Dell Precision M90 - Manual (Page 13)

Microsoft® Windows® Power Meter
The Windows Power Meter indicates the remaining battery charge. To check the Power Meter, double-click the icon on the taskbar.
If the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, a icon appears.
Charge Gauge
By pressing (or pressing and holding) the status button on the charge gauge on the battery, you can check:
l Battery charge (check by pressing and releasing the status button)
l Battery health (check by pressing and holding the status button)
The battery operating time is largely determined by the number of times it is charged. After hundreds of charge and discharge cycles, batteries lose some
charge capacity—or battery health. That is, a battery can show a status of "charged" but maintain a reduced charge capacity (health).
Check the Battery Charge
To check the battery charge, press the status button on the battery charge gauge to illuminate the charge-level lights. Each light represents approximately 20
percent of the total battery charge. For example, if the battery has 80 percent of its charge remaining, four of the lights are on. If no lights appear, the battery
has no charge.
Check the Battery Health
To check the battery health using the charge gauge, press and hold the status button on the battery charge gauge for at least 3 seconds. If no lights appear,
the battery is in good condition, and more than 80 percent of its original charge capacity remains. Each light represents incremental degradation. If five lights
appear, less than 60 percent of the charge capacity remains, and you should consider replacing the battery. See
Specifications for more information about the
battery operating time.
Low-Battery Warning
A pop-up window warns you when the battery charge is approximately 90 percent depleted. The computer enters hibernate mode when the battery charge is
at a critically low level.
You can change the settings for the battery alarms in QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window. See Configuring Power Management Settings for
information about accessing QuickSet or the Power Options Properties window.
Conserving Battery Power
Perform the following actions to conserve battery power:
l Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible because battery life is largely determined by the number of times the battery is used and
recharged.
l Place the computer in standby mode or hibernate mode when you leave the computer unattended for long periods of time. See Power Management
Modes for more information about standby and hibernate modes.
l Use the Power Management Wizard to select options to optimize your computer's power usage. These options can also be set to change when you
press the power button, close the display, or press . See Configuring Power Management Settings for more information on using the Power
Management Wizard.
Power Management Modes
Standby Mode
Standby mode conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a predetermined period of inactivity (a time-out). When the computer exits
standby mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering standby mode.
NOTE: You can check battery health either by using the charge gauge on the battery as described below, or by using the Battery Meter in Dell QuickSet.
For information about QuickSet, right-click the icon in the taskbar, and click Help.
NOTICE: .To avoid losing or corrupting data, save your work immediately after a low-battery warning. Then connect the computer to an electrical outlet.
If the battery runs completely out of power, hibernate mode begins automatically.
NOTE: See Configuring Power Management Settings for information on conserving battery power.