Microsoft: USB bug drains laptop batteries

An unfixed bug in the USB driver of Windows XP Service Pack 2 causes a notebook’s battery to drain faster than usual when there is a device connected to its USB port, Microsoft Corp. confirmed today.

In a statement through its public relations firm, Waggener Edstrom Inc., Microsoft also admitted that the flaw, which lies in the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) driver of Windows XP SP 2, will remain without an easy-to-apply fix indefinitely. The ACPI is part of the operating system’s power management scheme for USB 2.0, the latest standard for USB peripheral ports on notebook computers.

The flaw affects some Intel-based laptop computers, according to Microsoft. The company informed its support and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) hardware partners of its existence in July 2005 through an article in its knowledge base, a searchable database where support partners can find information about Microsoft technology.

In that article, the company outlined a registry key fix for the bug, but this fix requires a “deep understanding” of the operating system and there are risks involved with implementing it so it is not meant for general customer user, Microsoft said.

Microsoft confirms USB bug that drains laptop batteries - Computerworld