NOTE: See "Using a
Battery" for more
information on conserving
battery power.
Connect the computer to an electrical outlet when possible because the battery life expectancy is largely determined by the number of times it is charged.
Place the computer in standby mode or hibernate mode when you leave the computer unattended for long periods of time.
To exit a power management mode, press the power button.
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.
NOTICE: If your computer loses AC and battery power while in standby
mode, it may lose data.
To enter standby mode:
In the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 operating system, click the Start button, click Shutdown, click Standby, and then click OK.
In Windows XP, click the Start button, click Turn off computer, and then click Stand by.
or
Depending on how you set the power management options in the Advanced tab, use one of the following methods:
Press the power button.
Close the display.
Press
.
To exit standby mode, press the power button or open the display depending on how you set the options in the Advanced tab. You cannot make the computer exit standby mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad.
Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits hibernate mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering hibernate mode.
NOTICE: You cannot remove devices or undock your computer while your
computer is in hibernate mode.
Your computer enters hibernate mode if the battery charge level becomes critically low.
Depending on how you set the power management options in the Advanced tab, use one of the following methods to enter hibernate mode:
Press the power button.
Close the display.
Press the power management keyboard shortcut,
.
NOTE: Some PC Cards
may not operate correctly
after the computer exits
hibernate mode. Remove
and reinsert the card, or
simply restart (reboot)
your computer.
To exit hibernate mode, press the power button. The computer may take a short time to exit hibernate mode. You cannot make the computer exit hibernate mode by pressing a key or touching the touch pad. For more information on hibernate mode, see the documentation that came with your operating system.
The Power schemes pull-down menu displays the selected preset power scheme. Depending on your operating system, typical power schemes are:
NOTE: Dell recommends
that you use the
Portable/Laptop power
scheme to maximize
battery power.
Portable/Laptop
Home/Office
Always On
Presentation
Minimal Power Management
Max Battery
Windows XP controls the performance level of the processor depending on the power scheme you select. You do not need to make any further adjustments to set the performance level. Each preset power scheme has different time-out settings for entering standby mode, turning off the display, and turning off the hard drive. For more information on power management options, see Windows Help (Help and SupportCenterin Windows XP).
NOTE: To enable audible
alarms, click each Alarm
Action button and select
Sound alarm.
The Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm settings alert you with a message when the battery charge falls below a certain percentage. When you receive your computer, the Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm check boxes are selected. Dell recommends that you continue to use these settings. See "Using a Battery" for more information on low-battery warnings.
Depending on your operating system, program the following functions:
Prompt user for an action (Ask me what to do).
Activate standby mode.
Activate hibernate mode.
Shut down Windows and turn off the computer.
Choose no action (None or Do nothing).
If you are going to connect your computer to a docking device, click None when you program the display-close option. This setting ensures that your computer does not enter standby mode or hibernate mode when you close (lower) the display.
To program these functions, click an option from the corresponding pull-down menu, and then click OK.
NOTE: Windows XP
controls the performance
level of the processor
depending on the power
scheme that you select.
See "Power Schemes
Tab."
Depending on your operating system and microprocessor, the Power Options Properties window includes the Intel® SpeedStep™ tab. The Intel SpeedStep technology allows you to set the performance level of the processor according to whether the computer is running on battery or AC power:
Automatic — The processor runs at its highest possible speed (Maximum Performance mode) when the computer is running on AC power. When the computer is running on battery power, the processor runs in Battery Optimized mode.
Maximum Battery — The processor runs at a slower speed to extend battery life.
Maximum Performance — The processor runs at its highest possible speed even if the computer is running on battery power.
Battery Optimized Performance — Processor speed is optimized for battery power even if the computer is connected to an electrical outlet.
To change additional Intel SpeedStep options:
Click the Advanced button and then click one of the following
options:
Disable Intel SpeedStep technology control
Remove flag icon (from the notification area)
Disable audio notification when performance changes
Click OK to accept any changes, and then click OK to close the Intel
SpeedStep window.
You can also change the Intel SpeedStep settings by right-clicking the flag icon in the notification area.
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