu-Siemens and under XP - and that was impossible to solve - even with BIOS changes, where was stated problem was repaired (that problem was known issue and stated in tech support bulletin).
Now I'm thinking, *IF* my m15 would discharge battery only in hibernation - I can live with that, but in total OFF mode it is taking about 10% /24h of battery as well and as I know hibernation should have the same level of power consumption as OFF - I mean none.

I'm curious is it "general" issue or (at least as I can see not only mine) some part of production...

cheers

MarCo

 

Just an idea - the power on/off button is also "touch" based. So it probably uses some energy to monitor whether it is touched or not. But then the discharging battery issue would be relevant to every single m15x...

What about other owners, did you have experience with this? Please post any comments.

 

Huh, I can see nobody cares about that issue ?
It seems most of the m15x owners are using it as DTR, and never use battery ?

But..this is still laptop, with great two-GPU and stealth feature, which potentially can run 4hours on the main battery. So I'm using it sometimes as laptop.

Anyway.
As promissed before - my friend has tested his XPS1330 and he has no discharging issue at all.
Now I changed my mind - first I thought it is Vista issue, now rather than lack of understanding between system and hardware.
Too bad for me

MarCo

 

I am not sure why it is so important to place your computer in hibernate mode when not using it for an extended period - say several days. I understand that it preserves your desktop, and it is somewhat faster than a cold boot, but what is the advantage beyond that? I can cold boot with power off in under a minute with Vista. Then after that, it only takes me less than a minute or two to bring up any applications I am using. That's why I have never had an occasion to use hibernate.

 

Right, when I'm going out for more than few days, I can switch off. Of course. But I'm lazy and I don't want to set main button function for another function, while now I have "hibernation". LOL.

Seriously ? There should be no difference, off or hibernate with power consumption, but start from hibernation is faster, that's why I'm always using this feature.

Nevermind. When I'm switching OFF, my laptop is still taking power from battery - that's I mean. And I asked is this correct - switch off laptop and after one week battery will be almost discharged. Somethings wrong

Alienware-Armando ? Have you tested your's m15x ?

cheers

MarCo

 

Fact is hibernation and sleep mode helps in saving power. It better then people who leave there computers on 24/7 Which helps us save power.

It also helps when people move point A to B like Truckers and such. They want to start where they are left off.

 

I'm refreshing a little.

My m15x still takes power on any state. Nevermind, switched off, hibernated - battery always loosing 10% of power per 24h.

I tested 7 Dell laptops, all with Vista (in Home or Business version) Latitude E4300 - two, in different configs; XT - two, in different configs, XPS1330 - two, in different configs, M4400 - one.
I tested 4 other different brands on XP system - HP Compaq 15", Fujitsu-Siemens 15" (other I mentioned at the start of thread), Twinhead 12", PAnasonic CF-T2 12".

NONE of them had issue with battery.
So, I'm considering my m15x has faulty hardware, and it is NOT vista fault.
More over, my friend has the same observation with his m15x. I'm afraid more of us can have that. Anybody confirm ?

Simple test: Load 100% of battery, switch off your laptop, remove power plug from charger, switch on after 24 hours - observe power level of the battery. Mine is around 90-93% of all, and after 48h is still taking power in off mode - after 36h I have 74-70% of power. In 10 days without power plugged in, my m15x when switched OFF, will DISCHARGE battery permanently.

No way, don't tell me it is normal.

M.

 

Funny thing this thread resurfaced, Im having the EXACT same problem. Changing the setting from the first page did not help.

 

Hah. So, I can see at lest four of us have that problem...

This is most annonying from all of the m15x problems I found. I can't believe how many problems that notebook does have

M.

 

Mine also discharges when in off state but it is more like 40% in 2 weeks
its less then yours but i still think it is a lot
i think it is the power button head that leaks power my dell laptop doesnt lose any power at all and it has a round on button witch is more a switch

 

For all those who are currently experiencing this issue, how long have you had your m15x?

It's possible that the problem could be based off of the wear level of the battery. Information on the condition of your battery can be found using Everest or the Notebook Hardware Control.

 

No way. I have mine almost 1 year. Battery wear 3%. Problem is existing from the start, but I recognised it a few months ago.

 

Ah. Thought it might be a possibility.

 

I'm sure this can be fixed with BIOS, but seems nobody cares in AW

 

Mine does the same thing too. My laptop is only 4 months old so I don't think age is the problem

 

Started to think most of us, if not everyone does have that problem...

 

Yes, I notice that too, especially when I set the laptop to hibernate. I hibernated it and pulled the charger on the laptop before I went to work yesterday and when I came home and powered it back up, I was already down to 94% after just 10 hours or so.

 

I suppose the same will be after total off. Try to observe after 24 hours - it will be 10% less and so on.
Now I'm sure this is "normal" to most of m15x.

For now, I managed to resove all my other issues but not that one. And this is most annonying if you use your lappy when move out of home.
I can leave my dell hibernated for one month and after that I have 100% of battery.
Your m15x left unplugged, after 10 days will be discharged to almost 0%.

Still no idea what to do

 

you can take the battery out and put it back in later. its a bit of a hassle but at ;east it will keep the charge

 

That is I'm doing right now. But... this is not solution, walkaround rather.
By this occasion I'm sure battery is not self-discharging. Removed battery after one week has 100% level. So, I'm trying to investigate why laptop is doing that.

 

Anybody else ?

We have 7 users of this forum, experiencig this problem, I know personally one more who don't speak english, so absent here.

Any thoughts ? I have no more idea how to solve this

K.

 

I don't know if this solve your problem but ask AW to send you a replacement battery after explaining the issue to them. It might be the battery that is the problem.

 

Unfortunately, too late for me. Warranty just passed. Anyway, battery removed from notebook is not discharging itself. Now I can believe in everything, maybe your idea make sense.
As far, some of us does have same problem, but... anybody without that ? (of course after 24h test)
It would be helpful to know.

cheers

K.