Battery Charge Monitor Problem

From: Eric M. Jackson (jacksone_at_seas.upenn.edu)
Date: 02/22/05 

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 20:20:55 -0600

Problem:

My Battery Charge Monitor 2.8.0 (from the Gnome-applets RPM) does not
properly report changes in the power connection. If Fedora boots with the
AC cord plugged in, it will always indicate that the laptop is plugged in,
even if the connection state changes. If Fedora boots on battery, the
monitor, will always indicate laptop is on battery, even in the connection
state changes and the laptop is plugged in.

Background Info:
***SOFTWARE***
Distrobution: Fedora Core 3 (patched nightly).
Kernel: 2.6.10-1.766_FC3 (has affected all FC3 kernels).
Gnome-applets RPM: gnome-applets-2.8.0-5
***HARDWARE***
IBM THINKPAD T21 (with original BIOS as I do not have a floppy drive).

Questions:
1). Could it be that my BIOS is so old? Does the Battery Charge Monitor
talk to the BIOS in a way that this could be the problem? If memory suits
me the battery charge monitor worked fine under FC2, but in writing this
post I am wondering if this could be the problem.
2). Has anybody else experienced a similar problem, particularly with a
similar problem (especially with Fedora Core or Thinkpad 21s)?
3). Any additional suggestions?