Should I always hibernate instead of shutting down?

Should I always hibernate instead of shutting down? I'm using Windows XP and I hate the long start up time when I shut down and then turn on my laptop. However if I hibernate instead of shutting down it starts up much faster. Are there any harmful effects / disadvantages if I always hibernate whenever I'm done for the day instead of shutting down?
Asked by: Guest \| Views: 176

Total answers/comments: 2

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Guest [Entry]

There is nothing wrong with Hibernating, it is an option in windows for all of the reasons you have just listed! I have been using it for years.

Guest [Entry]

"Under XP, the OS will slow down over time, and eventually get unstable, but that can take upwards of a week depending on how much you use your OS. Reboot every so often, there's no real harm in hibernating over short periods. In a laptop, most components should be built with hibernation in mind, and HDD space is cheap, so the hibernation file shouldn't be a big deal (If it is, it's 2010! Get an external HDD, 1.5TB is the best GB/$ right now, and they're pretty cheap!)

In Vista/Win7, I can't honestly reccomend shutting down unless you have a good reason."