Computer Question - from the computer challenged

[DemocracyInaction]

Let me try to explain this. When I end a session on the computer, I click "shut down" and when the computer shuts off, I push the button and turn the screen off. Of course, I do not unplug the computer. Now..I always thought that even in this 'state' the computer is sucking power. I thought that the "sleep" function meant reduced power but never used it. So I have these two questions:

1. Is using the 'sleep' function taking my computer down to a lower level of power sucking or am I at it's lowest with the method I use to shut down??

2. If "sleep" does make it more power efficient I would like to use it. My instruction booklet says to simply hit the key with the 'half moon' on it, etc. However, obviously if I shut down the computer and then hit the key nothing happens. So am I suppose to hit this key while I still have the computer on and then go through my regular routine of shutting it down or do I just walk away and let it shut itself down. The booklet says to start it up I just hit the half moon again----so if the damn thing is off, how does it kick itself in gear again.

Someday someone will invent one of these things so that idiots can use them. Thanks for the help.

[democracyindanger]

1. Off uses least power

Sleep uses a little more, but less than on.

Just hit the sleep button and walk away--don't turn it off. Most computers' power lights will flash when it's in sleep mode.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. As far as I know, when you use "Shut Down" (Windows), the computer powers

down and does NOT use power beyond the little CMOS battery in the motherboard which keeps the clock time.

There is a "sleep" mode which is supposed to put the computer in low power consumption mode but not off all the way, so it can be turned on quickly and easily. But at least in older versions of Windows it didn't always work that great, sometimes wouldn't power on right and would need reboot anyway etc., so I'm not sure if it's such a good thing. I don't know if this mode has been preserved through the current Windows XP versions.

I tried using "sleep" mode on a previous computer I'd built but gave up on it after some weird/inconsistent results getting it to turn back on.

[Billy Ruffian]

3. I usually just shut down

but I *think* that the sleep mode saves away what you're doing, and then powers down almost everything.

I know that my laptop goes into 'hibernate' if I close the lid when its unplugged. Screen is off, disk is shutdown, and no lights blinking. Comes back up to speed quickly, though.

support.microsoft.com might have some more answers. Your computer vendor might be able to help, too.

Basically, it's a tradeoff between power consumption, and access time. If you want near immediate access when you return, you leave it on.

If you want to consume the absolute minimum power when you're not using it, shut down.

Sleep and hibernate fall in the middle