What is hibernating?

Answer 1

Computers have different modes depending on what it detects being done on them or not being done on them. When you are working in Windows, your operating system will remain in an "awake" or active state, meaning hard drive access, seeing images on your screen and what you are working on (files, email, internet browsing, ect), as well as access to your cameras, printers, and other peripherals that may be connected to your machine. When it goes into screensaver mode, Windows will depending on what screensaver you have selected place random images on your screen to keep images from burning themselves permanently on your computer screen (this is especially true for ctr or cathode ray screens like an older style television is), thats why they call it a screensaver and it will activate if Windows doesn't detect any work or activity after a certain length of time. Hibernation is where after Windows hasn't detected any activity or work after it goes into screensaver mode it will to save power begin shutting down your computer screen, hard drive, and peripherals. There are essentially two types, standby where you can "wake up" your computer by simply pressing a key on your keyboard or movement of your mouse or complete hibernation where you may need to restart your computer by using your power button on your tower or a switch located on your laptop, then it will go through the entire boot-up process and start up your computer as well as Windows as if it were doing it from a cold start.

Answer 2

Computers have settings for 'hibernating' and going into 'sleep' mode.

This turns off essential motors and screens and its like you at work but you decide to take a nap. You wake up immediately and continue working.

But, I do not prefer this for my computer and although my desktop has been running 24/7 for almost 5 years, I only turn off power to the monitor and leave the rest alone.

My laptop is 7 years old and running fine. When I'm done with a job, I shut it down. It only takes a minute or two to turn it back on and return to a job.

My reasoning: I do not want my HD motor and components to continually turn on or off and go into hibernation or sleep. An electronic component has enough stress without jolting it 2 or 3 times a day coming out of hibernation or sleep. The HD life is too long to worry about a couple hours.

Sarge

Answer 3

Hibernating is feature that takes a snapshot of your system, stores it on your disk (temporarily), and shuts off all power to the system (Hard drive, CPU, Memory, everything). When the computer is powered back on, it returns to the point that the snapshot was taken, bringing up all applications that were open, and everything.
Stand-by is different in the way the snapshot is stored. Stand-by mode stores the snapshot in memory, thus only disabling power to the CPU, and hard drive. If power is completely lost to the computer, that snapshot is gone.

Answer 4

Hibernating is a state your computer goes into when its not in use. The hard drive is idle and so is the monitor. This is often confused with the Standby option.. with Standby, the hard drive is still working.

Answer 5

Hi. The computer stores all of its current data to the hard disk in a special file, then powers off. Upon re awakening, the data is loaded from the file back into RAM.

Answer 6

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.

Answer 7

Hybernating depends on what context you use it in. It could mean the state in which an animal stores up food and sleeps all winter long. Or it could meant that your computer in sleeping until you need it again. You need to be more specific

Answer 8

http://www.hibernate.org/hib_docs/reference/en/html/tutorial.html