Windows XP powersaving and hibernation.
 

Sometimes I leave my pc on whilst I mooch off to do other things. The monitors go to standby after about 20 minutes, but I've never used the power-saving 'system standby' or 'hibernation' modes for windows.

Any of you guys use them or recommend settings for power-saving/hibernation, or have any problems when using this?

Ta.

I never used them. The reason is I have read were putting the computer into a hibernate mode will not wake up sometimes. Same issue I have read with Vista. Just based on reading about issues like this I do not use the powersavers or hibernate. I shut it down. Save your hardware, electricity and less dust getting sucked into the machine when it is not necessary to run the machine. Just my thoughts on the matter. :03:

Basically have this thing running 24/7. Monitors and HDs shut down, but system stays "live". Tried "sleep" on Win7, but then the system enters a cycle of switching on and off every few seconds. Probably because of incorrect settings, but I can't be bothered to figure it out. :roll:

Never use them for desktops on my laptops I use hibernate quite a bit.

No issues yet though sometimes it takes a restart anyhow makes you wonder whats the point.

I'm with AVG on this one. If I won't be using the beast for a couple hours, I shut it off. I've seen hibernate cause problems but it's usually associated with running programs and the like.

Xp and Vista "hibernate" settings are great ideas - badly implemented.

For example - let me give you a perfect example using a software package I work with every day. Say you use a program that communicates through a serial port to another seperate device. Now, your system goes into hibernation, the serial port just went to sleep too. No biggie ya think?

Well, guess again. When you move the mouse to wake up your system - there sits your program and all your other stuff - but somehow things don't work right. You start getting weird address errors, or "cannot access" messages.

The reason - xp and vista wake up - but for whatever reason some associated "devices" - in this case the serial port - doesn't. You want to access whatever you have plugged in there? Reboot. Thats your only option - which makes the "sleep" mode rather useless.

This is but one example, but you get the idea....

Thanks guys, you've confirmed what I sort of had suspicions on - In all the time I've used computers at work and at home I've never known anyone to use the sleep/hibernate modes available in windows... there had to be a reason for this :O: