Microsoft gives you a choice at shut down. You can shut down or you can use sleep mode or hiebernate mode. PCs and notebooks do not provide instant “on.” Windows 7 seems to start faster the Windows XP. Using the sleep mode will allow your system to spring back to life more quickly. In the sleep mode it is still running. It is drawing a small amount of power. Less power than if it were running, but more than being shut down or in hiebernate mode. … Read entire article »