Windows XP Hibernate - will save you time and money!

If you use Windows XP read on...

Carrying on from the keyboard shortcuts topic last week I'd like to share another shortcut / feature that will save you bucketloads of time especially if you like to completely shut down your computer when you are finished using it. It is called Hibernate

Quote:

How to Hibernate in Windows XP:

- Go to Start -> Turn Off Computer

- The buttons "Stand By", "Turn Off" and "Restart" will appear. Keep you eye on the "Stand By" button.

- Hold the Shift key on your keyboard and you will see the "Stand By" button change to a "Hibernate" button.

- While still holding the Shift key click the "Hibernate" button and your computer will enter a hibernation state.

- To bring it out of hibernation state simply turn your computer back on.

What's so good about the hibernation state you may ask. Well normally if you want to power down your computer you have to save your work and shut it down completely. Hibernation on the other hand allows you to power down your computer without saving your work first.

So let's say for example you are writing a reply to a topic on GardenStew and you suddenly remember that you were supposed to meet someone for a coffee and you are LATE Shocked

No time to finish the reply but you also wouldn't like to power down your computer as you are trying to save electricity this month. Simply follow the steps to hibernate your computer and go for your coffee. When you return turn your computer back on and like magic you can continue where you left off. You've also saved a few precious cents on that electricity bill.

Give it a try. Since I discovered it a few years ago I rarely ever shut my computer down completely.

// Frank

Many people will get confused with the terminology of hibernate, suspend, standby or sleep. There are many different ways to activate one of the above power saving modes on different computers. And different computers or operating systems may interpret these power saving modes differently.

In general, there are three different levels of power saving modes:

Level 1. Turn screen and hard drive off. Uses less power than full mode.

Level 2. Turn computer off (screen, hardrive, CPU, GPU, fan) but leave a trickle of power to keep RAM intact.

Level 3. Copy entire contents of RAM to hard drive, and turn computer completely off. Uses no power at all.

In Win95, 98, standby is level 1, suspend is level 2, hibernate (or sleep) is level 3.

In XP and Vista, Stadby is level 2, the same thing as suspend. Level 1 can be achieved by automatic power saving configuration in display settings (under Screensaver tab).

Some keyboards feature a "Sleep" hot key. To put your computer into hibernation, simply press the key (usually with a Moon icon).

Some computer allows you to click the power button to put the computer into hibernation. Click the power button to awake the computer. Please note, if you press the power button and hold it for a few seconds without releasing, you will turn off the computer.

XP/Vista laptops will go into hibernation when you close the lid. Old laptops just go to standby or suspend. However, some application or network/device dirver may probit the computer to go into hibernation, and if your laptop is on battery, you will lose your unsaved work. Pay attention to the LED indicator and make sure that your laptop is really in sleep mode.

Hibernation requires longer time to prepare for obvious reason.