Hibernate – small feature, big use

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This is a very common feature used by many people(even if you are not a geek). But I would still like to write about it, because this is a very small and potentially great feature available in almost all the Operating Systems now a days.

If you yet don’t know about this option, then we would be very happy to let you know about this…..

This option would save the time used to boot your computer, by resuming your works directly from the point where you left.

When your computer hibernates, it stores whatever it has in memory on your hard disk and then shuts down. When your computer comes out of hibernation, it returns to its previous state.

While shutting down your computer, select the option Hibernate, instead of selecting Shutdown. And that’s it, you are done.

Here are some screen shots..

Windows XP :-

If hibernate option is missing means, here is a work around to get it in place.

Right click on your desktop, select properties. And then click on the Screen saver tab, now follow the below screen shot..

Now after you Enable hibernation option, click on the OK button. This should get you the option working.

UBUNTU screen shot below :-

Hibernate option is useful in following cases :-

1. When there is power failure and the UPS backup is dying and you know that, the power will be back shortly. In this case, it will be frustrating to shutdown and again boot the computer, when power is back. So in such case use Hibernate option, to consume your time and mood.

2. It was reported in some studies that, IT and other professionals leave the computers as it is, without shutting it down(in office), just because they need to start it up again tomorrow morning. Now, this will simply waste lot of money(remember, its a national waste). So please use this Hibernate option in office, if you can’t shut it down.

3. While going for a nap. While going out for coffee etc.

4. This option is very helpful for those who have lot of peripherals connected to their computer. Like printer, bluetooth etc, which require you to install separate driver software. This will make your computer to boot slowly. In such case you can make use of this Hibernate option. And you can shut down your computer at the end of the day.

5. And if you are using different IM, and download manager, spywares, malwares, bla..bla..bla, then your computer needs some more time, after booting, to start working in its normal way. So in such case also you can make use of Hibernate option, and shutdown only at the end of the day.

Now this option is so good, then why should we ever shutdown our computer ? Lets all consume our time and do someother useful work in that time! Its right to get that kind of thoughts, but the reality is, your computer becomes slower, if you use this option all the time. Its advisable to shutdown your computers atleast once in a day, inorder to maintain its health.

But actually, personal computers are built to handle such things. And I am almost confirm that, there will be no problem to RAM, as it will unload all its content as usual, when you use the hibernate option. As I said earlier, it will unload all its content into hard disk and then load it back when we turn on the computer again. So there will be almost no effect on RAM. But still, as we know technology is not 100% perfect, its just the long, unending journey towards perfection. So I think Permanent use of Hibernate option may cause in the failure of some hardware parts(over time) and it may also corrupt the Operating System over time. I am talking about the personal computers and not the Super computers(which will be having high configuration and will not have any effect even after using hibernate option over years).

I have put only windows and Ubantu Hibernate screen shot here. If you use some other Operating System(OS), then please send the screen shots to me(with hibernate option) and you would be helping lot of people out there, reading this post.

Also share your thoughts about this article in the comment section.