Conserving laptop battery power in DOS 6.x Which DOS 6.x utility enables power management to reduce energy use and extend battery life on portable PCs?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Power.exe

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Mobile DOS systems benefit from software power management that idles the CPU and peripherals when inactive. DOS 6.x included a lightweight utility to enable or tune Advanced Power Management settings, helping prolong battery life without special third-party tools.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • System is running MS-DOS 6.x on portable hardware with APM support.
  • User wants to reduce power draw at idle.
  • Candidate utilities resemble power-related names but may be fictitious or unrelated.


Concept / Approach:

POWER.EXE is the MS-DOS power management utility. It enables and configures system power-saving policies, such as standby behavior and CPU idling. Correct usage can materially extend run time between charges when paired with compatible BIOS and drivers.



Step-by-Step Solution:

At the prompt, run POWER to view usage or enable power management.Optionally add POWER to AUTOEXEC.BAT so it loads at startup.Adjust BIOS APM settings to cooperate with DOS power management.Test idle behavior and resume to ensure stability.Monitor battery life improvements across typical workloads.


Verification / Alternative check:

Compare idle power draw and run time with POWER enabled versus disabled. If the BIOS supports APM, you should observe cooler operation and longer battery life when the utility is active.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

a, c, d: These filenames are nonstandard or incorrect for DOS power management.

e: Not applicable because POWER.EXE is the correct utility.



Common Pitfalls:

Expecting aggressive power savings on hardware lacking APM/BIOS support; failing to add the command to startup; confusing POWER with screen savers or CPU throttling tools not present in pure DOS.



Final Answer:

Power.exe

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