The recall of battery units affects notebooks including the HP ProBook, HP Envy, Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion that were sold between those dates. It is an expansion of the company’s earlier recall from June, when 41,000 units were returned for inspection.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is now recommending that consumers remove the batteries from affected devices and contact HP for free replacements through its Safety Recall and Replacement Program webpage. HP advises users to simply remove their batteries for now and use A/C power while waiting for replacement units to arrive.

The company has released a Battery Program Validation Utility for Windows devices that will check the status of an affected battery within 30 seconds. Alternatively, users can manually enter their notebook and battery information and have the unit validated through HP’s website.

An HP spokeswoman confirmed to CNET that less than one percent of all notebooks sold during the three and a half-year timespan were listed as potential recall units.

CPSC chairman Elliot Kaye said in a statement that consumer electronics companies need to modernize and improve safety standards for lithium-ion batteries while continuing research on safer replacement materials. "Consumers should never have to worry that a battery-powered device might put them, their family or their property at risk,” he said.