Configure Advanced Power Settings

Each power plan contains advanced settings that can be configured, such as when the hard disks will be turned off and whether a password is required on wakeup. To configure these advanced settings, open Control Panel, click Power Options, and select the power plan you want to use. Then, click Change Advanced Power Settings to open the Advanced Settings tab of the Power Options dialog box.

You can then modify the settings as desired or restore the plan defaults. For example, one option that you might want to change if you are using a mobile computer is the Power Buttons And Lid option, which configures what happens when you press the power button or close the lid of the mobile computer. When either of these actions occurs, the computer can be configured to do nothing, shut down, go into Sleep mode, or go into Hibernate mode.

Configuring Hibernation

Although Sleep is the preferred power-saving mode in Windows 7, Hibernation mode is still available for use. Hibernation for a computer means that anything stored in memory is also stored on your hard disk. This ensures that when your computer is shut down, you do not lose any of the information that is stored in memory. When you take your computer out of hibernation, it returns to its previous state.

To configure your computer to hibernate, access the Advanced Settings tab of the Power Options dialog box. The Hibernate option appears under the Sleep option.

Perform the following steps to configure a power plan for your computer. If the Hibernate option is not present, perform the steps in the previous section to enable hibernation.

1. Select Start → Control Panel and click the Power Options icon.
2. Select a power plan to modify from the Preferred Plans list and click Change Plan Settings.
3. Configure the power plan options for your computer based on your personal preferences. Click Change Advanced Power Settings to modify advanced power settings. When all changes are made, click Save Changes.
4. Close Control Panel.

One advantage when you use a laptop on the battery is that you can see how much time you have left until the battery dies. Let's take a look at the battery meter.