General Chat

I have been on my laptop this morning and my trackpad stopped working so started to use my little mouse.That stopped working.Everything froze.I could not even turn it off.Phoned the repair man and he said that because i never use the battery and keep it fully charged this is what happens.You have to use the battery to it runs down and then recharge.Felt stupid Annie

Well I've been using a laptop for years, almost always use it on the mains, have never had a problem, nor have I ever been told you have to run the battery down.

Thought i was being had over.My laptop is only 6 months old so they probably dont want to replace it.Annie

Laptops should turn themselves off before anything stops working, nothing to do with battery. If problem persists take it back. Bob

The laptop battery NEEDS to be cycled, occasionally, otherwise it might develop a '' memory'' where it will not (because it has not been used) give its full output..even if you only run it down once a month....will help. Bob

Any other 'tips' on laptops guys.... Is it ok to leave it on all day..?? Is it normal to get hot...??..or is that cos i leave it on all day...lol Does it matter if your toddler closes it whilst its on..?? Any tips on how to prolong its life would be gratfully received...lol :)xx

My laptop manual says you should run it down, and remove the battery if you are using it from the mains. You should charge the battery once a month. I know of 3 people who only use the mains but keep the battery in and they all had duff batteries when they needed them. David PS got some additional memory for my laptop yesterday. What a difference, and it boots in about 1/10th of the time.

they say this stuff to cover themselves..... you can take the battery out tho and leave it out for 10 minutes and it will lose its memory if its gained one. xx

I've just got a Laptop (Chrimbo present from Hubby) and I use it both on the mains and the battery, but I don't always run the battery down completely. I have been using it a lot and plug it into the mains when it tells me that the battery is running low - is that ok? Kaye x

There is some conflicting advice here but in general: You have to “Condition” your battery when it is new – That is usually to charge and completely discharge it 3 or 4 times. After that it is good to occasionally run it down until the computer warns you, and then to recharge. Keeping it fully charged and on the mains is not a good idea all the time. It may be a good idea to run it completely flat followed by a full charge every few months. Laptops get hot in use – This isn’t the battery but the processor. It is best not to leave it on a soft surface (like a bed) as this can make it even hotter and cause problems. If you have followed the instructions you got with the machine to the letter then the shop should fix it under warranty. Bob

Am I glad I have a Mac ? Far more reliable, virus free & attractive!! Much happiness debi

Holds hands up - Me too, stupid or what? - no - ignorant yes. The majority of the time I used my lap top I always had it on mains, and rarely used the battery. Although the computer was off I often left it connected to the mains. Then one fine day my computer crashed grand style, and unfortunately I hadn't backed everything up for a few months, (stupid me). I lost everything. My hubby eventually sorted it out and now I back everything up each and every week. I've now tried to use the battery several times and it only lasts long enough to log onto this site and battery goes dead. Hubby informs me I should not have kept it connected and should have often used the battery. So be warned, - back up - use battery and switch off mains. Lou

A friend of mine said never to use it perched on your lap as the radiation could make you sterile. He also told me off once for putting my mobile in my top pocket as the radiation might affect the hearts rythm - and all this whilst he was puffing and spluttering on a Cigi.