stand by, hybernate, or shut down?

[texasdiver]

Seems like this should be covered in a FAQ someplace, but I'm wondering what when I should do each of the above under the following circumstances:

1. Leaving the computer unattended for a few hours while docked

2. Leaving the computer overnight while docked.

3. Docking and undocking the computer.

4. Transporting the computer by car or air.

5. Removing, swapping batteries.

What do all of you do?

[Marc_G]

1,2,4: Standby is fine.
5: If plugged in, I don't even bother to standby.

[JaneL]

1. Nothing

2. Nothing

3. Nothing

4. Suspend or hibernate or sometimes just close the lid and go

5. I don't remove the battery - it makes a dandy UPS

[Plinkerton]

1. Standby (close the lid)
2. I usually put it into hibernate overnight. I rarely shut it down. I usually don't leave it in standby. I'm not sure why, I just don't.

4. Standby

5. I don't do this really.

[budspencer]

what about standby and carrying the tp in a bag? is it better to "hybernate" it?

i'm asking because of the harddisk - is it well protected during standby and carrying it around?

[JaneL]

Not really.

Pretty much.

[johnson]

I dont have a dock so I cant answer those questions. Is the AC adapter plugged in when docking?

For questions 4 and 5, I put it to hibernate. Takes about 10 seconds each way to shut down and wake up.

[texasdiver]

Seems like the consensus on this thread and others in this forum is that many "power users" rarely ever shut down their thinkpads, but chose hybernate or stand by for most circumstances.

I'm curious why the aversion to shutting down the computer? For the past 10-years of laptop ownership I've almost always just shut the thing down when not in use.

Now with the new T42p, Windows XP launches so fast that I'm really not bothered by wait.

Other than the time-savings, is there any reason to avoid shut down? Do you guys just like to leave a lot of applications open?

[thom@s]

1. (auto) Hybernate
2. Hybernate
3. Nothing
4. Hybernate
5. Nothing

[Plinkerton]

I just don't like waiting for it to boot up. When I know it can boot up faster from hibernate, I just use that. Most of the time there's just no need to shut it down, unless it needs a restart for programs or something like that. Might as well take the fastest road if it's there to take. That's my reason.

As far as moving it around in standby, I do it all the time. I skate from class to class in standby, and take it in the car, etc. No ill effects yet.

[t41user]

I use my laptop as a desktop. I leave it on all day, even when I'm not using it. I shut it down each night until the next morning. In my ignorance, I'm suspicious of how the OS handles data and programs when hibertating. Is it really just as safe as saving files to the hard drive? What's this business about some programs or features becoming unstable after hibernating too many times and requiring a complete shutdown? Is there anything to that?