zire 72 resets when it runs out of battery???

[msribbit]

:( HELP !!!
My zire 72 runs out of battery over the course of a week. Then it resets itself. I would lose all my data then I would need to sync to get back all my original data.
Does this happen to other ppl??
:( ADVICE MUCH NEEDED !!

[Jim Cooke]

This is perfectly normal behavior. The Zire 72 has no backup battery. It reseres a small part of the normal battery capacity for backup that will last for about 8 hours once the machine shuts off with a low battery warning. If you don't charge the machine before this time period expires, you lose all your data.

The Zire 72 was never meant to run for an entire week on one battery charge. Running the battery flat is actually bad for the battery and will greatly lessen your battery life over time. The solution is to charge it regularly, preferably at least once a night. Just plug it in when you go to bed and then take it of the charger in the morning. If there's some reason, you can't get to a regular charger, you can buy a battery charger to keep it running.

This is also a good reason to have an SD card and a backup program. Even if your battery rund flat and you're away from your computer, you can charge your Zire 72 and then restore from your SD card in just a few minutes.

[rcl44]

I leave my zire72 pluged into the usb and it seams to keep the battery charged. I only remove it when I leave the office then plug it back in when I return. Does anyone know if this hurts the machine......

[Jim Cooke]

Keeping lithium ion batteries topped up extends the life of the battery, contrary to earlier types of batteries like ni-cads, that would develop a memory effect if the battery wasn't discharged occasionally. What you're doing won't cause any problems in tems of battery life.

[rcl44]

Thanks for the info Jim.....Much appreciated...

[tlindert]

I purchased a "mint" condition Zire 71 thru e-bay. My problem besides the short battery life is that when an alarm comes in, the PDA stays on and I drain the battery in no time at all. Will your software that prevents accidental on/off help this problem?

[Jim Cooke]

Unfortunately, your Zire 71 may be mint condition but the battery obviously isn't. Most PDA batteries reach the end of their useful lives after about two years of normal use and your 71 is probably at that stage.

You can replace the battery with a new one from http://********hightech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PA1720&Category_Code=BATT . It's not cheap at $40 but the replacement is fairly straightforward if you have any experience working with some small screws. The same site has takeapart instructions for the Zire 71.

The alawrm staying on and draining the battery is probably related to the state of the battery. If the charge level is too low, the alarm manager never gets the signal that the alarm has been successfully transmitted and so the machine stays on until the battery drains, which you've seen is just a short period of time.

I would urge anyone thinking about buying a Palm that's reaching or has reached that two year birthday to be very careful about claims of "mint condition". Unless the seller states he has replaced the battery, he's likely to be selling it because the battery life is getting so short the machine isn't useable any longer. As long as you're willing and able to replace the battery, you can pick up some good used deals but make sure you discount any asking price by at least $50 to take into account battery replacement costs.

[digipdagal]

My Palm had the exact same problem as msribbit.

Yesterday in class, my Zire 72 reset itself and I lost all my file. I did save all my files to an SD card. However, I my SD card only has the files from my last Hotsync (last week of January). Is there any way to get my Word files from my SD card?

Thanks.