no power meter icon on my taskbar.... help!

[dec21st]

i'm using compaq v2000 running on winXP pro sp2

each time i on my laptop i don't see the power meter icon on my taskbar. it really gives me a headache as i won't be able to know when my batt is gonna end

what's happening? any other program alternative i can use? i've tried battery bar but it doesn't show me info when i mouse over the icon on taskbar

 

[jvarszegi]

Go to Power Options in the Control Panel. Click on the "Advanced" tab. Select "Always show icon on the taskbar".

 

[dec21st]

i did that, but the icon is still not there....
only sometimes when i on the comp
anything i can do? maybe put some file on the Startup so that it'll run everytime i on my comp

 

[ShellGuy]

Are you pluged in to the wall when you are lookin for it?? I don't think it shows up when you are on AC power..


Will G.

 

[zodder]

What he said ^^^^

 

[jvarszegi]

dec21st,

There's also something in XP to hide inactive icons. Could this be your problem?

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCD.../id-364,subcat-OS.html

Good luck. I've never had any problems, but I always take a new XP machine and immediately set everything back to the Windows Classic look and feel. Right now at work I'm on a Windows 2000 machine, or I'd give you exact instructions.

 

[emilfriedman]

I have the same problem on my Dell Inspiron 1000. I think it started when I installed service pack 2 for my Windows XP (home) system. I verified that the "hide inactive" icons box in not checked. I also verified that the "always show icon" box on the advanced tab of the power meter is checked.

If I use msconfig to turn off all non-microsoft services and all startup items, the meter comes back, but then lots of other stuff does not work. Turning on some services and not others does not help; no single service or startup item appears to be responsible.

I have a service call in with Microsoft. They are trying to help, but have not yet succeeded. I'll keep you guys posted.

If anyone knows the fix, please let the rest of us know.

There are also reports of this on http://www.neowin.net/forum/in...mp;st=0#entry584882113 . Every report so far has involved different hardware, but all involved Service Pack 2.

 

[steo]

same problem but my WinXP only has Service Pack 1
when fresh from installation, I had the power icon, but it just vanished.
tried all suggestions from thread, nothing works.

steo

 

[RedBeard]

Like mentioned above. If your laptop is on A/C power then then the icon will disappear unless you check the option "Always show icon on the taskbar". In windows 2k this option is under advanced in the Power Options control panel applet. Try thaht. If you are using speedswitchxp to control your processor speed, that might interfere with the icon, or if you have power management software from the laptop maker. I.E. IBM has their own software for it.

If all else fails, I am sure there has got to be some freeware program that will display battery life...

 

[archerjan]

I have had the same problem on a Vaio notebook. The problem began when I installed SP2. Since then the power meter has shown up occasionally. Also, the options on the "advanced" taskbar properties tab don't work correctly -- severl items checked as "hide always" keep showing up. Clearly, Microsoft messed this up with SP2.

 

[chinkgai]

i too, have this problem with my new 700m after i reinstalled xp with sp2

and my wireless network icon (the windows one, not the intel one) says disconnected even though i am connected

rargh.