What is the difference between saving energy and hibernation?

If you want to switch off your Windows PC, you have the choice between saving energy and hibernation. In this practical tip, we will tell you exactly where the difference lies.

This happens when "saving energy"

• The "Save energy" mode, also known as "Standby" in Windows XP, reduces energy consumption to a minimum. Just enough power is being consumed that the main memory can keep the data of the current session ready for retrieval.
• Advantage: The computer switches off very quickly and also wakes up relatively quickly from the energy-saving mode. This is possible because the current session remains in memory and is not overwritten on the hard disk.
• Disadvantage: The computer continues to consume electricity. This can lead to a surprisingly quickly drained battery, especially with laptops. If the computer crashes in "save energy" mode or the power goes out, all previously unsaved content is lost.
• Therefore, select "Save energy" if you only want to use your computer for a short time and then want to quickly access it again.

This happens in the "idle state"

• If you put the computer to sleep, the current session is saved in the file hyberfil.sys. The computer then no longer consumes electricity. The session is reloaded when it is restarted. The computer may take a little longer to shutdown than usual, but waking from sleep is quicker than restarting.
• Advantage: The computer does not consume any power when it is idle. The entire session can be saved and continued later without consuming electricity. A lot can be saved with an empty battery, especially with a laptop.
• Disadvantage: It takes the computer much longer to wake up from hibernation than from standby.
• Do not use your computer for several hours and want to save the current session, or if the battery on your laptop runs out, you should decide to hibernate.

Notes on saving energy and hibernation

• In both modes, the network connections, such as the connection to the Internet, are disconnected. If a program is running in the background, it is also stopped. So you cannot catch a virus.
• For convenience, don't just put your computer to sleep, but shut it down every now and then. This is the only way for Windows to make changes to the system and empty the memory. If you only go into hibernation, your system will slow down quickly.