Sleep vs Shut Down

[Cs342]

I am in the habit of shutting down my computer every night, but recently I have found this more and more annoying since I'm starting to work with some big files, spreadsheets etc and would prefer to have my session exactly where it was when I left off. Would putting the computer to sleep every night (in other words never shutting it down) be a good or bad idea? 

[virusal19]

Lots of people put their computers to sleep so I wouldn't think that there would be a problem. 

 

you'll want to shut down the computer every week or two to let your computer do some updates and shut down programs. 

[xAdam]

I only tend to put it to sleep if when i come back i cant be bothered to find what i was doing last, but it should be fine.. id say just turn it off and on one night a week or so just to give it a chance to refresh and restart its background programs, properly shutting down programs, since some stuff can be left open by accident.. using up RAM 

[Damikiller37]

Usually just put my PC to sleep during the day when I know I will be back onto it soon and then at night before sleep I turn it off. My friend never shuts his down and always has it on sleep so I don't see how it could be a problem.

[abby]

I put it to sleep most of the time and once a week i turn it off completely to allow a fresh start. Never faced any issues and putting it to sleep is just more convenient. 

[Glenwing]

Sleep turns off everything but the RAM, basically, so it keeps your session stored.  There's no issues with leaving your computer in sleep for a long time, or not shutting down every few days.  Heck my computer has been on for a few months straight since I just leave it on folding all night lol.

[MG2R]

I never restart my desktop, unless Windows 8 forces me to update ;) Absolutely no problem with it!
 

On my laptop, I always hibernate, because Windows 8 is booted back up in about 5 secs, so I try to save some battery life.

 

The uptime on my laptop was 35 days, until a few days ago, when Windows forced me to reboot.

[Humbug]

I only use sleep on my laptop when moving it around and to save battery life. With my desktop I either shut down or just leave it on (if needed).

[brownninja97]

My computer goes on sleep during the day but i turn it off during the night. Saying that it auto starts at 7am so when i wake up around that time it is already there to use eevn though my hdd takes about a minute to load. Thats the reason i dont use an ssd because i dont really care about waiting.

[hehehehhehehehe]

My computer goes on sleep during the day but i turn it off during the night. Saying that it auto starts at 7am so when i wake up around that time it is already there to use eevn though my hdd takes about a minute to load. Thats the reason i dont use an ssd because i dont really care about waiting.

How do you set auto on??

[Huntsman]

How do you set auto on??

 

There's a wake function in the BIOS you can set.

 

 

I personally put my laptops to sleep during the day when I need to bring it with me. Ubuntu resumes so fast so it's not a big problem. When I reach home I leave it to fold through the night while maybe downloading some school stuff then shut down in the morning before I head out. 

 

Think sleep is okay since everything is suspended to RAM but hibernate on the other hand, would take up alot of space since everything is suspended to hard disk. Unless you have an SSD, the resume would take some time I think.

[Cs342]

Would the RAM overheat if the computer is left on sleep for 12 hours?

[Daayzy]

When you sleep your computer, it just keeps the RAM on and shuts down everything else. I have read that it's actually better for your PC to actually never shut it down or put it to sleep. But sleep is the best alternative. I sleep my PC every night for about a week and I will shut it down and restart to make a fresh start. Haven't had any problems with that at all.

[isakhejnesen]

Lots of people put their computers to sleep so I wouldn't think that there would be a problem. 

 

you'll want to shut down the computer every week or two to let your computer do some updates and shut down programs. 

yes it is a problem. On the long run. It isn't good for your computer. TO keep your computer in good condition always shut it down, when you go to sleep. If you are just going ot for 1 hour or something it isnt a problem. And most Importantly ALWAYS SHUT COMPUTER DOWN WHEN MOVING IT. If you don't you can risk harming the harddrives witch arent completely shut of when in sleep mode.

[That Norwegian Guy]

Neither, just keep it running. Better for the long term health of power supply, fans and HDDs. Not so much for the other components, but it won't really affect them (much) negatively either.

[KaareKanin]

I only shut down my laptop when it runs out of battery, otherwise I just close the lid (and it goes to sleep). It's months since I last had it shut down, and it is completely fine. But if you are uncertain about sleep mode, you can hibernate. This mode should save your session to the drive and then shut down the computer as normal. When you start it up again, it should resume windows as you left it

 

yes it is a problem. On the long run. It isn't good for your computer. TO keep your computer in good condition always shut it down, when you go to sleep. If you are just going ot for 1 hour or something it isnt a problem. And most Importantly ALWAYS SHUT COMPUTER DOWN WHEN MOVING IT. If you don't you can risk harming the harddrives witch arent completely shut of when in sleep mode.

