Is there any way to bring hibernation back if that hiberfil.sys file gets deleted, accidentally or on purpose? Short of a complete reinstall?
Hibernation - Enable or Disable
- 21 May 2007 #1
Hibernation - Enable or DisableHow to Enable or Disable Hibernation in Vista
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21 May 2007Hibernation - Enable or Disable
How to Enable or Disable Hibernation in Vista
InformationIf you accidentally wiped out the Hibernation file Cleaner in Disk Cleanup and caused your hybrid sleep or hibernate mode to stop working, then you accidentally disabled the hiberfil.sys file. By default, the size of the hiberfil.sys file is 75% of the total amount of installed RAM (memory) when hibernate is enabled in Vista.
For more information, see: Microsoft Help and Support: KB929658 and Microsoft Help and Support: KB928897
NoteIf you cleaned (disabled) this, all Hybrid and Hibernate settings will also be removed from the Advanced Power Options window. You will still be able to use normal Sleep mode though.
TipTo set your computer to either use or not use Hybrid or Hibernate sleep mode, make sure that the Power Plan Options in steps 7 and 8 in STEP TWO here: How to Troubleshoot a Vista Sleep Mode Problem and Find a Solution, then either enable (use) or disable (not use) hibernation below.
METHOD ONE
Using an Elevated Command Prompt
1. Open a Elevated Command Prompt.
2. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.
3. To Enable or Restore the Hibernation File
A) In the elevated command prompt, type powercfg -h on and press Enter. (See screenshot below step 4)4. To Disable or Remove the Hibernation File
B) Set the recommended settings for Hibernation in STEP TWO here.
C) Go to step 5.
NOTE: Using Disk Cleanup in METHOD TWO below is another way to disable or remove the hibernation file.A) In the elevated command prompt, type powercfg -h off and press Enter.5. Close the elevated command prompt when it is finished.
NOTE: The Hibernation File Cleaner is now added back or removed from Disk Cleanup and the hibernate sleep mode is enabled or disabled again.
METHOD TWO
Using Disk Cleanup
1. Open Disk Cleanup.That's it,
2. To Disable or Remove the Hibernation File
A) Check the Hibernation File Cleaner box and click OK. (See screenshot below)
B) Click on Delete Files to confirm. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Disk Cleanup will now delete the Hibernation file and close.
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Troubleshoot a Vista Sleep Mode Problem and Find a Solution
- How to Create a Hibernate Shortcut in Vista
- How to Use Disk Cleanup in Vista
- How to Changed the Return to Sleep Timeout for a Unattended Wake Up in Vista
- How to Restore the Default Power Plan Settings in Vista
- How to Set Up a Timed Hibernate
- How to Change the Size of the hiberfil.sys File in Windows 7 and Vista
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Applies to
All Vista Versions 64 Bit & 32 Bit
- 27 Jan 2012 #1
Destroyer of Tyranny
Join Date : Jun 2011 New Mexico, USA! Posts : 478 Vista Home Premium x64, with others on VMware for fun! Local Time: 05:41 PM
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
- 27 Jan 2012 #2
Senior Member
Join Date : Oct 2011 Central Florida in a small town Posts : 2,174 Vista Home Basic. 32 bit SP 2 Local Time: 07:41 PM 
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
SFC or repair install would work , right ? short of that, ya got me .
- 27 Jan 2012 #3
Destroyer of Tyranny Join Date : Jun 2011 New Mexico, USA! Posts : 478 Vista Home Premium x64, with others on VMware for fun! Local Time: 05:41 PM
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
Hmmm. SFC is a good idea.
I ask because I'm currently doing some research on this for a problem I have with hibernation, and have read that Windows puts that file in a reserved space at the beginning of your installation partition. So I got the impression that if it gets deleted (and then replaced by other files, since the whole point is to free up some space) that it couldn't be set back up since those other files would be taking up that space it needs. So I'm curious about if I'm right about that or if it can be put anywhere on the partition, or if once you delete it you're just out of luck.
I don't actually have this problem though, so I can't test out your SFC idea. Darn
- 27 Jan 2012 #4
Senior Member
Join Date : Oct 2011 Central Florida in a small town Posts : 2,174 Vista Home Basic. 32 bit SP 2 Local Time: 07:41 PM
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
The other thing that comes to mind, is the extract files from the OEM or Install disk trick
- 27 Jan 2012 #5
BSOD Squad
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
IM not sure if the SFC would work in that situation. If it does not, I think this would do the trick
Extract Files from Vista Installation DVD
Maybe even a repair install
Repair Install For Vista
- 27 Jan 2012 #6
Administrator 
Join Date : Apr 2007 Texas, USA Posts : 30,532 64-bit Vista Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate SP1, Windows 8 Enterprise Local Time: 06:41 PM 
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
Hello Adam,
Originally Posted by Slammer 
The hiberfil.sys file is only the file where memory is stored at when the system goes into hibernation. To restore it, you would just need to disable and enable hibernation to reset it. Afterwards, it will be restore the next time the system goes into hibernation.
- 27 Jan 2012 #7
Destroyer of Tyranny Join Date : Jun 2011 New Mexico, USA! Posts : 478 Vista Home Premium x64, with others on VMware for fun! Local Time: 05:41 PM
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
Oh ok, thanks Brink. I didn't think it would be that easy. It must have much less stringent rules for using it than the darn page file does.
And thanks to Yard Dog and Rich for the info about extracting the files, I had no idea you could do that!
- 27 Jan 2012 #8
Administrator
Join Date : Apr 2007 Texas, USA Posts : 30,532 64-bit Vista Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 Ultimate SP1, Windows 8 Enterprise Local Time: 06:41 PM
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
You're most welcome Adam.
Nar, you could pretty much do the same with the page file except it requires a restart after each off/on.
- 27 Jan 2012 #9
Destroyer of Tyranny Join Date : Jun 2011 New Mexico, USA! Posts : 478 Vista Home Premium x64, with others on VMware for fun! Local Time: 05:41 PM
My System SpecsRe: Hibernation - Enable or Disable
Well I'll be darned. Here I was thinking that these two files could hardly be looked at without causing some sort of system failure.
Hibernation - Enable or Disable problems?
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