windows 7 - What is the difference between Sleep and Standby modes?

Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference between (these four) sleep states?

What are the sleep modes and standby modes in Windows?

How can you differentiate them?

Answer

What are the sleep modes and standby modes in Windows?

Standby is known as 'sleep' mode. In 'Stand by' mode, Windows OS turns off non-essential hardware resouces such as hard disk, removable disks, monitor. The system ten be able to reactivate very quickly when you press any key or move the mouse. FYI - You cannot power-off the system in 'Stand by' mode.

from Microsoft:

Sleep is a power-saving state that allows a computer to quickly resume full-power operation (typically within several seconds) when you want to start working again. Putting your computer into the sleep state is like pausing a DVD player—the computer immediately stops what it’s doing and is ready to start again when you want to resume working.

Check this Sleep and hibernation at microsoft website to know more about these.

How can you differentiate them?

1. Sleep mode puts your work and settings in memory and draws a small amount of power, hibernation puts your open documents and programs on your hard disk, and then turns off your computer.


2. In all of the power-saving states in Windows, hibernation uses the least amount of power.