I have empirical evidence that you are wrong sir.

[qazwertsad232]

I just leave my computer on, if I'm going to sleep at night I just turn off the monitor. For now its been up for 25 days straight without turning it off. And I'm using a pirated windows so I don't think I'll be shutting her down anytime soon.

[Cs342]

I just leave my computer on, if I'm going to sleep at night I just turn off the monitor. For now its been up for 25 days straight without turning it off. And I'm using a pirated windows so I don't think I'll be shutting her down anytime soon.

That was not wise...

[Wulfgar]

I put it to sleep almost all of the time unless it needs to shut down for updates. I also have a UPS because my town has random power loss for very short periods of time. Keeps my RAM powered when that happens.

[AirFie]

Shutdown if only I'm not using in long time.

[Wats]

I never turn my pc off, I rarely use sleep.

 

Would the RAM overheat if the computer is left on sleep for 12 hours?

nahh, sleep is just a fancy off. Ram doesn't even overheat in those test ovens. HW goes through a ton of testing and torture before they release it to market. RMAs cost a lot more than good parts and a hot box.

[MG2R]

yes it is a problem. On the long run. It isn't good for your computer. TO keep your computer in good condition always shut it down, when you go to sleep. If you are just going ot for 1 hour or something it isnt a problem. And most Importantly ALWAYS SHUT COMPUTER DOWN WHEN MOVING IT. If you don't you can risk harming the harddrives witch arent completely shut of when in sleep mode.

Do you have ANY idea how a computer works, what power states are and how Windows operates under the hood? There isn't a single thing in your statement that is true.

 

Would the RAM overheat if the computer is left on sleep for 12 hours?

Ask yourself this question: if RAM doesn't overheat when you are working on your computer, or, in other words, when you are constantly doing memory operations (e.g. moving things in and out of the memory) and it has to work hard. Why would it overheat when it just needs to sit there, remembering your data as it was when you put your computer to sleep.

 

Let me explain what Windows does when you tell it to shut down, sleep or hibernate. For this explanation to make sense, you need to know that, during normal operation, Windows puts every thing you're working on into RAM (e.g. Windows itself, programs that are open, data that is loaded into programs, etc., etc...). When you tell it do a multiplication of 5 and 6, it stores 5 and 6 in RAM and when you press the = button in calculator, it moves 5 and 6 from RAM to the CPU, the CPU calculates 5*6 and puts the result (30) back in RAM.

 

Now, when you:

• Shut down: Windows closes all running programs (removing them from RAM), logs you out, saves your settings and powers down your PC. The only thing left that is running is the Real Time Clock (RTC).
• Sleep: Windows "pauses" the execution of programs. All of the data stays in RAM. Windows puts your computer into sleep state, meaning that the only things left running are the RTC and your RAM, so it doesn't lose your data. (RAM is known as volatile memory, meaning that it loses its data when power is removed)
• Hibernate: as with sleep, Windows "pauses" the execution of programs. After that it creates a file on your HDD/SSD called "hiberfil.sys", containing everything that the RAM contains. After that, it shuts down (so the exact same procedure as shut down, exit Windows and power down). The only thing that is left running is the RTC (in other words: your computer is OFF).

When you power on and your pc was:

• shut down: this is known as a "cold boot". Your pc starts up, POSTs and starts loading Windows. Windows Initializes hardware, drivers, etc, etc. You log in and create a new session.
• sleeping: your pc starts up, resuming execution of the last instruction the CPU was asked to do, it's as if your PC never even stopped.
• hibernating: your pc starts up as if it were a cold boot. The system POSTs and starts loading Windows. Windows however, starts loading the RAM with the contents of hiberfil.sys, thus putting your pc in the same state as it was before it stopped.

I hope this shows you that there isn't any risk in using sleep or hibernate. You do not need to shut down Windows, unless you want to update components that are actively in use (e.g. system files).

[Blue Pixel]

When you shut your PC down do you also switch of the PC via the PSU or just shut it down but leave the PSU on? Any ill effects from doing either of these?

[Nayjames123]

When you shut your PC down do you also switch of the PC via the PSU or just shut it down but leave the PSU on? Any ill effects from doing either of these?

the board is in such a low power state that it really isnt necessary to switch off the psu

[Legion]

With my SSD I shouldn't care if I shut down or sleep, but one of my drives acts as a temporary server for some of the laptops and phones in the house before my PC is backed up to the server in the office.

 

Handier considering most of the stuff auto syncs with my rig anyway. Plus I'm a firm believer in you can never have enough backups.