What is Intelligent Battery ?

What is the Intelligent Battery Recondition software?

The batteries of the PowerBook 500 series computers are “intelligent”, which means they have a small microprocessor in them that monitors the battery’s status.  The system software communicates with the microprocessor and uses the information stored inside it to tell you how much time is left, if the battery is charging, etc.  Under certain conditions, the information stored in the battery can become corrupted and cause the system software to incorrectly report the battery status.  The Intelligent Battery Recondition software updates this information in the battery and restores normal operation.

This software only works on the PowerBook 500 series computers.

Installing the Intelligent Battery Recondition software

The Intelligent Battery Recondition software consists of two parts: 

a system extension (“Intelligent Battery”)

an application (“Intelligent Battery Recondition”).  

To install the Intelligent Battery extension, follow these steps:

1. Drag the extension to the Extensions folder (in the System folder) on your PowerBook’s hard disk.
2. Restart your PowerBook.

To install the Intelligent Battery Recondition application, do this:

• Drag the Intelligent Battery Recondition application to your PowerBook.  You can copy the application anywhere on your PowerBook’s hard disk.

When should I use the Intelligent Battery Recondition application?

You should use the Intelligent Battery Recondition application if your PowerBook fails to recognize an installed battery or when a battery will not charge.  You can tell if the PowerBook recognizes an installed battery by looking at the battery monitor module in the Control Strip.  

If one of these situations occurs, then you need to run the Intelligent Battery Recondition application:

• A battery is installed in the right battery bay and you see something like the following in the battery monitor module:
• A battery is installed in the left battery bay and you see something like the following in the battery monitor module:
• At least one battery installed and you see something like the following in the battery monitor module:

Using the Intelligent Battery Recondition application

1. To use the Intelligent Battery Recondition application, do this:
2. Make sure the battery you want to update is in the right hand battery bay.

Double-click the Intelligent Battery Recondition application icon and follow the on screen instructions.  You'll be instructed to insert batteries into the right hand battery bay. 

It takes from 7 to 12 minutes to complete the update process.  Do not interrupt the application while it is running.  Watch for dialogs that require action on your part.  Progress messages appear in the Intelligent Battery Recondition application window.  

A message appears on the screen telling you when the update process is finished.  Click OK to finish the process and automatically quit the application.

IMPORTANT You can quit the application at any time, but quitting before the update process is complete may cause the battery to behave unpredictably.

The application can only update the battery in the right hand battery bay, so if your PowerBook has a battery in the left battery bay, or you have extra batteries for your PowerBook, follow the steps above for each battery.

Apple Computer, Inc. (1994). About the Battery Update. Electronic Document.

Download Intelligent Battery for Mac

Architecture

Motorola 68K

Compatibility notes

Emulating this? It could probably run under: Basilisk II