Hi, Lynn- Jane gave the instructions for running/using your battery which does extend the battery life. But you can also run the battery down a bit just by having the laptop unplugged when you have it shut down. When you plug it in and reboot you should see the battery status icon in your systray next to the clock. That is the reading you get by hovering the cursor that you mention below. I'm not sure what the "little black box" is that you refer to...perhaps it is a laptop surge suppressor? Joan In a message dated 1/16/2009 9:30:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes: Hi Joan :o) I unplug my laptop every time I turn it off, during the day, and all night it is unplugged, as well as that little box that plugs into the computer and outlet. I'm a little bit confused then. So, letting the battery run down, isn't unplugging it from the little black box it comes with. The little black box unplugged from the outlet is what they mean? Then how do you know if it is run almost completely down? Isn't the little battery w/plug, at the bottom of the screen, what they are talking about. The one that measures the charge of the battery in the laptop? That's what my sister-in-law read in her book she has with hers. I, too, like Connie, work with my laptop plugged in all the time. Most of my friends do, too. They don't know what I am talking about when I asked if they let their battery run down once a month, and if they do, how do they do it. I guess I'm asking how does one do it? I know you all are going to pull your hair out explaining this to me, because I just don't get it. Okay, sooooo, if it's NOT the same as running down the battery, that gives a reading when you hover over the icon on the lower task bar, then what do they mean? I have so much to learn, with this laptop, but I love it, mind you!!!! I hate to ask Mike to explain these things to me, since he is about sick of computers by the time he gets home from work. I probably have you spinning in your chair, right now, too, huh :o( Confused Lynn, in Columbia LOL!!!!