Laptop switches off abruptly when battery runs out

[Guest]

I have an ASUS UL30A laptop, with Windows 7.

By "abruptly" I mean it doesn't go through the proper process of shutting down in Windows but just switches off, as if plugged off (which is a metaphor, since we're talking about the behaviour on battery). Mostly it will show the first warning that only some low percentage of battery life is left, just as it is in the settings. Normally, it should show the 2nd warning when the battery gets critical and then begin the shut down process but that does not occur since quite some time. It used to work properly some time ago.

I already asked a friend what can cause the problem and was told that it's probably some program which blocks the proper process of shutting off, so that the laptop runs out of the battery completely and switches off abruptly.
I have some indications to think this is indeed the case.

My question therefore is how can I identify the program which prevents the proper shut down.

I'm not that versatile when it comes to solving IT problems, so please be patient with me and keep your instructions simple.
However, I'm also not an idiot. (that's a reaction to the first 2 answers)

Thanks in advance for your help,

Kat

 

[penguintech]

Hello, when your battery runs out, you no longer have power to the laptop, and that is why it is shutting down. Same as when the battery dies in your cell phone or anything else... when the battery runs out, it no longer works.... there would be nothing preventing a "proper" shutdown, if the battery is dead it just shuts off. If you want to properly shut it down, do so before the battery dies. There would be no program preventing you from doing that.

 

[arossetti]

No trying to be insensitive but is this a serious question? If the laptop has no battery power it just shuts off - as does any device without power.

Battery runs out = no power.
No power = abrupt instantaneous shut off.
Shut off = no time for a proper shutdown.

 

[Guest]

I'm not sure you understand what I'm talking about.... I've updated my message, since I realized it was a bit confused... maybe you read it before that.

Hello, when your battery runs out, you no longer have power to the laptop, and that is why it is shutting down. Same as when the battery dies in your cell phone or anything else... when the battery runs out, it no longer works.... there would be nothing preventing a "proper" shutdown, if the battery is dead it just shuts off. If you want to properly shut it down, do so before the battery dies.

No, I don't need to do it myself, it should be done automatically in Windows (and was so even in the XP) when the battery is critical (which means there's still enough power left for the shut down). It used to work like this since some time ago.

The reason I think the explanation given by my friend is plausible is that when I'm shutting down my computer when plugged in, there're sometimes programs which don't want to shut down and I have to end them abruptly (a list which is being displayed in the middle of shut down process when there's this obstacle, and the choice is to wait for the programs to close or to close them manually). So I think the same processes prevent the shut down when on battery, which is why the battery is being sucked off to the last drop and after that the laptop just drops dead.

Hope it's more clear now...

Kat

 

[Guest]

No trying to be insensitive but is this a serious question? If the laptop has no battery power it just shuts off - as does any device without power.

Battery runs out = no power.
No power = abrupt instantaneous shut off.
Shut off = no time for a proper shutdown.

I'm really surprised by those answers... has any of you ever had a laptop???

 

[ss202sl]

When you get the first warning, either shut it down, or plug it in. There's no telling what software it might be causing it not to shut down normally. Have you looked in the event logs to see if there is any shutdown command issued?

 

[penguintech]

Actually I am a computer Technician who owns a retail computer store... so yeah, I've had a few laptops....

If there are programs not shutting down properly, then it's an issue with the programs, not the battery.
if the programs become corrupt and don't shut down properly, just uninstall and reinstall those programs.
If you want a notification of low battery so you can shut it down yourself properly before it abruptly dies try this

Open your
"control panel" and then "power option" then "change advance power settings"
there select the profile you want active ( power saver ,high performance etc.)
Then scroll down to "battery" expand it and find "low battery notification" and turn "on" for both "on battery" and "plugged in" and you will done.
Note : it's not necessary to turn it on for "plugged in"

 

[Guest]

When you get the first warning, either shut it down, or plug it in. There's no telling what software it might be causing it not to shut down normally. Have you looked in the event logs to see if there is any shutdown command issued?

Thanks for the first sensible answer.

Of course I always plug it in or switch off when I see the 1st warning, the problem is I miss it sometimes (just my speculation, I can't be sure whether it's really been displayed) and the computer just drops dead which worries me a lot.

So are the event logs the only way to determine what programs prevent the shut down - presupposing is was issued? Or if it wasn't, the only way to see what's happening at that point? If so, I'd leave it to some IT friends. But I just wanted to find out whether there may be some way which would be easy enough for me.

Thanks again, for your answer, I'm glad somebody understood what the problem is, at last.

Kat

 

[Guest]

Open your
"control panel" and then "power option" then "change advance power settings"
there select the profile you want active ( power saver ,high performance etc.)
Then scroll down to "battery" expand it and find "low battery notification" and turn "on" for both "on battery" and "plugged in" and you will done.
Note : it's not necessary to turn it on for "plugged in"

What I call the "proper shut down" is not an option for user to enable or disable. This is what SHOULD occur normally. Windows should be able to determine when to begin the shut down due to low battery and afaik the user can't prevent it in any way. This is just a normal behaviour in Windows on laptops since quite a few versions, so I'm quite surprised you seem not to understand what I refer to.

