any computers users are wondering if they have to shutdown their
computers or to hibernate it, when they finish their work. There are
many also who have never heard about hibernation.
What is Hibernation ?
Hibernation is a function intended mostly for laptop computers.
This
would help the system to shut down faster to prevent data loss from
battery exhaustion. Hibernate saves all the data in the hard drive and
then shutdown. After restore, the data are being restored quickly from
the hard drive and you’re ready to continue the work, as you left it.
What is Shutdown ?
At shutdown, the windows (or any other OS) is closing the running
programs and completely shut down the system. In the next power-on, the
system will BOOT the OS, including all drivers and software installed.
This can take a lot of time, in addition to hibernation.
Hibernate or Shutdown ?
The answer is Hibernate. Whether you are in Laptop/Netbook or Desktop
Computer, Hibernate is the best option for you if you intent to use the
computer again in the same day. It will save you much time, as it will
be restored faster, and energy, as the shutdown and boot up process can
take several minutes to complete. However, if you installed lots of new
applications or made critical system updates it is wise to shut it down
or restart the computer, to ensure proper function and speed of the new
software.
In conclusion, Hibernation is a safe & quick way to get back to
your work, while the computer was Hibernated. At Hibernation, the
computer is completely switched off and it does not consume any power.
If you intent to use Hibernation, remember that once a month you can
shut it down, to prevent software issues, as during the BOOT everything
is running from the beginning.
You can activate the hibernation mode from power options in the
Control Panel. In Windows XP, you can hibernate your computer with Task
Manager.
source : http://www.newpayperpostforum.com/pc-shutdown-or-hibernation/