Computer Sleep States [On, Sleep, Standby, Hibernate, Off]
Often when editing device properties or BIOS settings, I get confused with power options listed as power state codes. Some of them are useful, but with the evolution of “power-saving” technology, I think some of the differences between some of the power states aren’t so clear, but seemingly unnecessary. Below you will find a table with the power state codes and a short description written in plain English.
|
Power state
|
Code
|
Details
|
|---|---|---|
| On / Working |
S0
|
The computer is powered up. If supported, power conservation is handled by each device. |
| Sleep |
S1
|
CPU is stopped. RAM maintains power. Everything else is off, or in low power mode. |
| Sleep |
S2
|
CPU has no power. RAM maintains power. Everything else is off, or in low power mode. |
| Standby |
S3
|
CPU has no power. RAM maintains power, refreshes slowly. Power supply reduces power. This level might be referred to as “Save to RAM.” Windows enters this level when in standby. |
| Hibernate |
S4
|
Power to most hardware is shut off. Any files in memory are saved to the hard disk in a temporary file. If configured, the NIC will remain on for WOL, or AoL. This level is also known as “Save to disk.” |
| Off |
S5
|
Everything is off. No files are saved. If configured, the NIC will maintain power to listen for WOL (Magic) packets. This is known as a shutdown. |
How to Fix Hibernation in Windows Vista
If the hibernation option is missing from your Vista power options, it’s possible the Hibernation file cleaner was removed from the computer. It seems this can be done using Window’s built in Disk Cleanup utility. Below are the steps to create a new Hibernation file cleaner and restore the hibernation option to the computer:
- Open the Start menu
- Type cmd in the search field (this is the same as going to Start>Run, but I don’t believe “run” appears by default in Vista with the new start menu)
- Type powercfg -h on
- Press ENTER
If you did it correctly, there should be no output on the screen other than another prompt waiting for input. Check your power menu now to see if hibernation appears. Mine immediately appeared as the default option when clicking the power button on the start menu.
[Source]
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