But if the only way is to decipher the event logs (as the person below suggests), it's too complicated for me anyway.

Kat

 

[dudeman509]

The battery's getting old and cannot maintain the load (amps) from the computer at low power levels anymore. This is pretty normal behavior as they age.

Go into your advanced power properties and turn down the processor power management to a lower maximum state (the CPU pulls the most power by far in a laptop), as well as setting the critical/low battery actions to perhaps put the computer to sleep so you can go plug it in without losing work.

 

[Guest]

The battery's getting old and cannot maintain the load (amps) from the computer at low power levels anymore. This is pretty normal behavior as they age.

Yes, I understand that's also possible, but I still think the other hypothesis (some processes preventing the shut down) is more plausible. Hope I'll get somebody more competent to look into the logs and find out, luckily I have several people to ask.

Go into your advanced power properties and turn down the processor power management to a lower maximum state (the CPU pulls the most power by far in a laptop)

It's on 60% on battery now (the "power plan" which I use by default), should I still lower it?
Actually, I'm not interested that much in prolonging the work on battery, I already have pretty economical options, but just wanted to solve this problem with sudden laptop death, since I don't want to farther damage the already not so fit laptop.

, as well as setting the critical/low battery actions to perhaps put the computer to sleep so you can go plug it in without losing work.

Well, the "critical" action was actually hibernate, not switch off, as I thought. So what's being prevented is hibernation. Don't know whether it changes anything.
I've set the action on "low" to sleep now, that looks like a good idea, thanks!
I'm glad I found those advanced power options, previously I couldn't find them anywhere...

Thanks again for your answer,
Kat

 

[Guest]

Go into your advanced power properties and turn down the processor power management to a lower maximum state (the CPU pulls the most power by far in a laptop), as well as setting the critical/low battery actions to perhaps put the computer to sleep so you can go plug it in without losing work.

Hi again,
I set the action at low battery to sleep and yet, just a moment ago, this annoying thing happened again. I forgot to plug the laptop in so I wasn't even aware I'm in battery mode and then suddenly this terrible switch off sound and a black screen.... So to me it looks like whatever action I'd set to be performed at the low battery, it's not being executed.
If somebody had any idea about the causes and solutions, I'd be grateful.

Kat

 

[dudeman509]

Go into your advanced power properties and turn down the processor power management to a lower maximum state (the CPU pulls the most power by far in a laptop), as well as setting the critical/low battery actions to perhaps put the computer to sleep so you can go plug it in without losing work.

Hi again,
I set the action at low battery to sleep and yet, just a moment ago, this annoying thing happened again. I forgot to plug the laptop in so I wasn't even aware I'm in battery mode and then suddenly this terrible switch off sound and a black screen.... So to me it looks like whatever action I'd set to be performed at the low battery, it's not being executed.
If somebody had any idea about the causes and solutions, I'd be grateful.

Kat

Does the laptop switch to another power plan when running on battery power? Most computers have options for "Balanced", "power saver", and sometimes something vendor specific like "Dell Extended Battery life". If so, you'd need to specify the sleep setting on the specific plan it's using when on battery power.

However, it sounds like the battery just can't maintain a load at lower levels and just cuts the computer off, and I'm not too sure there's much you can do about that besides trying to cut the CPU speed to see if that helps. I have had several laptops do this when the batteries get old. One of my computers (a Dell) will jump from ~60% charge to 7% and put itself to sleep; the other (a quite old Toshiba) will decline quickly to 20% and shut off if I make the CPU work hard.

 

[Guest]

Does the laptop switch to another power plan when running on battery power? Most computers have options for "Balanced", "power saver", and sometimes something vendor specific like "Dell Extended Battery life". If so, you'd need to specify the sleep setting on the specific plan it's using when on battery power.

That's exactly what I did. The "battery power modes" are different from the plug in modes and I've changed the settings in the default battery mode. So I don't think the problem is in the settings.

However, it sounds like the battery just can't maintain a load at lower levels and just cuts the computer off, and I'm not too sure there's much you can do about that besides trying to cut the CPU speed to see if that helps.

As I said before, I have it currently on 60%, is that still high?
Also the battery seems to be ok, no sudden drops of power or anything weird... Though of course it doesn't last as long as it used to.

 

[dudeman509]

As I said before, I have it currently on 60%, is that still high?

I wouldn't think so. I think that's what I have my power-hungry i5 limited to and was able to get much more battery life out of it. Do you know what CPU is in the machine (right-click on my computer and go to properties).

 

[Guest]

As I said before, I have it currently on 60%, is that still high?

I wouldn't think so. I think that's what I have my power-hungry i5 limited to and was able to get much more battery life out of it. Do you know what CPU is in the machine (right-click on my computer and go to properties).

Why? Do I need to?
I know where you can see the diagram and why it's useful to have a look sometimes.... don't know exactly what this thing is, or how it functions, what it consists of or whatever... wouldn't be able to build one myself, if that's what you're asking... I don't understand your question, I'm afraid...