What's best, stand by/hibernate/shut down, and what's the difference between stand by and hibernate?

Question

I have a Dell laptop, I leave the computer and come back 1-2 times a day, should it stand by or hibernate, and at night should it be in 1 of those modes or shut down? Thank you =)

Answer 1

According to Microsoft:
The power management features in Windows XP include Hibernate and Standby. Hibernate saves an image of your desktop with all open files and documents, and then it powers down your computer. When you turn on power, your files and documents are open on your desktop exactly as you left them. Standby reduces the power consumption of your computer by cutting power to hardware components you are not using. Standby can cut power to peripheral devices, your monitor, even your hard drive, but maintains power to your computer's memory so you don't lose your work.

;-D Power to the people! Save power for the People!

Answer 2

Shut Down when through or at night, Hibernate after 45 minutes, Standby after 15 minutes.

Hibernate saves an image of your laptop with all open files and documents, and then it powers down. When you turn on the power, your files and documents are open on your laptop exactly as you left them.

Standby reduces the power consumption of your laptop by cutting power to the internal hardware components you are not using. Standby can cut power to internal peripheral devices, your display, even your hard drive, but maintains power to your laptop's memory so you don't lose your work. Very important when you are away from home.

Answer 3

I turn power options to always on and just have the monitor go into hibernate....you can't trust that it won't hang otherwise.
I may have the hard drive hibernate on a laptop just to keep the heat down.
always shut off during the night on a laptop...the heat is the killer!

Answer 4

hibernate close the laptop off yet retains everthing a similar once you boot it lower back up. stand by using is comparable to sleep mode. or thats what i'm getting from it. i dont think of theres any different thank you to describe it