[ltp] T20 battery not charging or showing up?

[linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org]

André Wyrwa wrote:

>Hei,
>
>  
>
>>I started it up the other day and the battery seemed flat, which didn't 
>>worry me unduly. My plan was to transfer all data off it and install 
>>ubuntu, which I duly did. I noticed while it was still in XP that the 
>>battery didn't seem to have charged at all. Once I had ubuntu up and 
>>running the battery indicator says there is no battery present, and 
>>unplugging the power brings it to a grinding halt, so there is 
>>definitely no battery power getting to the computer.
>>    
>>
>
>sounds like your battery went into the afterlife. The symptoms you
>describe indicate that it doesn't hold charge anymore. Why this would
>happen after a year of non-use i have no clue, don't know much about the
>chemical effects within.
>
>I had bought an X20 off eBay with a battery like that and a lot of eBay
>actions come with batteries having the same issue.
>
>You could try to deep-discharge with a tool you can find on the
>IBM/lenovo support site. If that doesn't help, look into buying a new
>battery.
>
>André.
>
>  
>
Well, forwhat its worth, there is definately a problem with Ubuntu and 
3rd party batteries.
Heres the scenario.
 I have a thinkpadA21P with win 98 and slackware 10.2 on it.
 I have a new 3rd party battery, thats  from a friend who is a battery 
supplier for thinkpads. So I trust him and his batteries.
 Win 98 sees it fine and reports the proper charge amout.
My son has the identical thinkpad with Ubuntu on it and this software 
cannot see this battery at all, nor indicate wether its being charged or 
not.
Yet it sees the original IBM battery ok. and charges this ibm battery 
ok,even tho its now several years old and virtually dead.
Ie it runs for about 10mins before dying.
Im not a software person so dont know the answer to this, perhaps 
someone else is more capable.
I know its a pain but the only test is to either put in another 
identical machine with windows in it or reinstall  the original ibm 
software.
 w