acpiconf shows 100%, but laptop switches off

[Anton Shterenlikht]

I'm new to this list, please don't shoot.

My problem: full battery lasts only minutes.

This is HP Compaq 6712s (amd64)
running 9.0-CURRENT #5 r220040

There seem to be quite a few issues with
this laptop, which I never had the time
to analyse properly. For example, sound
and wireless (both via pcmcia) don't work.
Right now I'm trying to understand why
the battery lasts only minutes.
Sure, the battery is about 4 years old,
but still..

While running on A/C I get:

BUZI> acpiconf -i0
Design capacity:        1 mAh
Last full capacity:     1 mAh
Technology:             secondary (rechargeable)
Design voltage:         10800 mV
Capacity (warn):        1 mAh
Capacity (low):         1 mAh
Low/warn granularity:   100 mAh
Warn/full granularity:  100 mAh
Model number:           Primary
Serial number:          03586 2007/11/13
Type:                   LIon
OEM info:               Hewlett-Packard
State:                  high
Remaining capacity:     100%
Remaining time:         unknown
Present rate:           0 mA (0 mW)
Present voltage:        12248 mV

BUZI> uptime
 9:17PM  up  3:19, 2 users, load averages: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

If I remove the power cord, I keep
seeing the battery at 100% remaining
capacity with acpiconf or via
"sysctl hw.acpi.battery.life"
(which is probably where acpiconf
gets its data?) for about 20 minutes,
then - boom, power off. That is 100%
right until the laptop goes down.

On reboot - 0%:

BUZI> acpiconf -i0
Design capacity:        1 mAh
Last full capacity:     1 mAh
Technology:             secondary (rechargeable)
Design voltage:         10800 mV
Capacity (warn):        1 mAh
Capacity (low):         1 mAh
Low/warn granularity:   100 mAh
Warn/full granularity:  100 mAh
Model number:           Primary
Serial number:          03586 2007/11/13
Type:                   LIon
OEM info:               Hewlett-Packard
State:                  charging
Remaining capacity:     0%
Remaining time:         unknown
Present rate:           2850 mA (35074 mW)
Present voltage:        12307 mV


How can I analyse this problem further?

Many thanks

-- 
Anton Shterenlikht
Room 2.6, Queen's Building
Mech Eng Dept
Bristol University
University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR, UK
Tel: +44 (0)117 331 5944
Fax: +44 (0)117 929 4423