Windows 10: SSD: Standby vs. Shut Down

**mb1280** · 30 Mar 2018

I have a desktop with C: as an SSD . . . It's totally quiet, which is great.

I see an obvious reason to "Shutdown" a spindle drive (the sound stops), but how important is that with an SSD?

Would you say that you should just do a Restart once per week, but Standby is fine the rest of the time?

**PolarNettles** · 30 Mar 2018

I assume by "shutdown," "restart," and "standby" you are referring to the Windows commands on the start menu.

When you go to standby your hard drive completely powers off, regardless of whether it's an SSD or a mechanical drive. So this is no different than doing a shutdown.

There's no need to periodically restart your computer for the sake of the hard drive. But you'll probably be forced to by a Windows update anyway.

**CountMike** · 31 Mar 2018

mb1280 said:

I have a desktop with C: as an SSD . . . It's totally quiet, which is great.

I see an obvious reason to "Shutdown" a spindle drive (the sound stops), but how important is that with an SSD?

Would you say that you should just do a Restart once per week, but Standby is fine the rest of the time?

If you mean to just stop disks after set time period, I'm against it in desktops that are never hibernated or set to sleep. For SSDs it doesn't make much difference because they wake up instantly. Another reason for mechanical HDDs is that it takes a lot more power for them to start up and puts a strain on motor while heads have to make multiple passes at each wake up event to find right track and every time they do it's POST routine. All that helps them wear faster. Also introduced noticeable delay in accessing them. With SSDs it's a bit different story, Only controller is active all the time and rest only when accessed so even power savings are in mW so even in battery powered devices are not a problem.

**swarfega** · 31 Mar 2018

If you're on a fast SSD, then it doesn't make much sense to use hibernation, the SSD is fast enough. Mine usually takes around 6 seconds to boot to the desktop

**margrave55** · 31 Mar 2018

My desktop has an SSD and two HDDs.
It's on 24x7.
The only thing that approaches a shutdown is a Windows update/reboot.
Or a power failure.
No worries.

My last computer ... same thing ... for seven years. One HDD failed ... a Seagate (of course!), and it was replaced.
The box still works, but who wants a seven-year-old computer?

I see no harm in sleeping it when not in use, instead of running 24x7.
But either way ... no worries at all. It's just an appliance.

**ThrashZone** · 31 Mar 2018

Hi,
Computers make pretty good filter filters
Running one 24/ 7 and 365 just increases dust collection.

Windows 10: SSD: Standby vs. Shut Down

SSD: Standby vs. Shut Down

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