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Power Meter - bogus On-Battery indication


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Guest George Neuner
Posted

Hi all,

 

Got a weird problem with an XP Pro desktop and a new APC Backups ES

750. I'm using the Windows UPS service and connecting the UPS to the

computer via USB (plugged in directly - not through a hub). AFAICT,

the UPS service is correctly configured for a USB connected BackUPS.

 

About 20 to 30 minutes after the computer is started, the battery icon

suddenly appears in the tray. In the Power Options applet, the UPS

tab shows the system running on AC power. At the same time, the Power

Meter tab shows the system on battery with 100% remaining. The

battery meter does not drop over time - it remains pinned at 100% but

keeps insisting that the power source is battery. If I pull the UPS

cord, the UPS tab correctly shows the switch to battery and then back

to AC when I plug it back in.

 

This is my first USB connected UPS (I've only had serial prior to

this). Is there some configuration option that could be causing this?

Any other ideas?

 

Thanks,

George

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Guest BinaryConverted
Posted

RE: Power Meter - bogus On-Battery indication

 

Have you recently calibrated your battery?

 

1 | Fully charge your battery

2 | Fully discharge your battery

3 | Fully charge your battery

And that is calibatration.

 

If all else fails, run Scandisk.

 

In my computer, right click on your computers hard drive and click Properties.

On the 'Tools' tab, click on 'Check Now...'

 

This checks your hard drive for errors.

 

I am sure that one of these is causing the problem.

--

Forums - Aren''t they wonderful?

 

 

"George Neuner" wrote:

> Hi all,

>

> Got a weird problem with an XP Pro desktop and a new APC Backups ES

> 750. I'm using the Windows UPS service and connecting the UPS to the

> computer via USB (plugged in directly - not through a hub). AFAICT,

> the UPS service is correctly configured for a USB connected BackUPS.

>

> About 20 to 30 minutes after the computer is started, the battery icon

> suddenly appears in the tray. In the Power Options applet, the UPS

> tab shows the system running on AC power. At the same time, the Power

> Meter tab shows the system on battery with 100% remaining. The

> battery meter does not drop over time - it remains pinned at 100% but

> keeps insisting that the power source is battery. If I pull the UPS

> cord, the UPS tab correctly shows the switch to battery and then back

> to AC when I plug it back in.

>

> This is my first USB connected UPS (I've only had serial prior to

> this). Is there some configuration option that could be causing this?

> Any other ideas?

>

> Thanks,

> George

> --

> for email reply remove "/" from address

>

Guest George Neuner
Posted

Re: Power Meter - bogus On-Battery indication

 

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:36:00 -0700, BinaryConverted

<chicken989-chickens@yahoo.com.au.(myyahoodisposableaddress)> wrote:

>Have you recently calibrated your battery?

>

>1 | Fully charge your battery

>2 | Fully discharge your battery

>3 | Fully charge your battery

>And that is calibatration.

 

Yes, the battery was calibrated at installation - just about a month

ago. It seems like the signals from the UPS are being lost or cut off

somehow.

>If all else fails, run Scandisk.

>This checks your hard drive for errors.

 

No errors on the disk. Also no new software (except for MS updates)

installed since the UPS was installed.

 

George

--

for email reply remove "/" from address

Guest BinaryConverted
Posted

Re: Power Meter - bogus On-Battery indication

 

Hi George.

 

Do you have antivirus and/or antispyware software on your computer?

And if so, when was the last time you did a complete system scan?

 

John.

--

Forums - Aren''t they wonderful?

 

 

"George Neuner" wrote:

> On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:36:00 -0700, BinaryConverted

> <chicken989-chickens@yahoo.com.au.(myyahoodisposableaddress)> wrote:

>

> >Have you recently calibrated your battery?

> >

> >1 | Fully charge your battery

> >2 | Fully discharge your battery

> >3 | Fully charge your battery

> >And that is calibatration.

>

> Yes, the battery was calibrated at installation - just about a month

> ago. It seems like the signals from the UPS are being lost or cut off

> somehow.

>

> >If all else fails, run Scandisk.

> >This checks your hard drive for errors.

>

> No errors on the disk. Also no new software (except for MS updates)

> installed since the UPS was installed.

>

> George

> --

> for email reply remove "/" from address

>

Guest George Neuner
Posted

Re: Power Meter - bogus On-Battery indication

 

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 23:54:00 -0700, BinaryConverted

<chicken989-chickens@yahoo.com.au.(myyahoodisposableaddress)> wrote:

>Hi George.

>

>Do you have antivirus and/or antispyware software on your computer?

>And if so, when was the last time you did a complete system scan?

>

>John.

 

I have ZoneAlarm Pro, configured tightly, and both McAfee and AVG (I

normally run AVG hot because McAfee impacts performance too much).

AVG scans fully every morning (it wakes on timer because the scan

takes ~2 hours). I scan manually with McAfee (even longer) and with

Rootkit Revealer whenever I suspect anything hinky. I also scan

periodically with AdAware.

 

Anyway, I'm rather positive there is no malware. Everything works

normally except the stupid UPS battery monitor.

 

 

Incidently, I'm a professional software developer (~20 years). I read

all the security bulletins, but I'm not aware of any malware that

affects either USB or the UPS service (I'm sure it's out there, but it

can't be very common).

 

It seems more likely that it's a configuration problem because I tried

the UPS on another computer and it worked fine. But I don't know what

to look for - there's precious little documentation on the USB

ports/drivers and UPS service. I did check to make sure that the

internal USB hub was not in power saving mode.

 

George

--

for email reply remove "/" from address

Guest BinaryConverted
Posted

Re: Power Meter - bogus On-Battery indication

 

Can you describe an update name and/or number?

 

Example: Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications - KB905474

 

Even MS is too *lazy* to add reliability to their products.

--

A story of success always has a beginning.

 

 

"George Neuner" wrote:

> On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 23:54:00 -0700, BinaryConverted

> <chicken989-chickens@yahoo.com.au.(myyahoodisposableaddress)> wrote:

>

> >Hi George.

> >

> >Do you have antivirus and/or antispyware software on your computer?

> >And if so, when was the last time you did a complete system scan?

> >

> >John.

>

> I have ZoneAlarm Pro, configured tightly, and both McAfee and AVG (I

> normally run AVG hot because McAfee impacts performance too much).

> AVG scans fully every morning (it wakes on timer because the scan

> takes ~2 hours). I scan manually with McAfee (even longer) and with

> Rootkit Revealer whenever I suspect anything hinky. I also scan

> periodically with AdAware.

>

> Anyway, I'm rather positive there is no malware. Everything works

> normally except the stupid UPS battery monitor.

>

>

> Incidently, I'm a professional software developer (~20 years). I read

> all the security bulletins, but I'm not aware of any malware that

> affects either USB or the UPS service (I'm sure it's out there, but it

> can't be very common).

>

> It seems more likely that it's a configuration problem because I tried

> the UPS on another computer and it worked fine. But I don't know what

> to look for - there's precious little documentation on the USB

> ports/drivers and UPS service. I did check to make sure that the

> internal USB hub was not in power saving mode.

>

> George

> --

> for email reply remove "/" from address

>


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