Desktop machine thinks it's on batteries

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rich Pasco
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Rich Pasco

I have a desktop computer (plugged into AC mains) running Windows 2000
which displays in its system tray a tiny icon looking like a battery
with a red "X" through it.

If I click on that icon a window opens up which says:

Current power source: Batteries
Battery power remaining: 0%

A well-meaning helper said this meant that the CMOS BIOS backup battery
was dead, but I'm not so sure. It's the same icon that a laptop shows
when it's running on battery power and the battery is nearly dead.
But this is a desktop machine. In this case what does this indicator
mean? I suppose it has ACPI and is confused about its power source.
How can I set it straight?

- Rich
 
Sounds like Control Panel|Power Options|Power Schemes is set to 'Laptop'

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Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
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Microsoft MVP [Windows]
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:
|I have a desktop computer (plugged into AC mains) running Windows 2000
| which displays in its system tray a tiny icon looking like a battery
| with a red "X" through it.
|
| If I click on that icon a window opens up which says:
|
| Current power source: Batteries
| Battery power remaining: 0%
|
| A well-meaning helper said this meant that the CMOS BIOS backup battery
| was dead, but I'm not so sure. It's the same icon that a laptop shows
| when it's running on battery power and the battery is nearly dead.
| But this is a desktop machine. In this case what does this indicator
| mean? I suppose it has ACPI and is confused about its power source.
| How can I set it straight?
|
| - Rich
 
Rich said:
I have a desktop computer (plugged into AC mains) running Windows 2000
which displays in its system tray a tiny icon looking like a battery
with a red "X" through it.

If I click on that icon a window opens up which says:

Current power source: Batteries
Battery power remaining: 0%

A well-meaning helper said this meant that the CMOS BIOS backup battery
was dead, but I'm not so sure. It's the same icon that a laptop shows
when it's running on battery power and the battery is nearly dead.
But this is a desktop machine. In this case what does this indicator
mean? I suppose it has ACPI and is confused about its power source.
How can I set it straight?

- Rich
Click to expand...

Can you not just turn off the tray icon?

Control Panel
Power Options
Advanced tab
untick "Always show icon on the taskbar"
 
Steve said:
Can you not just turn off the tray icon?
No.

Control Panel
Power Options
Advanced tab
untick "Always show icon on the taskbar"
Click to expand...

The box is already unticked, and that doesn't help.

The meaning of unticking that box is "Only show icon when the batteries
are weak" which my system thinks they are (of course, there are really
no batteries).

- Rich
 
You don't mention either the PC or the mainboard manufacturer, or
whether there may have been a wholesale migration of software apps to
this machine from a laptop.

- There are laptop utilities/services that will run on a desktop and of
course cause your problem. Also, the battery sensing may be a component
in some app you've found otherwise useful.
- You might check BIOS settings very carefully, altho it would be very
unusual for a desktop mainboard BIOS to be looking at battery power.
- Could this be UPS (battery backup) related)?
- Some mainboard utility packages (on CD's that come with drivers etc)
might be targeted at both desktops and laptops...and might have
installed a battery sensor.

These are SWAGs...the thread seems kind of dry.

Rich said:
I have a desktop computer (plugged into AC mains) running Windows 2000
which displays in its system tray a tiny icon looking like a battery
with a red "X" through it.

If I click on that icon a window opens up which says:

Current power source: Batteries
Battery power remaining: 0%

A well-meaning helper said this meant that the CMOS BIOS backup battery
was dead, but I'm not so sure. It's the same icon that a laptop shows
when it's running on battery power and the battery is nearly dead.
But this is a desktop machine. In this case what does this indicator
mean? I suppose it has ACPI and is confused about its power source.
How can I set it straight?

- Rich


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Dan, thanks for the ideas.

It's a Dell machine, and no wholesale migration from a laptop.
There is a UPS in the AC power mains, but I doubt its driver would
activate that icon.

What's a SWAG?

Anyway since I posted my question, the battery "X" icon has disappeared
just as mysteriously as it appeared.

- Rich
 
SWAG = Super wild hair* guess

* substitute any body part you like

Glad to hear of the corrective 2nd miracle. :-)

Rich said:
Dan, thanks for the ideas.

It's a Dell machine, and no wholesale migration from a laptop.
There is a UPS in the AC power mains, but I doubt its driver would
activate that icon.

What's a SWAG?

Anyway since I posted my question, the battery "X" icon has disappeared
just as mysteriously as it appeared.

- Rich

Dan Seur wrote:





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