The downside with Sleep is that you lose unsaved data in the case of a complete power loss, this is because the information is stored in RAM. However, a ‘Sleeping’ Windows 7 computer awakens quicker than one which is hibernating. What is the difference between sleep and hibernate? Hibernate saves the contents of memory into a physical file called hiberfil.sys, thus you would not lose unsaved data. Getting Started: Finding the Windows 7 Power Settings Why does Windows 7 hibernate? Good reasons are, to save electricity, to gain peace and quiet, or in my case, to help keep the room cool especially in summer. By knowing where to find the numerous hibernation settings, you can troubleshoot the commonest predicaments. Sadly, it’s all too common to experience Windows 7 hibernation problems.
