This document pertains to HP Notebook PCs with Windows 7 and Vista.

Calibrating the notebook battery Calibrating the battery means recharging the battery to its maximum capacity and resetting the battery gauge to display the level of charge accurately. The Windows system tray battery meter may not correctly display the battery charge level when a notebook is new or has not been used for a long period of time. If the battery gauge becomes inaccurate, use one of the methods below to calibrate the battery gauge reading. Back to top Calibrate the battery while PC is in use A calibration cycle requires that the battery be completely charged and then completely discharged. During the calibration cycle, the power management properties must be disabled to allow the battery to completely discharge. Follow the steps below to calibrate the battery power meter readings. Connect the AC adapter and allow the battery to charge to 99% - 100% of capacity. Disconnect the AC adapter from the notebook PC. Click Start , enter power in the Search field, and then selectPower Options from the list. Select Create a power plan from the left sidebar. Click in the Plan name field and type Calibrator . Then, press Enter . Select Never for all topics in the On battery column. Click Create to accept the values and force the battery to consistently discharge. Allow the battery to discharge completely until the notebook PC shuts down.

NOTE:The battery power meter is now calibrated, and the battery level readings should be accurate. Connect the AC adapter and restart the notebook PC. After calibration, return to the Power Options dialog box (Step 3) and select your default power plan setting. Back to top Calibrate the battery while PC is not in use A calibration cycle requires that the battery be completely charged and then completely discharged. The calibration may take one to five hours, depending on the age of the battery and the notebook configuration.

Follow the steps below to calibrate the battery power meter readings.

NOTE:Do not use the PC during the calibration cycle. Shut down the notebook PC. Connect the AC Adapter and charge the notebook PC until the battery charge light is green, indicating that the battery is completely charged. On some models the battery light glows white, and on other models the light turns off when fully charged. See your model's User Guide. Restart the notebook. Press F8 several times when the HP logo appears. When the Windows Advanced Boot Options menus displays, use the Up and Down arrow keys to select Safe Mode and then press Enter . When the Windows Advanced Startup Menu displays, select the Startup in Safe Mode option. Disconnect the AC power adapter from the notebook PC. Allow the battery to discharge completely until the notebook PC shuts down. The battery is now calibrated, and the battery level reading on the power meter should be accurate.