PowerBook G4 Battery Problem

Question

When I unplug the power cord from my PowerBook, it immediately turns off - even though the battery is '99% charged'. As soon I plug the power cord back in, the date is now set to December of '69!
Can anyone tell me what the problem is?

Answer 1

t sounds like you also need a new external battery, as when you unplug it, the system shuts down. If you push the button on the battery, do any of the LEDs light up? NO If you click on the blue apple, about this mac, more info, and power, does it show any full charge capacity? HERE IS THE INFO:
System Power Settings:
AC Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes): 5
Dynamic Power Step: No
Reduce Processor Speed: No
Automatic Restart On Power Loss: No
Wake On AC Change: No
Wake On Clamshell Open: Yes
Wake On LAN: No
Wake On Modem Ring: No
Display Sleep Uses Dim: Yes
Battery Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 5
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 5
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes): 5
Dynamic Power Step: Yes
Reduce Processor Speed: No
Automatic Restart On Power Loss: No
Wake On AC Change: No
Wake On Clamshell Open: Yes
Wake On Modem Ring: No
Display Sleep Uses Dim: Yes
Reduce Brightness: Yes
Battery Information:
Battery Installed: Yes
First low level warning: No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 46033
Remaining Capacity (mAh): 45933
Amperage (mA): 0
Voltage (mV): 12212
Cycle Count: 703
AC Charger Information:
AC Charger (Watts): 65
Connected: Yes
Charging: No
Hardware Configuration:
Clamshell Closed: No
UPS Installed: No
How many cycles? DON'T KNOW - I'M A NOVICE USER! One failure mode for lithium batteries is that the data about the battery is bogus, ie, it shows 21,000mAh capacity (versus normal around 3500mAh).
THANKS FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTION.