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xd1936
Asked: 2010-10-15 08:22:22 +0800 CST

Battery indicator is stuck on "estimating"?

  • 772

After installing Ubuntu 10.10, the battery indicator worked fine (both percent remaining and estimation on time). I then installed and configured some software (Skype, Pidgin, Thunderbird, removed Empathy and Evolution, ect) and the battery meter, when clicked, always says "(estimating...)"

I've tried running the battery down to zero and charging it fully again. If I go into the history or details, the percentage is recorded correctly.

Any ideas?

10.10 indicator battery acpi

5 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    This is known bug that affects HP, Compaq, Dell and other manufactures. This is because of a change made in gnome-power-manager where by the estimate is done on time remaining, rather than percentage. This change does not play nice with some hardware and is why you are seeing (estimaing...) constantly.

    The bug report about it is here if you fancy a read: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/maverick/+source/gnome-power-manager/+bug/629258

    At this time, I believe there is no fix available. However you can click on the estimating... and it will bring up a more detailed view of your battery info, which will display the percentage of charge.

    • 9

  2. Battery Status is a good alternative applet that will show the battery percentage.

    http://www.webupd8.org/2010/11/battery-status-ppa-finally-updated-with.html

    Run these two commands to install a ppa for the new indicator:

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:iaz/battery-status && sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install battery-status

    Now start the new battery indicator (it will replace the default indicator for future logins):

    nohup /usr/lib/battery-status/battery-status --indicator &

    If this bug affects you, say so at the bug report:

    https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/maverick/+source/upower/+bug/629258

    • 7

  3. Bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-release-notes/+bug/629258

    Entry #91 fixed my x64 HP Pavilion:

    Steps to apply @Brian's PPA update:

    1) From a terminal window:

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:brian-rogers/power

    sudo apt-get update

    sudo apt-get upgrade

    2) Reboot

    3) Login normally, click on the battery icon

    • 3

  4. I experience this behaviour whenever I use a power adaptor that cannot supply the appropriate amount of power to the laptop, such as using a monitor adaptor for my laptop (I left mine at home that day). There's probably been an update to the kernel (most likely, but it could be something else) that's causing Ubuntu to not get the appropriate amount of charge out of the wall. Try booting up with the previous kernel version(s) and see what happens.

    • 0

  5. I had this problem, as far as i search there is not any way to solve this problem in unity panel but i solved it buy installing cairo-dock. It has some theme that can show percentages over its image.

    You can install cairo-dock from repository 

    sudo apt-get install cairo-dock

    then after running it:

    1. in cairo-dock configuration go to add-ons tab.
    2. tick "Power Manager" applet and click apply button.
    3. in the dock right click on "Power Manager" applet and from "power manager" menu click on edit button.
    4. in shown dialogue goto "Configuration" tab.
    5. from first combo bos ("choose the style of disply") select "Gauge".
    6. open Gauge section and from "choose one of the available theme" select a theme that show percentages in its image (theme like, "Battery-Mono" , "Battery:MeeGo theme" , "Battery:Oxygen theme" ,...)
    • 0