x50, WM5, dead battery after 1 day - Page 2

flipcody · 11-03-05, 07:09 AM

All of you that are having battery drain problems please try pulling your memory cards and see if this resolves it. If you have both a CF and SD memory card pull them both if problem solved then put back in one at a time to see if both cards create problem.

I was having this issue with mine (and needing soft resets to power on) and when I pull my SD card everthing works. It is only my SD card that impacts it, my CF is in and I have not problems.

I know this is not a long time solution but hopefully it will work. We then have to narrow this down to if it is a partcular brand of memory card, some other issue with card, or the X50. My SD card is a Kingston 512mb card.

Good luck!

BooDa · 11-03-05, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by flipcody

I was having this issue with mine (and needing soft resets to power on) and when I pull my SD card everthing works. It is only my SD card that impacts it, my CF is in and I have not problems.

Good suggestion. If I hadn't yanked WM5 last night and gone back to 2003, I'd try it.

When I had WM5 installed, the Axim kept "losing" my Microdrive, and I'd have to soft-reset to get it to see it again. I was also having the battery drain/soft reset to power-on issues you mentioned.

Villain · 11-03-05, 06:36 PM

hmm.. I am going to try the upgrade again tonight after I get home. I have a SanDisk 1.0 GB SD Card (though I have a lot of stuff on it and use it quite regularly) which I will pull out and see if that makes a difference.

Unfortunately, I can't be without my SD card too much, so I will see what happens.

11-03-05, 07:04 PM

Maybe it's Window Media Player 10? I couldn't find the stop button when I was done listening, so pause was my only choice...

Villain · 11-03-05, 07:21 PM

that wasn't the case in mine.. I hadn't even used MP10.

I had simply done the upgrade, checked out a few of the new things (pocket powerpoint, wireless tools, etc.), shut everything down and took it home. I came into work the next morning, hit the button on my Ax to check my tasks that would be happening (About 2 hours before the first one would take place, and no reminders, I keep them in a word doc, not the task list), and got the memory error.

I've been back on WM2003 SE since yesterday and am not having any problems with the battery. In fact, I watched a full movie and still had 50% battery left when I was done.

cmitc01 · 11-03-05, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Ir0nman

I had the same issue and memory error last night. I thought I had bricked my axim, because at 5:00 I had 75% of battery left, at 8 when I got the memory error and it shut off. It never occured to me that I would have lost 75% of my battery in three hours of being off. I believe that I know what it is though. I believe it is activesync on the device bringing the device up to a state like what happens at 12 midnight. It comes up to sync during the day but gives no indication that it is on, so we never know, but it is running. Everytime I power my x50v up activesync is running even when I am in my car no where near a computer. Each time I shut it down, it comes up next time I power on. This is a serious problem. Anyone else have anythoughts. I have by no means tested this. I am an application developer making a unresearched guess.
-Ir0nman

This is the same thing that mine is doing! ActiveSync starts running at random! I thought WM5 was supposed to conserve power!

Kawboy · 11-03-05, 09:19 PM

I've been having similar problems with my brand new X51v. I was thinking that it was just being turned on inside my Targus beltpouch (a problem that my X5 does NOT have inside the same pouch), but I'll have to pay closer attention.

I have noticed a couple of times pulling it out during the day and it had been "doing" things and then turning itself off, but leaving evidence because Notes files were opened that I hadn't used in a while, etc. This is still possibly just an accidental turnon thing, though. I might have to make a pouch insert with a hole near where the power button is to help get rid of this if it isn't mysteriously turning itself on numerous times.

Tracy · 11-03-05, 10:15 PM

I am having the same issue. I use my X50V during the morning commute (vanpool) and then turn it off when I get to work. Both days it has been fully discharged when I get home. Media Player is still on, but the AX is shut down. I will try the SD card thing tonight.

Tracy · 11-03-05, 10:16 PM

By the way, I am using a PNY 1GB SD card.

Villain · 11-04-05, 11:51 AM

Well, I'm going to try the update again over the weekend. I'm going to give it 2 full days of running before I give up on it. If it doesn't do so well, I'm going to call Dell on Monday (thought about calling them today, but want to try the SD card idea first).

flipcody · 11-04-05, 12:10 PM

I just did a test today. I had the same software installed, same today pluggins, etc. on my X50v with WM5 and no CF or SD cards in it. Pulled from Charger at 5:00am. I just checked it (at 11:00am, six hours later) and battery was only down to 97%. The previous days with CF/SD cards and very little use it was down to about 30% by this time.

The problem is definately related to memory cards and wm5 but this might not be the only reason. My next test will be to start uninstalling software. I have tried 2 different CD cards and 3 different SD cards so I do not think it is related to brand of card.

jcpfish · 11-04-05, 12:35 PM

I had posted this on another thread about battery life and WM5, but thought it would also be relevant here.

(I didn't know if I could just link it so I just pasted it...)

It appears that the processor speed is getting stuck on "Maximum Performance" when it is set at "Auto". This is not consistant, usually a soft reset will fix it, but that could be the reason I and others are noting a somewhat shorter battery life with WM5.

After a bit more playing it appears to happen after it has been on the cradle and then taken off. When on the cradle it is at "Maximum Performance" and then when I take it off the processor does not slow down like it should when set to "Auto".

Villain · 11-04-05, 01:28 PM

Well, in the last 2 hours, I found that without the SD card, the battery drain was a little less, but Active Sync still keeps popping up, even though I went into memory and closed it down.

Also, with the SD card, I haven't lost much in the way of battery power. I have 0 programs installed on my system right now. When troubleshooting, I try to keep it as simple as possible.

I was at 95% when I last turned it off (About 20 minutes ago), and now at 94%. So, not looking good if WM5 was supposed to keep us from draining the battery in a powered off state.

flipcody · 11-04-05, 02:31 PM

I was under the impression that X50 does not have the same power features as the X51. It does not have the complete power off feature like the X51v has. I believe the power consumption should be same as when you had 2003SE while not using. If you are just losing a little power when using I think this is normal. I took mine off charger at 5:00am this morning (8 1/2 hours ago) and all I have done has checked battery power 3 times and I'm at 95% (this is with out memory cards).

When I had my memory cards in my X50v with WM5 upgrade I was seeing huge battery drain when I was not even using it (and it was definately off).

Kawboy · 11-06-05, 04:43 PM

Well, my problems seem (so far) to have been caused by accidental turnon inside my pouch. It turns out that I had my Ax set to turn on whenever ANY button was pressed, not just the power button. It's in Settings, System, Power, Power On. Whew! I did have one overnight powerdown incident, but that may've been just a pile of clothes keeping a button pushed down.