I can't find Batery calibration in my BIOS?

I am trying to do battery calibration, but I couldn't find the option anywhere in the BIOS. Am I missing something? I have P171XL. Thanks for any advice

 

i think calibrating your battery is a series of steps, not a setting in your bios. i think you charge your battery 100 percent 3 times but you use it to the last drop each time. something like that. i'm sure you can find a few threads about it if you use search.

 

I have to dig up my manual and find out. I agree, the process involve series of charge and drain. I thought, you start off by setting the BIOS in calibration mode or something like that. I'll do a search, thanks.

 

I just picked up a P-6860 FX from BestBuy today. ($1249 this week at BestBuy)

My documentation and Gateway's website say to go into the Bios then on the Advance table there's a battery memory setup option... but it's not there. I'll contact Gateway tomorrow, but usually "the community" is a lot faster and gives better advise than the 1st level, 2nd level tech support people you get, who typically are just making semi-educated guesses.

I got into the BIOS settings just fine. There just wasn't anything battery related on the Advance page (or any other page in the BIOS).


Anyone have this problem or know what I need to do?

 

I asked this question to Gateway.

They are sending me a new battery! Could the BIOS not see some batteries or they do not have a clue? I'll update in 3 to 5 days.

 

Do you have to send the old one back?

 

If stated on shipping sheet, I'll let you know, but hope not..

 

I had to send back my AC adapter, they even called me to remind me

 

Ditto, they would have charged me if I had not sent it back!

 

So is the fact that battery calibration isn't found in the BIOS screens caused because of an issue with the Battery? Or are we talking about two different issues? Sounds odd, but this is my first laptop so I don't know.

 

Sounds like the gateway tech didn't have a clue, so he sent a battery to shut him up

 

Same issue. They said they found an "issue" for the P6831 calibration so we will see.

flynnaz "Sounds like the gateway tech didn't have a clue, so he sent a battery to shut him up"

LOL yep, if they are on to something, expect a flood of battery recalls

 

Well, got new battery that "tech support" said should fix the non existent calibration menu in BIOS, lol.

Needless to say what the results were, however, no return or RMA supplied for the old battery I'm headed right out to the recycle drop off location, not.

I would suggest everyone call Gateway for the "free?" battery BIOS fix. YMMV

If anything this may be, at least, a wakeup call? Maybe ask why we can't get the SPDIF to work that's listed in specs, hardware and Sound Control panel??

While there are work arounds for the above, and none of this affects me from buying another Gateway, "Tech Support" needs help and should support these forums, no?

 

Good information, thanks hydra

 

yeah, you cant get to any battery calibration. just got through going through the bios file with pheonix editor and there is no such thing. guess they are getting it confused with a different model.

 

im on my second 6860fx here and there is still no such option in the bios...

 

I have no battery calibration in any of my bios's. So it stands to reason that that option is not available with the P- fx series, who cares anyways, wait 10 months, if your worried call gateway and get a new battery, end of story and thread. lol

 

yeah, what he said...lol

cept im gonna try to get me a second battery though...

 

Me too

 

LOL, now he tells us Oh well, I'm going to drain the new battery to 40%, place in refrigerator; on a pedestal. Once a month I'll sacrifice an AA battery to it I might as well see if any of the threads about how to, er, prolong your battery has any substance to it?

cheers

 

I bought a P6860FX on June 1st. I took it back and exchanged it because of a bad CD drive. NEITHER laptop had the BIOS option.

I chatted with Gateway tech support with the 1st one and again on the 2nd one about not being able to find the option. Both times the tech support person suggested I return it and get another one. After the 2nd one didn't have the option, I (politely) said, "I don't think you know any more about this than I do. Can I chat with someone who does?" (I know, I sounded like a jerk but I was pretty frustrated with the run-around) He said someone would call me, and 2 days later someone did.

That person said he grabbed a P-6860FX in his office and the BIOS didn't have that option either. He said that its either a documentation mistake or some have it and some don't. He said I could just run the battery down in Vista.


But my problem with that is, Vista shuts itself down with Vista thinks the battery is about dead. So if Vista is wrong, and it really has 40% battery left when it thinks it has 1% left, it shuts itself down so it never really ever finds out for sure.


How safe is it to let the battery completely die in Vista? I have a good backup image but I don't want to corrupt my install or hurt the battery just because the BIOS is missing this option.

 

in the power options advanced settings...just turn off the options to put computer in hibernation/sleep or shut down mode.

 

The battery has built in smart chip to protect itself. As John, set your warnings before it's totally exhausted. Get to know your power settings and time you have under them.

When using any battery, calibrated or not, you best be not doing mission critical work

FWIW, each battery calibration kills your LI battery, cycle by cycle. In the last 3 months, Vista has given me very good warning and battery indication with no surprises. All my older laptops, with battery calibration, still have one thing in common, the batteries are shot after many cycles!

Gateway tech suport...what can I say?

 

I know battery's have a limited number of cycles. I'm not too concerned about that because it will be plugged in most of the time. I've ordered a 2nd a/c charger for upstairs, one for each room this will be used 99% of the time. I was more concerned about accuracy. No laptop has the battery life we want, but I didn't want what battery time I did have to be cut short because of inaccurate readings. My old work Dell would take forever to move off of 90-100% charge, then drop like a rock in the last 15 minutes of the battery life.