Good morning! Ok here's the deal. I've purchased a used thinkpad a few month ago. The laptop itself works fine, there is no problem with the functionality of it. However since then, I've already had a head crash on the hard drive. It was a Hitachi hard drive and you guys know about them and their crappy reputation with notepad HDs. I've since replaced it with a IBM travelstar, and I think that should solve that problem. SInce that problem, I've noticed a weird problem with the battery. I plug it in and charge the battery fully, then I use the laptop for about 15 to 20 minutes, then it prompts me that I should save any unsaved data and charge the battery or plug into the wall immediately. SO it goes from 100% down to 3% very quickly. The weird part is that it does not descend. I mean it just jumps from 100% down to practically nothing in the snap of a finger. I would have guessed that it would go down to 90% then 70% then 50% etc.... Being a relatively new Laptop owner, I'm not familiar with the way a battery craps out. I would have thought it would be a gradual deterioration, not a sudden meltdown. I must add that I leave the laptop in the docking station when not in use, in a constant charging state. Is this wrong? Am I supposed to unplug it from the wall as soon as it's fully charged? Also, I use a power inverter occasionally and use it in my truck. Would this have any effect on it? Basically, I am trying to get a good feel for the Do's and don'ts, as I am obviously going to have to buy a new battery, and I don't want to make the same mistake twice! Or maybe the battery was crap to begin with, and it was just it's time. It was used after all. Thanks in advance.

I got my answer.

Well after some homework on the subject on forums like this one, I've discovered what may have happened here. It seems as I overcharged my battery by leaving it plugged to the wall when using it at home. It seems the concensus is to either run the battery all the way down before pluggin in and charging or removing the battery when using it at home. If the battery needs to be in place then I can probably use my old battery now that it's thrashed, and replace it with my new battery whever I get one, to use away from home. Some lessons can be pretty expensive!:blackeye: