The first thing to realize is there are lots of setting controlling
Windows 8's sleep and hibernation. It follows that people experience a wide
range of hibernating related problems.
My point is that you have to work hard to find a description of the exact same
sleep predicament that you are troubleshooting, but don't worry, I have lots of
scenarios to help you understand Windows 8's snoozing habits.
In a nutshell, Windows 8's new hybrid boot technology result in a more
responsive awakening from sleep than experienced in previous Microsoft operating systems.
Finding the Power switch in the Metro UI is a little different from the classic Windows 7 start menu. Typical Microsoft, there are at least
2 ways of causing a machine to slumber!
My favourite method is activating the Metro 'Charms' with Winkey +c, then choosing
'Settings'. You should see the Power switch at the bottom
right - see
screenshot.
A sleeping computer awakens quicker than if you set the same machine set to hibernate. The
price to pay is that a sleeping computer could lose unsaved data if
someone turns it off, this is because the information is stored in RAM,
which is cleared if the operating system powers down.
Although a hibernating machine takes longer to return to its previous state,
the data is safe because it reloads the contents of a physical file called hiberfil.sys
into memory. Consequently, if your spouse accidentally turned off
your
machine while it was hibernating your data would still be just as you left
it. Another benefit of hibernation is that it consumes less power than
sleep mode.
One more point, Windows 8 also has a setting called 'Hybrid
boot', which combines
the speed of sleep with the data security of hibernate.
Encouraging computers to sleep when not in use is a great idea -
until you are away from your desk and need a file on that remote sleeping machine!
Wake-On-LAN really will save you that long walk to awaken a hibernating
machine; however my reason for encouraging you to download this utility is
just because it's so much fun sending those 'Magic Packets'. As Wake-On-LAN (WOL) is free, see
if I am right, and you get a kick from arousing those sleeping machines.
WOL also has business uses for example, wakening machines so that they can have
their patches applied.
Microsoft provides 4 methods of finding the Windows 8 Power Settings:
Plan A: Control Panel Hit the 'c' key on the Metro UI, Select
'Control Panel'
Hardware and Sound --> Power Options
Plan
B: Search Settings Call for the Charms, Winkey +c Select
'Search', Key Point select 'Settings' Type 'Power '
Plan C: Windows 8 PowerCFG Launch cmd, but firstly seek 'Run as Administrator' At
the command prompt type powercfg /? powercfg -q (Query settings) powercfg
-h on (Hibernation set)
Footnote: You can disable hibernation with:
powercfg -h off Exit and restart your computer.
Plan D: (Only if you have battery!) Switch to the Desktop Right-click the battery in the Navigation Area,
Left-click the battery and Select 'More Power Options' (See
screenshot opposite)
Before you start changing the Power settings consider what you want to
achieve, for example, conserving the battery, changing the Power Button options, altering the
wake-up triggers, or simply improving security when you are away from the
machine.
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Start your troubleshooting here: Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound ->
Power Options.
Tip: Even experienced users forget the significance of
'Change settings that are currently unavailable'. Keep this link in
mind if a setting is greyed out.
Configure The Windows 8 Power Button
Click on 'Choose what the power button does' - Key step, see menu above.
This is where you can control what happens when the laptop's lid closes, or when you press the
Power button. If your setting is 'Greyed out', then remember my tip and
click on: 'Change settings that are currently unavailable'.
While I only show the 'On battery' setting, you can also decide what happens
if the laptop is plugged in. Windows 8 has sensors that can detect a
mains supply, and when the mains is turned off the operating system connects instantly
to the battery, and then applies the appropriate power management settings.
Windows 8 Shutdown Options
As you adjust the Power options settings as shown on the right, visualize
the 'Power' button below.
If sleep does not appear then check your BIOS settings. If still no
'Sleep' option, then my guess is that your display driver does not support this mode.
Still stuck? Go back to 'Choose
what the power button does' link.
Power Options --> 'Choose what the power button does' is where you can
enable or disable the new Hybrid Boot, this recommended setting halves the
time Windows takes to reach the initial logon
screen, largely because the Windows core processes retrieve hibernated
files, where as drivers rely on a cold boot. However, for
troubleshooting you can turn off Enable Hybrid
Boot see above screenshot.
Footnote: Hybrid boot is a separate factor from sleep.
For laptop users conserving the battery is a priority. Even for a desktop
computer if it's not use, then there are benefits from managing its
power settings; namely, reducing electricity charges, peace and quiet, and in
the summer, helping to keep the room cool.
When I work with the graphics at maximum brightness, my Sony Vaio's
battery only lasts for about 2hrs. Therefore, anything that I can do
to conserve battery power, will increase the time I can use my laptop away
from the mains electricity.
Get Started with: 'Change settings for the plan':
Key Item: 'Change advanced power settings'
Please remember: Change settings that are currently unavailable.
Windows 8 Sleep and Hibernation
Windows 8's Hibernation saves information about open
programs to a file
called hiberfil.sys, which you can inspect in the root of the C: drive. This hidden file keeps your data is safe even if
someone switches off the mains, or removes the battery. When the
machine restarts, it loads information stored in hiberfil.sys and returns
the machine to its former state quickly.
To observe hiberfil.sys, and check its size, you may need to adjust
the Windows Explorer's settings. What I do is go to the Control Panel,
Appearance and Personalization, then
'Show hidden files and folders'. Plan B call for PowerShell and type gci c:\
-hidden.
Once you understand the role of
hiberfil.sys, then you appreciate why the Hibernation setting may NOT be present on the
menu. For example, if there is insufficient disk space on
the C: drive, or ancient BIOS software lacks the ability to 'Suspend to disk' or
'Suspend to RAM'. Another gotcha with the Hibernate option, is that Disk Cleanup deletes
the hiberfil.sys file. A solution to this recurring problem is to go to the command line,
and type: powercfg -h on.
Windows 8 Sleep Mode
Windows 8's Sleep saves your data to RAM and then switches to minimal power mode.
There is a 4 second delay as
Windows 8 switches back to
normal power mode. In the event of a power failure you would lose any unsaved data which is stored in
RAM (memory). At this point you will probably have to type in your password to resume after sleep;
fortunately, 'Require a password on wakeup' is another configurable setting from the task list menu.
Windows 8 Sleep and ARM
Microsoft is partnering with ARM-based manufactures such as NVIDIA,
Qualcomm and Texas Instruments to produce new Tablet devices for Windows 8.
This ARM support will mean extended battery life as its RISC processor
inherently consumes less power.
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Sleep and Hibernate
settings will never be 100% reliable. I can report that my experience
of the same Sony VAIO laptop was as follows: with Windows 8 it's a
pleasure to use Sleep, even Remote Desktop kicks-in straightaway. Whereas
with Vista it was a lottery whether it would ever awaken without a hardware
reset / reboot. My laptop's Windows 7 experience was somewhat
in-between, tolerable, but lacked the slick seamless coming-to-life of
Windows 8.
When Windows 8 has a problem, I am trying to train myself to begin troubleshooting by inspecting
the Windows logs. At the new Metro UI type 'ev' and then look in
'Settings'.
A
good place to start in the Event Viewer is with 'Summary of Administrative
Events'. Follow-up by
looking in the System Log and filtering for 'Kernel-Power'
entries. Interesting items would include 'The last sleep transition was unsuccessful', or 'The system is entering sleep'.
Power Options
I am willing to bet that 70% of all Hibernate and Sleep problems are due to
inappropriate settings in the Power Options (Control Panel, Hardware and
Sound). For example, if you don's see a Hibernate option on the
Shutdown menu, then check whether 'Allow hybrid sleep' is set to 'on'. You could
investigate by pressing the Windows key
+x on a laptop, or Start Search, powercfg.cpl on a desktop computer. See screen shot of Allow hybrid sleep
If the computer has a 'Certified for
Windows 7' then there is a good chance that all the power management features
will work. It's just up to
you to configure Sleep or Hybrid Sleep, or else complain to the supplier / manufacturer.
To check your computer's BIOS interrupt the initial boot phase, the special key
is usually
F2 or the delete key, else try the spacebar. If all else fails read the boot screen! Once you have intercepted the
BIOS boot, just examine carefully any options which could enable / disable Sleep.
The settings
are usually, S3 - Suspend to RAM (Sleep) or S4 Suspend to Disk (Hibernate)
Idea: See if there any updates for your BIOS. If so a
later version may cure your sleep problems.
1) Navigate to the 'Power Options' (Start Search
powercfg.cpl) or see above. 2) Select your power plan. 3) Click: Change plan settings. 4) Crucial Links:
a) Change advanced powers settings. b) Change settings that are currently unavailable. 5) Research the
myriad of settings, in particular: 'Sleep' 6) Expand: 'Sleep after'. If it's a laptop check both the 'Plugged in' and the 'On Battery' settings. 7) Choose: 'Never' to prevent your computer going
into sleep mode. 8) Remember to click 'OK'. (Or apply if you want to configure more options.)
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Forget Standby. Windows 8 replaces XP's Standby with Sleep.
Do remember that you can 'Switch User' this will save the other person's
open files. Not really a sleep or hibernate setting, just an idea for
a specific circumstance.
All manner of software and hardware can trigger Windows 8 to wakeup from Sleep or Hibernate. Thus the first question is the old chestnut: 'Is this
insomniac behaviour due to Hardware or Software?'
Hardware USB devices are common causes for computers waking prematurely. In the
case of accidental mouse activation, consider laying the mouse on its back
until you find a better solution.
To troubleshoot the Sleep Mode problem visit the Device Manager 1) Control Panel --> System and
Security --> System --> Device Manager. 2) right-click the suspect device 3) Properties 4) See if it
has a Power Management Tab. 5) If so, then remove the tick next to: 'Allow this device to wake up the computer'.
Hardware Example: The Network adapter --> Advanced menu Select: 'Wake up capability'. Choose 'None'.
Software Plan A) Blame the Task Scheduler! Start Search, Task Scheduler. (Else look in Administrative Tools) i) You are bound to find suspects. ii) 95% of them will be innocent programs that need to be
scheduled. iii) Good luck in weeding out the true culprit(s).
Plan B) Blame a virus checker. Plan C) Blame a virus!
Try a completely different strategy, investigate recording what is happening with Performance, however, this is a black art.
Ever since XP it has been a worry whether a
computer will actually awaken from Hibernate or
Sleep. However, with each succeeding Windows version, sleep seems more
reliable, and the Windows 8 computers seem to magically to wake-up when you
tickle them
with the mouse our Enter key.
It has always been the case that power management is more important on a laptop than a desktop,
consequently they have more components to configure, for example the
battery, and also the
lid.
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