Laptops

[rebelboy]

Is it best to turn a laptop off every night or are they ok in sleep mode?

[bhg481]

Shutting them down clears temporary files, so I always shut mine down.

[rebelboy]

Many thanks.

[JimF]

Shutting a computer down does not delete temporary files. Quite the reverse! Shutting down a Windows computer actually creates a deep hibernation file that the PC later uses for Fast Startup. A restart, on the other hand, completely kills all processes, clears the RAM, and clears the processor cache.

[barry1010]

Do you keep it plugged in? I hardly ever turn my machines off

[rebelboy]

Permanently plugged in Barry. I normally just close the lid before I go to bed. This is a new laptop so I didn't know If I'm shortening its life by doing so.

[JimF]

All modern Windows laptops support keeping them permanently plugged in by not charging the battery more than around about 65% at any one time. Of course, like Fast Start, this can be switched on or off through Control Panel.

[bhg481]

Jim - how do you do a restart without a shutdown?

[JimF]

Right-click the Start button and click Restart.

[bhg481]

But that shuts the machine down and then restarts it. Surely it's sleep that leaves a hibernation file.

[JimF]

Sleep and hibernation are not the same thing.

[bhg481]

When you waken from sleep all the programs are still there, exactly where you left them. After shutting down you have to start again from scratch.

[JimF]

Yes, I know. Shutdown persists the kernel to enable Fast Start, it does not delete temporary files.

[bhg481]

How do you delete temporary files then?

[JimF]

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+delete+temp+files+on+windows+10

[gingejbee]

Isn't the choice sleep, hibernate or shut-down?
Most of the time I hibernate over-night with an occasional shut-down.
Works for me and my Acer laptop is coming up to thirteen years old.

[bhg481]

Thanks for that - I was always led to believe that temp files weree deleted on shutdown.