Hibernation Versus Sleep Mode: What is the difference?

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A lot of people ask me “What is the difference between Hibernation and Sleep Modes on my Computer?”. So here is a brief explanation in non-technical terms.

Hibernation mode:

  • Primarily a power saving function.
  • Saves data to the hard drive and then turns off the computer.
  • Uses the least amount of power.
  • Use this mode when you know you are leaving your laptop and might not have a chance to juice up the battery and you don’t want to lose what programs and data you currently have open.
  • The computer or laptop can be moved with no chance of damage as all components are off.

Sleep mode:

  • This function is also power saving on your battery but unlike hibernation low amounts of power is still being consumed.
  • Puts the computer into an “as is” condition so when you come back, everything you were working on should be back to where it was.
  • Should take just a few seconds to resume back to how you left it.
  • Does not totally shutdown the computer like with hibernation but powers down components that are not needed.
  • Moving the computer may damage some components as some parts may still be operational.

In a nutshell, sleep mode is the best option for short period of downtime and hibernate for longer down times.

For those having problems, here is a quick troubleshooting guide:

  • XP and Vista users with low memory – neither hibernation or sleep should be used if you are having problems.
  • Windows 7 & 8 should not have any problems. If you do, you might want to get your computer looked at.
This entry was posted in Tips & Tricks by David Perkovic. Bookmark the permalink.

About David Perkovic

David founded DP Computing in 1993. With a Computer Science degree and over 25 years of IT experience David has advanced computer, server and networking skills. He has personally designed, setup and administered many Microsoft based networks and likes to share his knowledge via blog posts and Youtube videos.

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