4

I have been keeping my laptop (Windows 10) on sleep instead of shut down always for 1/2 years, for sake of quick start up and keeping my last work (eg. VS Code window, chrome dev window etc work process) alive so that I can quickly back to my work.

I used to use hard disc, but recently I my hard disc got a problem and it became too slow to R/W operation which took like as example 5 minutes to save a script by Ctrl+S !!

So I have switched to a SSD now. Now I don't bother to shut down, since it is so way faster to boot up and get back to my work. But still I have the habit to keep on sleep.

My question is, is it okay? Did my HDD got that problem for sleeping? Will my SSD get the same issue if I continue to sleep?

Improve this question

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
4

Its perfectly safe to keep your laptop in sleep mode. In reality, you can keep your computer in an on, off, or suspend mode indefinitely, with no adverse effects. There are computers that never get turned off or rebooted. I personally had a Windows server at work that run for a decade without being turned off.

As for your hard disk failing, it was likely just a hardware failure. When sleeping, hard disks will turn off under normal sleep settings. Mechanical hard drives use motors and other moving parts which can fail over time.

Your SSD has no motors or moving parts and will last a very long time before failure.

Improve this answer
1

No, I don't think that can affect your hard disk.

I do it regularly because I'm too lazy to manually open my programs after a shut down. (turn almost everything off in startup gang where you are at)

tl;dr - I've been doing it for ages longer than you and all the laptops I've done this on are a-ok

Improve this answer
0

It is OK to allow it to sleep. You must restart for updates usually a couple of times per month. But no harm done.

My own SSD laptop is ready to got in about 60 seconds or so and accordingly I shut it off at least weekly.

Improve this answer
0

It is not unsafe (from a hardware POV) to leave your computer in a sleep mode for reasonable timeframes , but if you are talking of very long timeframes between re-awakening, this may not be a fantastic idea (Your post says 1/2 a year - I suspect that means you were doing this for a half a year, but it could also mean you left it asleep for half a year) Sleep leaves data in memory, and slowly drains the battery (unlike hibernate) -

You don't want to have anything draining the battery over that long a period, as fully discharging the battery will damage it. You also risk loosing the data in RAM - so the current screen.

Improve this answer
6
  • "You also risk loosing the data in RAM" - there is a very tiny possibility of such happening because most of the laptops will automatically go from sleep to hibernation if the battery level is becoming too low and thus there would be no loss of data even if the battery dies after it has gone into hibernation.
    – Elmo
    Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 8:15
  • @Elmo do you have any support for this claim - its the first I've heard of it and it does not seem correct. There is a "Hybrid Sleep" mode which is different to a Sleep mode and is a Windows way of mitigating some of the risks of sleep mode - and importantly not, by default, activated on laptops. It does not switch from sleep to hibernate, and I expect it can run down your battery.
    – davidgo
    Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 8:52
  • This is the first you'v heard of hibernation ?? It has been around since windows 2000. Hybrid sleep was introduced in windows vista. Hibernation makes an image of the RAM to a file "Hiberfil.sys" on the storage device so that even if the battery dies or power is cut to a pc, the data would be safe. In laptops you can see that the "Critical battery action" is set as hibernate under "change advanced power settings" by default. Hybrid sleep on the other hand is a combination of Sleep and Hibernation and is not default , Check out more here : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernation_(computing)
    – Elmo
    Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 9:23
  • @elmo Please reread what I wrote. As per my comment I am well aware of sleep and hibernate modes as well as the hybrid sleep mode, but I strongly question your assertion that devices can go from sleep to hibernate mode. Do you have any evidence to back thae assertion that "most laptops will go from sleep to hibernate mode if the battery is becoming to low..." I can not posit a mechanism whereby the firmware would be able to do this without first waking up and communicating with the OS - and dont know a mechanism whereby this would happen.
    – davidgo
    Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 10:39
  • 1
    "able to do this without first waking up and communicating with the OS" - this is exactly what happens, the laptop first wakes back up from sleep and then goes into hibernation ...happens all the time on my HP laptops(Win 8.1 & 10). I said most laptops because user settings might vary and thus would be best for the user to check but Critical battery action is set as Hibernation by default in windows. Check out more here: pcworld.com/article/237499/sleep_then_hibernate.html
    – Elmo
    Commented Sep 23, 2019 at 4:32
0

It is absolutely safe to keep laptop on sleep, I'v been doing it too since the last year BUT once a month I shutdown or restart it, and I recommend you do so too, In fact many times software installations/updates require you to restart your PC so that the code change occurs without causing any problems.

So you could keep your laptop on sleep forever but it would be dangerous for your applications/software.

As for your HDD, it could be a hardware failure but could have been an OS issue as well...SSD is of course better...but if you still have your old HDD I suggest you get an external hard disk enclosure https://www.amazon.com/ELUTENG-Enclosure-Tool-Free-Transparent-Compatible/dp/B06Y5CJSVW/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=external+hard+disk+case&qid=1569139020&sr=8-10 OR http://www.binarylogic.com.bd/product/orico-2-5-inch-2139u3-transparent-usb3-0-external-hdd-enclosure/

Then format the HDD and test its speed/performance and if OK you could use it as an external drive.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .