Published by

**Brink** · 03 Jul 2008

How to Create a Sleep Shortcut on the Desktop in Vista

Information

This will show you how to create a Sleep shortcut used to put your computer into sleep (not hibernate) mode when clicked on.

Note

If you would like to place this shortcut in Quick Launch, then see Option Three in this link for how: How to Use Quick Launch in Vista

Tip

If you would like to create a keyboard shortcut for this shortcut, then see: How to Create a Keyboard Shortcut for a Program in Vista

Warning

This shortcut will perform the same action set for the Start Menu power button when pressed. You will need to make sure that the Start Menu power button is set for Sleep if you want this shortcut to put your computer to sleep when used. For how, see: How to Change the Power Button Settings for the Start Menu and Case in Vista

Here's How:

1. Click on the download button below to download the Sleep Shortcut.zip file.

2. Click on Save and save it to the Desktop.

3. Right click on the Sleep Shortcut.zip (on desktop) and click on Open.

4. Click on Allow for UAC prompt.

5. Select and extract both the Sleep shortcut and Sleep Shortcut Folder to the desktop.

6. Open a Windows Explorer window and navigate to C:\Program Files.
NOTE: Not in the C:\Programs Files (x86) folder for 64 bit Vista users.

7. Right click on the Sleep Shortcut folder (on desktop) and click Cut, then right click on a empty space in the Windows Explorer window (step 6) and click Paste.

Note

The Sleep Shortcut folder has the Sleep.vbs scipt file in it. This is the contents of this vbs script:

Code:

Dim objShell 
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application") 
objShell.ShutdownWindows
set objShell = nothing
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.SendKeys "{Enter}"
Set WshShell = Nothing

A) Click on Continue in the Destination Folder Access Denied prompt.

B) Click on Continue in the UAC Prompt.

8. Put the Sleep shortcut (on desktop) where you would like for easy use. (See the NOTE at the top of the tutorial)
NOTE: If you would like to use a icon of your own instead, then see: How to Change a Shortcut Folder or File Icon in Vista for how.

9. You can now delete the Sleep Shortcut.zip (on desktop) file if you like.

Warning

This shortcut will perform the same action set for the Start Menu power button when pressed. You will need to make sure that the Start Menu power button is set for Sleep if you want this shortcut to put your computer to sleep when used. For how, see: How to Change the Power Button Settings for the Start Menu and Case in Vista

That's it,
Shawn

CREDIT TO: sidney1st for providing a better way to do this with a VBS script.
Thank you.

Related Tutorials

**spinedoc** · 03 Jul 2008

This isn't the same sleep that Vista has on the Windows button/menu. Anyone have any way to shortcut the shallower sleep that Vista uses?

**Brink** · 03 Jul 2008

Hi Spinedoc,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

This shortcut is for putting the computer to Sleep, not hibernate or hybrid. It is the same as the normal lighter sleep mode for when you click on Sleep in the Start menu.

Shawn

**spinedoc** · 04 Jul 2008

Thanks Brink. The shortcut on the windows start button menu for "Sleep" puts the computer in a very light sleep mode where I can press the keyboard or move the mouse and it wakes it up, it won't shut down firefox for example. Your Sleep shortcut puts it into some kind of deeper sleep where windows asks to shut down firefox and other programs, and it won't wake up with keyboard or mouse movement.

I would love to get a shortcut to the Sleep that is on the windows start menu.

**sidney1st** · 04 Jul 2008

Hi,
You do not have light sleep mode, you have just one sleep mode which is called Sleep!
Then if you want a deeper sleep mode, it is called "hibernation".
And to finish, you have the super sleep-hibernation-top mode which is called "Shutdown"

**spinedoc** · 04 Jul 2008

Originally Posted by sidney1st

Hi,
You do not have light sleep mode, you have just one sleep mode which is called Sleep!
Then if you want a deeper sleep mode, it is called "hibernation".
And to finish, you have the super sleep-hibernation-top mode which is called "Shutdown"

If that's the case then Brinks shortcut is to hibernate. If I press windows menu button then sleep, the PC sleeps unless you type on the keyboard or move the mouse. If I use Brinks shortcut it will only power back on if I press the power button. Additionally sleeping thru windows doesn't force me to shut down programs, Brinks shortcut does.

So while I agree with you that there is only Sleep and Hibernation, it seems that Brinks shortcut is to hibernate and not sleep.

**sidney1st** · 04 Jul 2008

Originally Posted by spinedoc

Additionally sleeping thru windows doesn't force me to shut down programs, Brinks shortcut does.

So while I agree with you that there is only Sleep and Hibernation, it seems that Brinks shortcut is to hibernate and not sleep.

Both sleep and hibernate do not shut down programs, they allow to restart the machine exactly in the state it was before going in either mode.
The difference is only the way the "state" of the machine is saved.
In sleep mode it is saved in the RAM, in hibernate mode it is saved on the disk, which will allow you for example to unplug your machine.
If you use the hybrid mode, it is saved in RAM and on the disk.
To shut down programs you have to shut down the computer.

**spinedoc** · 04 Jul 2008

Ok, let me put this a bit simpler. When I use Brinks sleep shortcut windows wants to, for example, shut off firefox. Additionally when I use Brinks sleep shortcut windows will not start up again with a keyboard press or a mouse movement.

I understand you have an overwhelming desire to educate me on sleep versus hibernate.

But I'm not arguing that, I'm only asking if it's possible to have a shortcut for the sleep mode on the windows menu that does EXACTLY what the sleep button on the windows menu does (which is specifically to not close programs and to restart windows when I move my mouse/keyboard).

Although maybe, for some odd reason, the sleep on my menu functions differently or there is a setting that is changed? Or is there some issue with Brinks shortcut and my PC, is it not supposed to act like this? Maybe there is some kind of conflict.

Originally Posted by sidney1st

Originally Posted by spinedoc

Additionally sleeping thru windows doesn't force me to shut down programs, Brinks shortcut does.

So while I agree with you that there is only Sleep and Hibernation, it seems that Brinks shortcut is to hibernate and not sleep.

Both sleep and hibernate do not shut down programs, they allow to restart the machine exactly in the state it was before going in either mode.
The difference is only the way the "state" of the machine is saved.
In sleep mode it is saved in the RAM, in hibernate mode it is saved on the disk, which will allow you for example to unplug your machine.
If you use the hybrid mode, it is saved in RAM and on the disk.
To shut down programs you have to shut down the computer.

**spinedoc** · 04 Jul 2008

Originally Posted by sidney1st

Yes of course, but in that case you cannot go in hibernate mode which is IMHO a problem.

I googled a bit and did not found anything for the "real" sleep mode for Vista, so i made a small vbscript which maybe can work on all computers (i do not know as i made it in 2 minutes and works here), pls try it and let me know.

Tried this one too, same thing. Windows asks me if I want to shut down firefox (only program tested so far), I get the hard disk churning then it all shuts down. It will only start up again with a press of the power button.

Somehow I think both of these programs are hibernating my PC, I'm not sure why.

**Brink** · 05 Jul 2008

Strange. I tested the shortcut with IE7 and Firefox running when I used it and my computer went to sleep and awoke when I moved the mouse or pressed a key on the keyboard.

When you click on Sleep in the Start menu, do you get the same behavior as you see with the shortcut, or does it behave like it should as I described above?

Shawn

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