Sleep, Shut Down, and Hibernate – What is the difference?
Sleep, Shut Down, and Hibernate – What is the difference?
By Jeandre de Beer / Kim Komando
We have already discussed whether or not you really need to shut down your computer at night. If you haven’t seen it, click here.
One of the big reasons people don’t turn their computer off regularly is that it’s so slow to start up again.
That’s why other power-saving options exist that are faster.
I’m sure you’ve seen the Sleep and Hibernate options. But now Windows 8 also has Fast Boot and Hybrid Shutdown built in.
And then there are high-speed solid-state hard drives that can make a big difference.
If your head is spinning at the possibilities, don’t worry; it isn’t as bad as you think.
Since not everyone has Windows 8 or a solid-state hard drive, let’s take a look at the more universal Sleep and Hibernate first.
SLEEP
Sleep is the older option, so more people are comfortable using it. Plus, on some computers this is the only option.
When you put your computer into Sleep mode, it’s like pausing a DVD. Your computer stops exactly where you were.
It grabs your open files, folders and programs and puts them into your computer’s RAM.
Your processor, hard drive, graphics system and everything else are turned off, or put on minimum power. When you turn the computer back on, it loads up your information from RAM and is ready to go almost instantly.
Of course, your RAM will still use power to remember your data. And if power goes out, all your work is lost. I hope you saved!
Since desktops are always plugged in, sudden power loss isn’t a huge worry.
However, a laptop may not always be connected. If you use Sleep on an unplugged laptop, it could eventually spell trouble.
That’s why there’s Hibernate.
