Windows 10 and battery

[ptonsparky]

Is it my imagination or has the battery life on my laptop gone down since the installation of Windows 10? An hour and half vs almost three IIRC. Do I have more stuff running in the background now?

My laptop is an older Dell E6510, with an updated SS drive, so it could be just the batteries.

 

[Smart $]

I can't confirm 100%, but I have suspicion that may be true. I have a Surface Pro, but I seldom run it on battery except for a short session here and there. My suspicions lie more in sluggish performance on my desktop compared to Windows 8.1 on same system (which seemed zippy by comparison). Resource Monitor does not seem to support my suspicions, but something is bogging down my computer's performance.

 

[sparkyrick]

I will never run Win10. That OS is crammed with spyware, probably running all the time.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I have the surface pro 3 and imo the battery was never capable of long term use. I am not sure what to expect but without videos it should be able to run for 6 hours or more. Mine does not seem to get but a few hours- maybe 4.... I always had windows 10 so I can't compare i to anything.

Like Smart I rarely use the surface without power unless I have a doctors appt.

 

[sparkyrick]

Start the Task Manager and take a look at all the running programs. You'd be surprised whats going in the background. Also, down at the taskbar, do you have a lot of icons there? Each icon is a running program. If you aren't using them, shut them down and disable them from automatically starting. Also look in the "Startup" folder in your programs and make sure to empty that folder. Every shortcut in that folder launches when you turn your computer on.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Start the Task Manager and take a look at all the running programs. You'd be surprised whats going in the background. Also, down at the taskbar, do you have a lot of icons there? Each icon is a running program. If you aren't using them, shut them down and disable them from automatically starting. Also look in the "Startup" folder in your programs and make sure to empty that folder. Every shortcut in that folder launches when you turn your computer on.

Memory 27% and Cpu 2% That is without any programs open

 

[kwired]

I will never run Win10. That OS is crammed with spyware, probably running all the time.

Win 10 specifically or just windows in general?

I thought potential spyware increased depending on what sites you went to that put it there, and whether you have done anything to reduce potential spyware.

 

[Smart $]

Memory 27% and Cpu 2% That is without any programs open

My desktop...

CPU 0% (1% occasionally)
Memory 22% (1.7/7.9 GB)

Running Chrome to post this reply...

CPU 4-5%
Memory 25% (2.0/7.9 GB)


In checking these stats I think I may have found the reason my system seems sluggish. I noticed CPU speed was listing as 0.78 GHz. This computer has an Intel Core i7-4770 CPU @ 3.40GHz, which is a 4 core with the variable speed boost (can't remember what this feature is called) that will take it up to 3.8GHz. After changing the minimum processor state in power settings from 5% to 100%, my computer seems to respond faster.

 

[sparkyrick]

Win 10 specifically or just windows in general?

I thought potential spyware increased depending on what sites you went to that put it there, and whether you have done anything to reduce potential spyware.

Win10 specifically. It monitors everything you do and reports back to headquarters. I'm assuming MS is then selling that information to marketers.

 

[sparkyrick]

My desktop...

CPU 0% (1% occasionally)
Memory 22% (1.7/7.9 GB)

Running Chrome to post this reply...

CPU 4-5%
Memory 25% (2.0/7.9 GB)


In checking these stats I think I may have found the reason my system seems sluggish. I noticed CPU speed was listing as 0.78 GHz. This computer has an Intel Core i7-4770 CPU @ 3.40GHz, which is a 4 core with the variable speed boost (can't remember what this feature is called) that will take it up to 3.8GHz. After changing the minimum processor state in power settings from 5% to 100%, my computer seems to respond faster.

Did you up the minimum for just when you are plugged in or on battery, or both. You'll really run down the battery fast running at 100%. I actually throttled down my i7 while on battery to conserve power.

 

[Smart $]

My desktop...

...

Did you up the minimum for just when you are plugged in or on battery, or both. You'll really run down the battery fast running at 100%. I actually throttled down my i7 while on battery to conserve power.

No battery... at least not internal (i.e. AFAIK Windows don't monitor my UPS for power settings).

