Had a power evaluation today (noob query)

[anemones2]

So they gave us some button, for putting pc to sleep.

Comes with some ok ish freeware, that just tells you how much you are saving by doing so, as apposed to leaving it idle.

And the system information tab in the program is pretty good. Not like speccy, but useful.

But my question is, and it is pretty simple. What does sleep actually do?

Everything powers down, but the processes you had running aren't effected? Do downloads continue?

Or does it just freeze all you had, and then begin those processes again when resumed. I guess I just don't understand how it is done. Technically.

Anyway I have a sleep button on my keyboard, this would be the same no?

And probably save more power, as running less processes .i.e. the eco-button soft and also the button is a light. . . . that glows. To remind you to save power, lolsies.

Another thing; can I disable the 'Power' button on my keyboard (without just pulling the key out). Shutting my pc off when I accidentally tap something, without warning and without notice... isn't heaps cool.

I have a pvc keyboard also that I don't use as it only has minimal keys. IS there a small program/windows app to set up shrotcut keys with multiple purposes.

I can use a program to set up a hotkey instead of the prntscrn button that doesn't exist... but can I say make #1 key change the song #2 pause. etc etc.

Thanks

[DKT27]

As far as I know, sleep does stop all the processes, I've seen my torrents stopping down totally and coming back again when it wakes up, so basically it stops almost everything (but keeping it in RAM) with only few system things running.

[anemones2]

As far as I know, sleep does stop all the processes, I've seen my torrents stopping down totally and coming back again when it wakes up, so basically it stops almost everything (but keeping it in RAM) with only few system things running.

It isn't damaging at all is it?

[DKT27]

No, I don't think so, if it would had been, it would have never been in any OS. :)

See this small wiki article. ^_^

[anemones2]

Ok so. I just took the Power button off my keyboard.

But in power options in control panel, you can via selecting 'power buttons' options, select Power button function 'ask me what to do' instead of 'Shut down'

So when I press power button on keyboard it asks me now, but also button on PC will do the same.

as for hotkeys, I havn't found out yet.

[anemones2]

Ok so. I just took the Power button off my keyboard.

But in power options in control panel, you can via selecting 'power buttons' options, select Power button function 'ask me what to do' instead of 'Shut down'

So when I press power button on keyboard it asks me now, but also button on PC will do the same.

as for hotkeys, I havn't found out yet.

Oh and this was a good description i found:

Q: What kind of sleep mode does ecobutton™ actually engage, is it just the normal Standby mode? ^

A: No, ecobutton™ does not employ the normal Standby mode (although you may get the on screen message 'Preparing to Standby' when you use your ecobutton™). The mode that ecobutton™ engages is a deeper energy saving mode than the regular Standby mode you usually find as default on a Windows PC.

On most PCs there are 4 inbuilt sleep states - S1, S2, S3 and S4. With each successive sleep state, from S1 to S4 (hibernate), more of the computer is shut down. However, the majority of PCs are actually supplied with S2 and S3 disabled leaving just the most shallow sleep state (S1) and the deepest (S4 hibernate) available to most users. Most people tend not to use hibernate due to the length of time the PC takes to wake up leaving just S1 as the only convenient option.

The sleep states built into most PCs are as follows:

S1 = Basic Standby (Shallow sleep). Typically wakes up in no more than two seconds

S2 = Less power consumption than S1 and greater than in S3. Wake up is usually two seconds or slightly more.

S3 = Less power consumption than in S2. Wake up time is the same as S2.

S4 (hibernate) = The lowest power state but with a long wake up time - sometimes a few minutes or more.

Wherever possible, ecobutton™ instructs your PC to use the most efficient form of sleep (or sleep state) available on your PC.

For more detailed information about the various sleep states please see this link http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms798270.aspx

[DKT27]

Nice info there. :)

[anemones2]

Nice info there. :)

Yeah s1 is apparently crap (just lowers fans or something), s2 is better, s3 stores all happenings in ram, and basically only powers that. s4 basically makes a note on your hard disc or what you were doing, and starts you off there, uses almost no power I guess, apart from time it takes to reload.

s5 is soft off, which um.. just leaves the ability to wake up.

may as well turn off in some cases, better for pc if you made lots of changes anyways.

but yeah s3 seems the go if you are going out for a hour or something. mine snaps back pretty quick, straight into the song i was listening to, and etc.

I don't know what data is lost though with the lack of power.

sleep button on old pcs usually s1, mine is s3 you can tell by um... if the fans die completely it is s3.

also in run > cmd > powercfg -a

you can see what your pc allows.

[DKT27]

I see. S1 and S3 is available on my PC. S2 is not available because of firmware it seems. Hibernate, well I've disabled it completely, it used to hog 4GB of my hard disk. Not sure what exactly is Hybrid Sleep, has no info on it.