Arch Linux

jasonenglish77

Member

Registered: 2022-02-19

Posts: 1

Arch install on ASUS C200M Chromebook battery issue

Hello all;

  Been using Linux on almost all of my PC's/Laptops for 20+ years, usually Mint or Debian, depending on the intended use and hardware.  Recently, I got hold of an ASUS C200M Chromebook for dirt cheap, to play with.  Arch is the only distro that really works OOTB with the C200M hardware (except Endevour, which I didnt like).

  Being a truly underpowered laptop, I didnt expect much from this $30 laptop.  But with Arch, its usable as a basic no-frills laptop (which is what I wanted it for - something to use at work that I'm not afraid of getting broken).  It plays 720 video off YouTube or other streamers with not much lag, runs LibreOffice, and plays VLC videos all day.

  Here's my problem...  The battery has seen better days, but still lasts about 3 or 4 hours with consistent video playback.  For $30, can't complain.  But......  I would like the battery meter to register properly.

  I'm using vanilla XFCE.  The XFCE power manager shows 73% as the max charge the battery will take (left plugged in, all day).  The battery dies consistently around 34%.  I have run it from full charge plugged in to dead as a doornail unplugged several times, hoping the battery management in BIOS would figure out the "true" full/empty levels.  No joy.

  Question - Is there a way in Arch to modify the "full" and "empty" readings to correlate to the real capacity of the battery?  I.E. to make 73% "100%" and 34% "0%"?  I've been looking at everything I could find, tried 30 different suggestions, and come up with almost nothing.  The only advice that's made any change was the full charge-full discharge cycles.  Went from 44% empty/63% full to 34% empty/73% full, but the "gauge" remains the same.

  HELP!!