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If you use USB devices with your laptop READ THIS

post #1 of 30
2/15/06 at 9:39pm
Thread Starter 
Interesting article about pentium Ms and windows XP SP2. Seems that by using USB 2.0 devices in your lappy, you lose quiet a bit of battery power, even if the device is disabled or drivers not installed. This is not a core duo only problem either. Article talks about a fix also.

http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=2693&p=1
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post #2 of 30
2/15/06 at 9:47pm
Yup Yup, I posted the fix in my thread about saving battery power.
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post #3 of 30
2/15/06 at 9:50pm
this is very interesting. all lappy owners should read this.
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post #4 of 30
2/15/06 at 10:02pm
Does the 9300 have any USB 2.0 devices that are installed by default?
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post #5 of 30
2/15/06 at 10:48pm
Maybe a dumb question, but does a 1.1 device drain power excessively?
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post #6 of 30
2/15/06 at 10:57pm
Maybe you should read the article first. It's for Core Duo's
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post #7 of 30
2/15/06 at 11:30pm
..."However, the case isn't as open and shut as that; the original test data indicated that this was primarily a Core Duo problem, while Microsoft insists that the problem should affect all notebooks."

I did read the article.
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post #8 of 30
2/15/06 at 11:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mich43L
Maybe you should read the article first. It's for Core Duo's
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post #9 of 30
2/16/06 at 12:25am
I already covered this 2 days ago.

http://www.notebookforums.com/showth...highlight=core
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post #10 of 30
2/16/06 at 1:26am
Well...I mean...isn't it just common sense though that using the USB ports will drain battery more then not using them?
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post #11 of 30
2/16/06 at 1:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nessal
Well...I mean...isn't it just common sense though that using the USB ports will drain battery more then not using them?
Usb doesnt use anywhere near the kind of power drain associated with this bug.
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post #12 of 30
2/16/06 at 2:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nessal
Well...I mean...isn't it just common sense though that using the USB ports will drain battery more then not using them?
Read the article man...this is something that causes USB to use up TOO much juice for no reason.
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post #13 of 30
2/16/06 at 3:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mich43L
Maybe you should read the article first. It's for Core Duo's
No, it's not. Maybe you should get your facts straight before posting. Minimal checking would reveal other articles discussing this topic, and how it affects notebooks across other platforms as well as the Core Duo. I mean, did you even read the title of the AnandTech article?
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post #14 of 30
2/16/06 at 3:42am
911medic, offtopic question but how much of a difference did upgrading to that 7800GTX give you? Your system is configured closly to mine, and I am in the process of upgrading to the 7800 myself.
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post #15 of 30
2/16/06 at 4:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mich43L
Maybe you should read the article first. It's for Core Duo's
Where is the LMFAO smiley when you need it?
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post #16 of 30
2/16/06 at 9:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skillz
911medic, offtopic question but how much of a difference did upgrading to that 7800GTX give you? Your system is configured closly to mine, and I am in the process of upgrading to the 7800 myself.
3D (full power) performance is pretty dramatically better. I can play FEAR at native res (1440x900) with all settings on "maximum" except soft shadows off and 2x gamma corrected TMSAA/16xAF. 3D (low power) performance (on battery) is noticeably better. I have to turn off AA in FEAR, and lower AF to 8x, but other settings remain the same.

Battery life is noticeably lower, however, especially while gaming. Around an hour and a half. 2D battery life isn't bad, at about 3 hours if I turn PowerMizer to "Maximum Power Savings" (just don't try to game on battery at this setting).

With your higher resolution screen, I'd think you'd benefit even more than I do. Pinmodded CPU/more memory is next for me. I REALLY need more memory, as in FEAR I have hitches as textures load, or as enemies approach, until things are loaded from the HDD. I'm sure things will be the same for you.
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post #17 of 30
2/16/06 at 10:12am
I have done the regedit for this "bug", but my battery is on it's last legs, lasting only about 1/2 hour anymore, so I'm not a good rabbit for this experiment...

Is everyone aware of the "Power Saving" tab on the "Device Management/USB Root Hub"?

Can someone who has done a clean install of XP (non Dell factory set) & has NOT done this regedit look to see if their USB Root Hub Power Savings checkbox is checked?

...I'm just curious.
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post #18 of 30
2/16/06 at 10:28am
All 5 of my "USB Root Hub" listings in DevMgr have the checkbox "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" checked, and I did a clean install of XP MCE right after I got my lappy. I have not done the Reg hack...yet.
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post #19 of 30
2/16/06 at 2:44pm
Odd that the E1705 in their test doesn't have much of a difference before and after the fix. Also sucks that the fix doesn't work after coming out of stand-by, as I put my laptop in standby one or two times a day, and at night. Guess I'll just wait for the final fix.
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post #20 of 30
2/16/06 at 3:00pm
Quote:
Maybe you should read the article first. It's for Core Duo's
Us -> <- mich43l
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