Windows 7 is having a negative effect on laptop batteries.

[dbarrow]

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Mic...lems,9579.html

Users on Microsoft forums have been complaining that after installing Windows 7, their battery life has decreased significantly and in some cases is suggesting they actually replace their battery.
Threads relating to the issue have been active since before Windows 7 went to general release. Folks running the Windows 7 RC began posting in June 2009 and the threads are still active today.
ComputerWorld cites a Microsoft spokesperson who yesterday said the company was investigating the issue. "We are investigating this issue in conjunction with our hardware partners, which appears to be related to system firmware (BIOS)," the spokesperson said, referring to the firmware that boots the PC and initializes the hardware components. "The warning received in Windows 7 uses firmware information to determine if battery replacement is needed." ...

[Dan18960]

DELL offers a 9 cell battery as an option over their 6 cell battery BUT you have to LOOK for it - it isn't in your face type of thing.

[Poconos]

Sounds like an expensive fix to get you back to where you were before W7.
Al

[Dan18960]

Actually the 9 cell unit isn't hi-way robbery (less than a trip to MacDonalds for me - I always supersize my 4 Value Meals )

[Poconos]

On the Dell website it seems like all their 9-cell batteries are $156. Probably not considered highway robbery considering they don't get replaced too often, but that's still a lot of McDonalds and a cardiologists delight.
Al

[Rich-M]

Yes well I believe we can OD at McDonalds for the difference in price. Dan you are in the clouds and you protest too much about "cloud technology" to be there!

[dbarrow]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=...g=content;col1

Microsoft's Windows 7 chief: It's not us; it's your batteries


Microsoft’s President of Windows has weighed in about the reports of alleged problems with PC batteries coming from some Windows 7 users.
Steven Sinofsky posted to the Engineering Windows 7 blog about the battery-notification issue on February 8. If you want to know all about battery performance, telemetry data, and more, read the full post. If you don’t have time, here’s the synopsis: It’s not us; it’s your batteries.
Sinofsky blogged: ...