Is Sleep Mode Bad For PC Archives

Neither mode is damaging to a computer’s hardware but a handful of programs don’t take too kindly to it and can freeze when the computer starts up. It can also affect some peripherals, like Wi-Fi adaptors, which may need tweaking if they don’t work properly when the computer resumes. The default Sleep and Hibernate settings work best for laptop users running on battery power because all you have to do is close the lid or press the power button. On a desktop PCs you may be better off manually configuring the Windows power options, which can be found in Control Panel, to better reflect your patterns of use. For example, you can set it to switch off the display and power down the drives independently and enter Hibernate or Sleep modes after a period of inactivity, and resume when you click the mouse or use the keyboard. Incidentally, it’s a good idea to switch off and re-boot a regularly sleeping or hibernating computer every so often, once a week, say, to refresh the Windows Registry and implement any configuration changes or updates that may have occurred in the meantime.

Like many laptop owners, you probably put your machine into sleep mode every time you shut the lid to transport it to a new location.

But if you constantly find yourself having to deal with a low battery, there is a better way. Hibernate your laptop instead!

Sleep mode has its place, and that is when you’re going to be away from the laptop for a short while (i.e. when you’re on lunch break).

Hibernating the machine instead during longer breaks in usage can make your laptop’s battery charge last longer. 

The reason is simple: When you place a PC into sleep mode it goes into a low power state during which all of your open programs and data are kept “alive” in RAM.

While it’s true that a laptop in sleep mode “sips” juice from the battery instead of guzzling it, this “sipping” can still drain much of a battery’s charge over the course of even a few hours in some models.

Hibernation on the other hand copies the contents of RAM (the current state of the system) onto the hard drive and completely shuts down the laptop. And when a laptop is shut down, it draws virtually no power from the battery.

The only real downside of hibernation is it takes longer to boot the laptop back up into its previous state so you can get back to work.

Yes, that’s a trade-off that does need to be considered, but I’ve discovered over the years that a few extra seconds of boot time is a small price to pay in exchange for longer battery life.

Note: Depending on your PC’s power settings, you might find that the Hibernate option is currently disabled. If so, you can enable it quite easily.

This post explains how to enable Hibernation in Windows 8.1. If your PC is running Windows 10, click here instead.

Bonus tip #1: If you replace your laptop’s hard drive with an SSD you’ll be able to get back to work in seconds due to much faster boot times! This post explains how to make the switch.

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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.

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