You don't have to have the battery in the slot to power the computer; all you need is the power supply. I take mine out from time to time in order to let it drain.
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Cheers! :-) - JediJoker
Current: - "ProBook:" 15.4" MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.33 GHz - Mac Classic II - Old PowerBook
Moved On: - "The Book of Power:" 12.1" PowerBook G4 Aluminum 1.33 GHz - Purple iMac