OT Axim 5

[Sarah Fox]

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Hi George,

The problem is that your batteries and charging system are too "smart" =
for their/your own good.  There is probably a bit of (il)logic at foot =
here.  The way it works is that some circuitry somewhere monitors power =
flow in and out of the battery, ordinarily (?) giving the computer the =
ability to make some very good educated guesses about how much power is =
left (at least early in the battery's life).  The problem is that the =
software and/or firmware that monitors and records energy usage can =
actually have bugs.  (I know that's hard to believe!) =20

A bug can quickly render a perfectly healthy $200 lithium battery pack =
with on-board logic circuitry completely useless.  DAMHIK.  Consider a =
discharged battery that the computer thinks is 99% charged.  The =
computer will add 1% charge to reach the "full" 100% (or so it thinks), =
and then it will stop charging.  Then after 1% of the capacity of the =
battery is used (the last 1%, that is), the battery will die, and the =
computer will go down.

I'm not familiar with your particular type of computer, so I don't know =
specifically how to advise you, but you might try a complete =
shutdown/reboot of your computer.  That may mean that you need to do a =
backup first.  You might also try removing a battery that the computer =
says has completely charged, finish charging it externally, and =
reinstall it.  Then the computer's "perceived" charge state would be =
accurate.  Your friend can probably provide you the appropriate type of =
charger.

If the battery pack (is it a pack??) has its own on-board logic =
circuitry, then it will identify itself to the computer, so that the =
computer can keep track of multiple battery packs.  For this reason, it =
is hard to straighten out such a problem by playing musical batteries.  =
If there's no on-board logic circuitry (e.g. on a battery with only two =
terminals), then this wouldn't apply.

If there's on-board logic circuitry, another approach can be to =
absolutely, completely discharge the battery -- dead, dead, dead.  This =
causes the logic to become amnesic.  Then charge the battery externally. =
 The logic will come up refreshed and hopefully less schizophrenic.

Other than that, there's some searchable info on the web, perhaps even =
for your specific computer.

Have fun!

Peace,
Sarah

PS If anyone has found out how to remedy this problem on a Toshiba =
Satellite system, please tell me how!!



  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: George Takats=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2005 2:05 PM
  Subject: OT Axim 5


  Hello Colleague,
  In September 2003 I purchased the Axim 5 hand held computer from Dell =
Canada.  In October 2003 the following message dropped down: "Backup =
battery very low.  To prevent possible data loss, replace or recharge =
your battery according to the owner's manual."
  I contacted Dell and they replaced the original backup battery.  In =
the meantime I purchased a backup battery from a friend who is a whole =
seller of batteries.  He measured the "defective" battery and claim that =
the battery is still good.
  Since than I bought 4 separate backup batteries from my friend because =
for no reason at all I have been receiving warning messages about low =
battery charge.
  Before I pursue this problem any further I decided to experiment.  =
Using two batteries which were "defective" I replace one with the other =
when I received the warning.  Interestingly enough when I replaced the =
old battery with the "new" defective battery all looked well.  Backup =
battery showed 100%.  The next time I checked the battery in the system =
it showed 70% charge only. (I haven't used the computer at all)  At =
other times when I replaced the battery with a "new" old battery it =
showed 100% and then within 2 seconds the bar got empty and showed 0%.  =
This happened several times.  Sometimes I was able to use the computer =
with the "defective" reading at other times the dropped down window kept =
warning me.
  Interestingly enough I have 5 backup batteries (CR 2032 Lithium) which =
read being fully charged when I measure the charge with a meter outside =
of the computer, but from the computer I am getting warning messages of =
low battery charge.
  What makes me suspicious is that it happens irregularly.  In another =
word this problem occurs intermittently.
  When the main battery charge shows 70% I always recharge it.  I do not =
drain the batteries.  Also I am semi retired meaning that I do not tune =
and use the computer every day.  It happened in the past that the =
computer was sitting in the cradle for days and when I checked the =
charge level it showed less than the previous time.
  The computer is used only for tuning pianos using Tune-Lab.  There are =
no other files such as calendar, customer files, etc.
  My questions are:
  What am I doing wrong?
  Anybody had this experience?
  What was the solution?
  Any feed back would be appreciated.
  George Takats 
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