# Win2k hibernate mode and power

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win2k-hibernate-mode-and-power/117986>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 9, 2002, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win2k-hibernate-mode-and-power/117986 "2002-07-09T00:08:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win2k-hibernate-mode-and-power/117986/1 "2002-07-09T00:08:17Z")

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A question I asked myself a year ago or so just popped up again in my head.

When I was in one of my win2k tech classes, there was a brief overview about the win2k hibernate feature - which basically just dumps all of the contents of the memory to the hard drive, powers off, and then loads it back up when you turn it back on.

I remember, though, that there was a little side note that said something like “Warning: When in hibernate mode, the computer is not totally shut off, therefore when using laptops on airplanes, you must shut down normally”.

I brought this point up to my teacher, and we, just to test it, yanked out the power cord after the computer was put into hibernate mode, and it rebooted correctly (loading the hibernate data). So, was this an error on part of the book, or am I missing something?

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**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win2k-hibernate-mode-and-power/117986/2 "2002-07-09T01:47:37Z")

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Sounds like you or the book is confusing “Hibernate” mode with “Stand-by” mode.

In Stand-by, the computer is still on, just on low power. “Hibernate” is exactly what you said, and it turns off the power.

BUT – I am currently using Win2K and I don’t have Hibernate! I have Stand-by. Unless I’m looking in the wrong place… that is, the drop-down list when you click “Shut Down” from the Start Menu.

Windoze ME has Hibernate (not Stand-by). But Win2K, AFAIK, does not. If it does, and I’m looking in the wrong place, please tell me, cuz that was the one thing I DID like about ME.

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**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win2k-hibernate-mode-and-power/117986/3 "2002-07-09T02:23:39Z")

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Look in **Start|Settings|Control Panel|Power Options|Hibernate**

My study materials all said “don’t take any chances, turn the machine completely off.”

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/win2k-hibernate-mode-and-power/117986/4 "2002-07-09T07:00:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Number \*  
> \*\*Look in **Start|Settings|Control Panel|Power Options|Hibernate**
> 
> My study materials all said “don’t take any chances, turn the machine completely off.” \*\*

As did mine, which made me wonder what chances I was taking.