What are your thoughts on this battery problem?

[lloyd709]

I've just bought a Feb 2011 MacbookPro secondhand but in mint condition. It only had 12 battery cycles (reported by coconutbattery utility) and is still at 86% capacity even though it's 17 months old.

The problem is that if it's not connected to the mains it dies when it's still got 8% of battery left. And then when I plug it in it won't restart unless I leave it for a few minutes - which I assume it's using to recharge the battery a bit!

Also, when I do get it to re-start, it's forgotten the date, internet password and all the other little things that should still be there.

I bought it from someone I can totally trust and will ask him about it but first want to get to the bottom of it myself. It's also still covered by Apple Care so i should be OK.

Any ideas - is it just a bad battery or do you have any other ideas?

 

[Dangerous Theory]

Odd. Was it used a lot cus the low cycle count suggests it was on constant AC which can damage lithium batteries. A small internal battery should take care of clock time though, I believe?

 

[lloyd709]

Odd. Was it used a lot cus the low cycle count suggests it was on constant AC which can damage lithium batteries. A small internal battery should take care of clock time though, I believe?

I don't think it was - it was literally mint - but perhaps it had been sitting on table plugged in for ages. I will have to ask the chap I bought it off but I can't at the moment.

As you pointed out, the internal battery (I think it's called a PRAM) should take care of the clock time so it's puzzling.