Just as a FYI, I do not use any of these ever. The reason is that they all prevent any scheduled activities from running. For example, I run an anti-virus scan, Spybot, and other programs on a schedule while I sleep. If I were to be in Standby or Hibernate, they would not run. Instead, I use Display Properties (in XP) to turn off my monitor and hard drive after 15 minutes. In this mode, scheduled programs will run.
Hibernate vs. Sleep: What’s the difference?
Q. Hibernate and Sleep seem mighty similar. Is there a notable difference? A friend suggested that prolonged use of Hibernate can damage a PC. Is that true?
A. Hibernate and Sleep (called Standby in XP) are both power-saving features. You’ll find them on both PCs and Macs in some form. I’m not surprised they have you confused. They appear to do the same thing.
When you shut down your computer, you turn everything off. All of your applications, windows and documents have to be closed. Starting up your computer again can take some time. And then you have to reopen everything you want to use.
To save time, you can use Hibernate or Sleep. Both of these save the exact state of your computer. You don’t have to close anything. All your windows, programs and documents are stored as-is.
When you start up the computer, everything is restored. All your windows are just as you left time. They’re even in the same place on your desktop. And you can pick up right where you left off.
They both still seem the same, don’t they? But each offers a different level of power saving and convenience.
Sleep
When using Sleep, your computer’s state is stored in RAM. The display is turned off. Your hard drive is stopped. And other components are shut down. But a minimal amount of power is still applied to the RAM. This allows the RAM to hold on to your computer’s state.
So, your computer isn’t completely off. Starting the computer from Sleep is almost instantaneous. That’s really convenient. You can jump right back into what you were doing.
The downside of Sleep is that it still requires some power. If you lose power for any reason, the RAM is wiped. You’ll lose your computer’s stored state. That could also mean losing any work you haven’t saved.
Hibernate
When using Hibernate, your computer’s state is stored on the hard drive. Your hard drive doesn’t require power to hold on to that information. So, your computer can turn off power to everything.
Starting from Hibernate has the same result as from Sleep. Your computer is restored to exactly where it was before. But coming out of hibernation takes longer. So, it’s less convenient.
But you don’t have to worry about losing power. Even if power is cut, the computer’s state is still stored. Nothing will be lost.
Mac OS X and Windows Vista tweak these features slightly.
Windows Vista has something called Hybrid Sleep. This is a cross between the standard Hibernate and Sleep. The computer’s state is stored in RAM and on the hard drive. Power is still given to the RAM. If nothing changes, the computer boots quickly from RAM. But if power is lost, it boots from the hard drive. So, it’s the best of both worlds.
There is no hybrid Sleep button. It can be turned on and off in the control panel. If it’s on, putting the computer to Sleep automatically uses Hybrid Sleep.
You can check if Hybrid Sleep is on by clicking Start>>Control Panel. Then click Classic View on the left side. Double-click Power Options. Look to the left, and click “Change when the computer goes to Sleep.” Next, select “Change advanced power settings.” A new Power Options window will open. Click the + next to Sleep. Then click the + next to “Allow hybrid Sleep” You can turn it on or off from there. Click OK when finished.
Macs do not have a Hibernate option. But starting with Mac OS X 10.4, Apple introduced Safe Sleep. This does the same thing as Vista’s Hybrid Sleep. This feature is always on. Just click the Apple logo at the top of the screen. Then, select Sleep.
Can Hibernate hurt?
I’m not sure why your friend thinks Hibernate can damage your computer. Hibernate and Sleep are just as safe as shutting down your computer. They offer energy savings and convenience. There's no reason you shouldn’t use them.
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