Battery damaged after Win 7 installation?

[SonicTricks]

First of all, sorry if this is in the wrong forum

Now onto business;

So I have had my laptop for about 1 year now, an Advent 6551, everything you need to know about it is here: UKT Support - Advent 6551 Laptop I've put it through countless formats and windows installations. This has never been problem for me before(currently have Win7 on it and have had for a couple months now), but earlier on today, I noticed my battery icon on my taskbar had a red X over it, when I hover over it, I see the error "Consider replacing your battery"
This leads me to believe I've taking bad care of my battery and over used it..which is ridiculous. I've always taken good care of my laptop, plugging it out when it has no need to be on etc.
I read a little about it online and a few forums have had a discussion about Windows 7 destroying battery's around the globe, I find it hard to believe that Win7 is the cause but countless people have reported this battery problem after installing it.
My mothers laptop only recently got this battery problem too after I installed 7 on it(it is dual booted to Vista which now also having the same problem when it never did before), and now mine.
So for the tech heads on this site, what are your thoughts?
Also, should I replace the battery? That's not cheap.. Should I just whip out the battery and let the charger power the lappy for now, or would that just wreck the charger too?

 

[fishnbanjo]

There have been many articles like the following on the net:

Recently, from the major forums have found that many notebook users from Windows XP / Vista upgrade to Windows 7, found that the new system severely shorten the battery life, which the industry’s divergent views, but in some other system users to replace After missing the battery problem, which Microsoft has started investigation.
Official Microsoft TechNet forums, there are users post, said he put himself in 2007 bought an HP laptop to upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7, but the battery life but never became a mere two hours, half an hour, but Microsoft is repeatedly promote the new system can significantly extend the battery life time.
It is reported that Windows 7 is the root of the problem adds a new battery testing tool that can determine whether the battery needs to be replaced and inform the user, but in some cases, even though the battery business as usual, the system will judge whether the error that the battery has been exhausted, and recommended that users immediately replaced, and sometimes even directly shut down the system. Some users reflect the frustration that he did you are prompted to replace the old battery, but the new battery or continue to receive the same warning.
Official Microsoft TechNet forums, there are users post, said he put himself in 2007 bought an HP laptop to upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7, but the battery life but never became a mere two hours, half an hour, but Microsoft is repeatedly promote the new system can significantly extend the battery life time.
It is reported that Windows 7 is the root of the problem adds a new battery testing tool that can determine whether the battery needs to be replaced and inform the user, but in some cases, even though the battery business as usual, the system will judge whether the error that the battery has been exhausted, and recommended that users immediately replaced, and sometimes even directly shut down the system. Some users reflect the frustration that he did you are prompted to replace the old battery, but the new battery or continue to receive the same warning.
Some people say that this issue as early as Windows 7 Beta testing phase existed, but some say that the official version of RTM where phenomena. Posted by a user, said: “In the RTM version of Windows 7 prior to installing the battery, I have been normal, in my installation of all the Beta and RC versions where can persist for nearly three hours. Now, only had about 20 Windows 7 minutes to put my notebook shut. This situation is in my shift from the RC occur when the RTM. Needless to say, I have a very bad mood like everyone else. ”
Microsoft said in a statement that the problem has been known and noted, and Windows 7 to read the way the system firmware in many different types of notebook manufacturers are present. Microsoft said: “We are working with hardware partners to investigate this issue. Windows 7 with firmware information to determine whether the battery needs to be replaced. We are working with partners to find root of the problem, to obtain the necessary information and guidance and then go in (TechNet) Forum Update. ”
Microsoft also claimed that sometimes the new tool is working correctly, in other words, if it prompts you to replace the battery, it is possible your battery really has to be hung, but the chances of false positives is clearly too high.
We can only hold the onlookers on this issue, what exactly will cause hardware damage cited software, is still not clear. However, in this, we have collected it and sent specially from the Internet for laptop charging the right way for your reference.
Q: laptop battery needs to wait until all used up rechargeable power do?
A: In today’s era of lithium batteries, so the idea is entirely erroneous. This principle only applies to pre-nickel batteries. For lithium batteries, the battery ran out and then filled with a long time do not have any effect or even harmful. Because the lithium battery does not exist so-called “buffer effect.” Laptop battery life in general only with the man-made damage or natural lifespan. Basically, the battery life are fixed 300-600 charge and discharge times, for most people, you can use almost 2-4 years.
Q: When the power supply connected to the battery when you need to disconnect?
A: Many notebook users have asked this question, the answer is the need does not need to, depending on the actual usage. Connecting DC power supply without removal of the battery on the battery, and does no harm, because the battery is fully charged and then, after no longer accept any power injection, power will shift all of the direct power supply system notebook. But when the laptop high-speed operation, the internal overheating better to remove the battery, otherwise it is harmful.
Q: So what should be done correctly to the laptop battery does?
A: It should be possible to avoid the 0%, rechargeable battery runs out of light, as this will give the battery a lot of pressure to cause harm. A more viable approach is about 20-30% in electricity consumption when the remaining charge.
Edit Comment: From the experience on the use of mobile phone batteries, many people may feel exhausted all the laptop battery should be recharged. But in fact the notebook lithium batteries in the “light / charge” is a limited number of areas, and all used up rechargeable battery life will be greatly shortened. At the same time, the battery should be relatively dry areas for recharge Also note that the heat issue, which is the enemy of the battery.


Suffice it to say it may be wise if your laptop supports using AC power with the battery removed you will be better off for now.

 

[richc46]

An interesting article about laptop battery

 

[ickymay]

check your battery health using CPUID hardware monitor pro

 

[Bill2]

According to the Engineering blogs. win7 calculates a percentage of degradation of the battery from the original design capacity. The threshold is set at 60% degradation (in other words, the battery is performing at 40% or below of its designed capacity). If that is the case, win7 will throw up the message "Consider replacing your battery".

However, there is also an opinion that the parameter used (Design capacity) is faulty as it is not populated on every battery.

Read this blog, its most enlightening. Make sure you read the comments also.

Windows 7 Battery Notification Messages - Engineering Windows 7 - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

Couple of tools you can use to check your battery health.

Download - BattCursor.Net

Osiris Development - BatteryBar, the most accurate battery meter for Windows