Laptops - Let them sleep, keep them on, or what?

[JackSkellington]

Originally posted by tigsmom
I can't rememeber if katie got a new battery when she had it serviced ("someone" bent the prongs for a port and the recharger cable split), but I do know that when she uses it to watch DVDs the battery goes dead quicker. They usually don't plug it in until they get a warning.

When you play the DVD on a laptop it drains the power faster than anything on the computer.

 

[Disney2002]

Originally posted by cloudboy
For the most part, we would tell our Laptop users that it really didn't matter that much. If you are not going to be using it for a day, then turn it off. If you have it plugged in and will be using from time to time, leave it on. Hibernate should be an automatic thing it goes into, if you have 2000 or XP you can put it in standby mode, too. But be sure to save everythign first - some of the Dells in particular have problems in standby.

As for the that problem, have that checked! There are some models that just have a problem with heat, but in many cases either something is bad, or you are blocking the ventilation ports (happens a lot). All that heat is more dangerous to the internal components.

If you are having problems with short life on the batteries, you can try a couple of things. If you constantly drain the batteries a little and then have it plugged in for a long time, they often develop memories. They say the new batteries don't do this but that has not been our observation. The other problem we found was that some people never run it off the batteries, and the batteries don't seem to like that. It's a good idea to run it on the batteries for a while every once in a while. Batteries only have a lifespan of about 2-3 years anyway.

I'm taking your advice about running it on battery every so often. Just unplugged it for the first time since getting it on Friday. Once I finish exams, I'll have more of an opportunity to use it out-and-about. (And having sprung for the wireless e-net in the new apartment!)

Is there any life span difference between battery types. I spent a little more for the 12cell over the 8cell battery.

 

[JackSkellington]

The 12 cell should provide 30-45 min more life if you are unplugged I think. I might be wrong.

 

[DMC-12]

I always leave mine on now... I have been for the past few months.

the trouble I have is that I have a wirless network setup in my house... and my wireless card stinks!...lol After I turn off my computer for awhile... then come home and turn it back on... it takes forever to find the network for some reason (again... i know its the sucky wi-fi card).

So... my laptop just stays on all the time now... I have a 2 or 3 year warranty on it... if it breaks or burns up... the Dell tech will just have to come out and fix it! :lol: (Thank god for the home service warranty!)

 

[tigsmom]

Originally posted by DMC-12

So... my laptop just stays on all the time now... I have a 2 or 3 year warranty on it... if it breaks or burns up... the Dell tech will just have to come out and fix it! :lol: (Thank god for the home service warranty!)

We had to send ours out (Texas, I think). Poor Katie went crazy without it. Its mostly used for DVDs & games since my desktop is the only one with internet hookup. (gotta keep an eye on those kids).

 

[Laura]

Mine is always on, same with my PC.

Be nice to your laptop though. I was mean to mine (actually my 2 year old was mean to it) and just had to pay $500 to have the main board replaced. :brick:

 

[DMC-12]

Originally posted by joeyjoe92979
AHHH yes my friend...thus is the reason I love my Pentium 4M...no cards needed!

[The Laptop] I've got a celeron with 2GhZ of power and then some... That all I need... most of all the stuff I do is web based anyhow... and that is more than enough processing power... (the centrino processor was not really avail yet when I ordered my laptop to) and about 4 of my older computers are on the network as well.

So I actually saved about 200-300 bucks by not getting the P4 (I was unemployed for over 6mos... I needed all the money I could get at the time). :wave:

 

[David]

I aalmost always shut my Laptop down when finished a job. Sometimes I leave it on for a while, but that's fairly rare.

As far as the battery/charning question, I was told that it's best not to charge them too often. If you do that, as someone wrote, the memory of the battery will adjust so it does not last as long. Take the charge down as far as you can, then do a full charge on it for best results and longer lasting charge from the battery.

 

[Testtrack321]

Sometimes I go weeks without a shut down or restart on my iBook, and it runs perfectly fine, and it's one of the old 500mhz ones running 10.2.6! :lol:

 

[maelstrom]

I leave my iBook on all the time (sleeping) unless I'm not at home for a few days. iBook and PowerBooks are meant to do that.

My Dell laptop, on the other hand, had to always be shut off, because it would get wickedly and unnecessarily hot and the fan would run constantly.

 

[NemoRocks78]

I keep my laptop on hibernate whenever I'm not using it. I just like to be able to put it in hibernate and then turn it back on and still have everything where I left it (plus I don't have to wait 5 minutes for the darn virus scan to come on the screen). I do the same with my desktop.

As for battery.....mine is horrible. I bought a brand new Toshiba, a beautiful one with Intel Centrino technology and a nice widescreen panel (even though it's nice, it's tough to use on planes, especially when the person in front of me pushes their seat down) back in January. I only get 3 hours at a full charge.

 

[sami]

This laptop is mostly used by my girlfriend and it's usually on 24/7 because that way it's already open when she wakes up in the morning.

 

[cloudboy]

One thing to be aware of, for Windows Users - if you don't restart your computer every once in a while (at least once a week) a bunch of temp files and all sorts of little stuff accumulates, and it slows your system way down. Particulalry Windows 2000, and extar particularly if you are on a network. It's a good idea to just restart at least once a week.

 

[SewIn2Disney]

Originally posted by Disney2002

I did notice that the dvd drive / burner gives off a TON of heat, however.

GET THAT FIXED NOW! I have/had the same problem, and since it's so close to the battery, it killed the battery within a few months. I lived with no battery for a while (just plugged it in) and finally called Dell and they told me that the battery had gotten to hot (due to the CD Burner/Faulty Fan) because it drained waaay to fast. But, since I wasn't under warranty anymore there was nothing they could do about it.

Just a heads up

 

[SewIn2Disney]

Originally posted by maelstrom

My Dell laptop, on the other hand, had to always be shut off, because it would get wickedly and unnecessarily hot and the fan would run constantly.

Must be a Dell thing

 

[Disney2002]

Originally posted by cloudboy
One thing to be aware of, for Windows Users - if you don't restart your computer every once in a while (at least once a week) a bunch of temp files and all sorts of little stuff accumulates, and it slows your system way down. Particulalry Windows 2000, and extar particularly if you are on a network. It's a good idea to just restart at least once a week.

Should be a lesson to all those actually using Windows 2000!

 

[cloudboy]

I prefer 2000 over 98. And ME is well, anyway...

Yeah, the Dell Lattitude CPx's are notoriously bad for that. The fan is a bad design and the components aren't located right. Anyone know if the Gateways have the same problem? They use the same OEM for them, but they have a few different parts.

 

[Disney2002]

Originally posted by cloudboy
I prefer 2000 over 98. And ME is well, anyway...

Yeah, the Dell Lattitude CPx's are notoriously bad for that. The fan is a bad design and the components aren't located right. Anyone know if the Gateways have the same problem? They use the same OEM for them, but they have a few different parts.

Gateways... they still make those:lookaroun

 

[cloudboy]

Gateways... they still make those

Alas, yes. They were very good when they first came out, and then they got too big or something, and quality and support just dropped.

Remember the day when there were more than 5 or 6 PC manufacturers?

 

[Disney2002]

Originally posted by cloudboy
Alas, yes. They were very good when they first came out, and then they got too big or something, and quality and support just dropped.

Remember the day when there were more than 5 or 6 PC manufacturers?

The trajectory of Gateway is almost too hard to believe... they basically just up and died!