I'm uncertain that throttling the CPU is an effective means to conserve power. At least that's the impression I've gotten. How much power is actually used at the different percentages when idle, i.e. not processing anything but background tasks???

When I'm using my Surface Pro on battery power, I do not leave it just setting there idle. I do what I have to or want to, then shut it down. If performance is sluggish because of throttling, I don't see it as anything gained. I may get a longer session, but what does that mean if it takes longer to do the desired task???

 

[sparkyrick]

No battery... at least not internal (i.e. AFAIK Windows don't monitor my UPS for power settings).

I'm uncertain that throttling the CPU is an effective means to conserve power. At least that's the impression I've gotten. How much power is actually used at the different percentages when idle, i.e. not processing anything but background tasks???

When I'm using my Surface Pro on battery power, I do not leave it just setting there idle. I do what I have to or want to, then shut it down. If performance is sluggish because of throttling, I don't see it as anything gained. I may get a longer session, but what does that mean if it takes longer to do the desired task???

Ooops, I missed that was a desktop, not a laptop. My bad.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Cortana in Windows 10 has the ability to log and report your key strokes to Microsoft. I have that part turned of, and would like to completely get rid of Cortana, but if you do, you lose the ability to search the files on your computer.
There are a number of other forms of built in spyware that you also need to turn off.

 

[sparkyrick]

Cortana in Windows 10 has the ability to log and report your key strokes to Microsoft. I have that part turned of, and would like to completely get rid of Cortana, but if you do, you lose the ability to search the files on your computer.
There are a number of other forms of built in spyware that you also need to turn off.

LOL! MS planned that one well!

 

[kwired]

Cortana in Windows 10 has the ability to log and report your key strokes to Microsoft. I have that part turned of, and would like to completely get rid of Cortana, but if you do, you lose the ability to search the files on your computer.
There are a number of other forms of built in spyware that you also need to turn off.

I doubt they are trying to steal any personal information but rather want to know what it is that people do on their computers so they can refine/develop their products to meet those demands. Is still an undesired invasion in some ways.

Those that don't know it is being done don't know any difference. Some that do know about it just figure that is how it goes, others get upset even if they don't really know what they are upset about.

 

[ptonsparky]

I doubt they are trying to steal any personal information but rather want to know what it is that people do on their computers so they can refine/develop their products to meet those demands. Is still an undesired invasion in some ways.

Those that don't know it is being done don't know any difference. Some that do know about it just figure that is how it goes, others get upset even if they don't really know what they are upset about.

My guess is that data mining is so prevelant we are all tracked in some way, not necessarily down to the personal level.

 

[GoldDigger]

A similar situation involved Samsung TVs with voice actuated remote control.
To "provide better service" the microphone was always active and always feeding audio to the company servers over the Internet. The speech recognition was being done at the servers rather than in the TV.
They claimed that they did not actually listen or record any of the audio, except maybe when they thought that they received a command, but the consumer outrage was pretty bad and forced them to make a change.

My Comcast remote has voice recognition, probably remote to server rather than in the cable box, but it is active only while you hold down a button on the remote. Makes the feature less useful but more acceptable.

 

[sparkyrick]

A similar situation involved Samsung TVs with voice actuated remote control.
To "provide better service" the microphone was always active and always feeding audio to the company servers over the Internet. The speech recognition was being done at the servers rather than in the TV.
They claimed that they did not actually listen or record any of the audio, except maybe when they thought that they received a command, but the consumer outrage was pretty bad and forced them to make a change.

My Comcast remote has voice recognition, probably remote to server rather than in the cable box, but it is active only while you hold down a button on the remote. Makes the feature less useful but more acceptable.

Win10 is doing the same thing. Cortana is listening, always listening........

 

[ptonsparky]

Win10 is doing the same thing. Cortana is listening, always listening........

WHAT IS Cortana?

 

[GoldDigger]

WHAT IS Cortana?

Cortana is Microsoft's version of Siri, the Apple voice interactive personal assistant.
The Google equivalent is Google Now, without the name of a virtual person.


AFAIK Siri and Google Now are limited to voice interaction with the autocomplete, search suggestions, etc. being unnamed.
Cortana seems; to be used to cover both keyboard and voice AI features.