I don't really have a definitive answer on your battery question unfortunately. I have always been one to exercise my batteries, meaning drain them down and recharge them fairly regularly, even when the laptop has A/C power available. I should probably research this a bit when I have time because I am not sure if it is healthier to let a battery sit on a shelf or if it is better to keep them active, I have always done the latter but batteries have changed so much over the years I am not sure if this is best or not...
Irie