Windows Shut-down, Sleep, Hibernate or Hybrid sleep? Pick horses for courses

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If you were to click the circular Windows button on the bottom left corner that has replaced the ’start’ button in your Windows 7 operating system, you will find a shutdown button in the start menu. Next to this button is a small triangle that when clicked reveals options like ‘log off’, ‘restart’, ’sleep’ and ‘hibernate’. It’s important to understand what these options mean and when to use each of them. This can save you precious minutes while working and save unnecessary power draining from your computer.

When you choose to completely shut down a computer, the operating system starts ending each of the background processes one by one prompting you to save any unsaved data. Then it powers down completely.

If you use the restart option, all the above are done and then the computer automatically starts a fresh boot sequence. This might be very useful while installing upgrades and new software.

In the sleep option, the computer goes into a power saving mode and turns off the monitor while still running your processes in the background. This enables you to quickly get back to what you were doing.

The hibernate option gives you the best of both worlds. It shuts down the system completely and also lets you get back to your work as soon as your system is turned on again. Each of these options are powerful in their own right if used the right way.

When Shut-down option should be used?

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This option is best used when you are done with all the work for the day or are retiring to bed for the night. If you will not need what you are working on right now when you come back or you have saved all the files you will need and wont be returning to the computer for 4 to 5 hours, its best to shut your system down. This will save precious power and will give you a fresh start when you get back to your computer.

If you have to open up the cabinet of your CPU or make any hardware changes to the computer, make sure that you shut down the system and unplug the power. Also, if you are connecting any piece of hardware that does not connect through a USB port, it is advisable to first shut down your system.

When to use Sleep option?

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If you are taking a break from work to grab a coffee or heading over to the restroom, you might want to use the sleep option. It is best used when you have unsaved files that you would want to get back to. You can put your system to sleep if you are expected to return within an hour. Your monitor will be immediately switched off, the computer fan turned off and the system goes into power saving mode.

By just hitting a key, you should be able to resurrect the system to its full functionality and within seconds. Your desktop will look exactly the same and you can continue working instantaneously.

When to use Hibernate option?

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You can use the hibernate option when you have to close up and shut shop in a hurry, don’t have time to save everything that you were working on and know that you wont be returning to it for a while. Hibernate shuts down the computer completely like with the shutdown option. But before initiating the shutdown, it stores in the hard drive a snapshot of the processes and applications that were running at the time of hibernating.

So, the next time you switch on your computer, the same processes and applications are loaded again as though you never turned it off. This is extremely useful with laptops when the power is draining out and you do not want to leave it in the sleep mode.

Hybrid Sleep is also a good option

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Hybrid sleep is another good option, which is a combination of sleep and hibernate option. Like with regular sleep, it turns off your monitor and goes into a power saving mode. But before doing that it takes a snapshot of your processes and applications, just in case. This way, even if the power fails on your desktop or your laptop’s battery runs out, your work is still safely saved on your hard drive. This option is provided by default on some desktops.

Using hybrid sleep option gives you the flexibility to take a break as long as you like without having to get back to your system in a hurry. Even if you have unsaved data, it will all be safe when you return.

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