Back-up Battery acts flakey

[rookindy]

Morning - I am having a problem with v36 backup battery. I set up unit as required 24hr base charge. Then used for about a week - then recharged a couple of times.
When the unit sits for 2 or 3 hrs and you start using (mobile), after a couple of minutes a message pops up and says "back-up battery extremely low - needs to be charged". When you open "Power" in systems folder the main batter is "FULL" and the Backu-up is on 0%. If you tap onthe power indicator the back-up battery goes to 100% and youcan work away. Unitl you let is sit for a couple of hours then you get to do it all over again.

I'm taking it back for an exchange today - just wondered if anyone else had similar problems - my guess is the backup batter is no good or has a bad connection :?

[dh]

I had the same problem with my Axim. The backup battery went from 100% to 0% overnight.

Turned out it was a software issue. I'd installed Microsoft's Theme Switcher application and it caused a number of problems, including the 0% battery report. Once I removed this app, the backup battery was back to 100% and has been happy ever since.

[rookindy]

,Thanks for the tip. I haven't even tried to sync the unit - let alone install any programs other than what was preinstalled. All I had done was put in some calendar dates, some notes, some contacts. I hope this is not recurrent issue with this machine.

[mike6024]

My V36 has done that a couple times in the past week I've had it. I think they were both on the same day though and I haven't seen it since then. I guess we'll see...

[rookindy]

I got a second V36 from Staples. It did the samething thing. It appeared that the backup battery would be used when the unit was off instead of holding memory using the main battery.

Called Viewsonic, they had not heard of the problem. Offered an advance exchange - they sent the wrong unit twice - finally got the new V36 the day before Christmas - To date have had no problems. :|

[rookindy]

Well, unit #3 is doing the same thing. Have had it happen three times now. It seems to happen when the unit has been off for a couple of hours and then is used for several minutes. I'm beginning to wonder if this is a software issue - something in Windows 2003 and the machine code in the unit that is giving a false reading to the battery warning.

I guess you always suffer when you buy the new model year - but with electronics every 5 minutes it's a new model year.

If there is anyone out there with some knowledge of how to fix this - Viewsonic seems to be clueless - please offer some help. It would also be nice to know if there are more than just two of us with this problem. I guess maybe it's possible Viewsonic only sold 2 of these since Thanksgiving.....

[mike6024]

I got the warning again since my last post, but only once (assuming it always shows you). I thought I've read this problem was a WM2K3 problem, but not sure. I more likely to believe it's software than hardware though. At least there are no ill effects from it.

[mike6024]

Here's a link to a thread about Dell Pocket PCs exhibiting similar behavior:
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=110550

That was a software issue (specifically a driver that Dell wrote), which makes me think even more that this is Viewsonic's problem. I'll send Viewsonic an email with the behavior I've seen and I suggest that all the other Viewsonic owners do the same. Maybe we can get an update from them with a fix! :way to go:

[mike12975]

Yes, I bought my V36 4 days ago and this message just popped up about an 2 hours. My wife was playing on it and it said the backup battery was low. It was even plugged in too.

Yeah and tapping on the battery indicator bar really works too. It went from 80 to 100 percent in a couple of taps. That's kind of funny.

[mike6024]

I finally got a response from Viewsonic. Not quite what I had hoped for:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for your inquiry regarding your ViewSonic V36.

We apologize for the delay in this email response. Try to soft reset
the unit by pressing the reset hole on the back of the unit. When you
reset the unit, verify that it is turned on. Then turn the unit off and
let it charge for another 24 hours. Do not use the unit while it is
charging for 24 hours.

Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to assist you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[rookindy]

Finally, got some more informtion on the back-up battery issue from Viewsonic.

According to their customer service (via Phone) the problem is hardware a chip that communicates with the backup battery is defective on some units. I am supposed to get my 4th V-36 from them soon.

If the problem is as annoying to you as it was to me, you may be able to get them to repair the unit. It has taken 2 1/2 + months to get this almost resolved.

I wish you all luck.

[rookindy]

:( Well I've said good by to the problems with the V36. I called VS on Thursday and they said the problem may not be the chip - they really wern't sure. After 2 1/2 months I give up.. I went back to Staples and they were kind enough to exchange the V36 for a HP1995. So far so good.

It doesn't have all the bells and whistles but that may be the VS problem. Kind of like a multifunction printer - Does lots of things, none of them very well.

I'll see you on the HP side. I really do wish you all the best.

:)