Difference between sleep and hibernation

What is the difference between sleep and hibernation in Windows?

Sleep:

When you set your computer to sleep [or done automatically with power settings], what happens is that as the computer shuts down, the contents currently in use or running will be saved to the computer’s memory and the computer is shut down. To turn the computer on, press the computer’s power button.

Advantage: Shuts down and starts up the computer quite fast.

Disadvantage: For a laptop, it relies on your battery or power from an outlet only. If the battery dies and the power adapter not plugged in or if the battery dies and there is a power failure, whatever was running is lost. Documents will be saved if saved prior to going into sleep mode.

For a desktop, it relies on the computer’s power from an outlet only. If there is a power failure, whatever was running is lost. Documents will be saved if saved prior to going into sleep mode.

Hibernation:

With hibernation, when your computer is shut down, the contents currently in use or running will be saved to the computer’s hard disk or solid state drive and the computer is shut down. To turn the computer on, press the computer’s power button.

Advantage: Whatever you had open or was running as the computer shuts down is saved to your hard disk or solid state drive. Even if the laptop’s battery dies or there is a power failure, you will not lose anything that has been saved.

Disadvantage: Shuts down and start up is slower. Although if your computer has a solid state drive, then the shut down and start up isn’t as bad but still slower than sleep.

Notes:

If your computer is connected to a battery backup [a.k.a. uninterruptable power supply (UPS)], the UPS will keep the computer “alive” for a little while if there is a power failure. If the UPS software from the manufacturer is installed, the UPS will shut down the computer – a full shut down – not sleep or hibernate.

Power options or settings can be set in the Control Panel. From here you can dictate when to shut certain hardware off to conserve power [or battery life] as well as when the computer shuts down.

Review your computer’s manual as there may be other ways to wake your computer from sleep or hibernation.

To see how to conserve your battery see http://wp.me/p1wU4v-ZN