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Windows places a file on your hard drive that stores your current data when your computer goes into hibernation. If you do not use hibernation, you can delete these files and save as much space as you have RAM (i.e. 512mb or 2gb etc.) In this guide you will learn how to disable hibernation and remove the old hibernation file.

Disable Hibernation

1. Click Start, All Programs, and then right click on Command Prompt. (Vista users type CMD into the start menu search box.)
2. Select Run as administrator.
3. If User Account Control prompts you to allow the action, click on Continue.
4. In the command prompt window, type “powercfg –h off” (without the quotes).
4. Close the Command Prompt window.

Delete the Hibernation File

1. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup. (Vista users type Disk Cleanup into the start menu search box.)
2. If prompted to choose a drive, select the drive in which Windows XP/Vista is installed on to and press OK.
3. Disk Cleanup will scan the hard drive and present you with a list of options.
4. Check Hibernation File Cleaner, and then click OK.
5. When asked “Are you sure you want to permanently delete these files?” click on the Delete Files button.

About Rich

Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix them.

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Comments

20 thoughts on “Disable and Delete the Hibernation File in Windows”

  1. Kenny says:

    This just saved me about 3GB!!!!

  2. Kenny says:

    This just saved me about 3GB!!!!

  3. Kenny says:

    This just saved me about 3GB!!!!

  4. Estevan says:

    Very useful if you don’t hibernate ur computer

  5. Estevan says:

    Very useful if you don’t hibernate ur computer

  6. Estevan says:

    Very useful if you don’t hibernate ur computer

  7. Estevan says:

    Very useful if you don’t hibernate ur computer

  8. Christine says:

    When I run the disk cleanup to try to remove the files, the Hibernation line isn’t an option. I’ve disabled it, but can’t delete it.. Any ideas why?

  9. Christine says:

    When I run the disk cleanup to try to remove the files, the Hibernation line isn’t an option. I’ve disabled it, but can’t delete it.. Any ideas why?

  10. Christine says:

    When I run the disk cleanup to try to remove the files, the Hibernation line isn’t an option. I’ve disabled it, but can’t delete it.. Any ideas why?

  11. Christine says:

    When I run the disk cleanup to try to remove the files, the Hibernation line isn’t an option. I’ve disabled it, but can’t delete it.. Any ideas why?

  12. Rich says:

    If you’ve never hibernated your computer, you wont have a hibernation file to delete. Is this the case?

  13. Rich says:

    If you’ve never hibernated your computer, you wont have a hibernation file to delete. Is this the case?

  14. Rich says:

    If you’ve never hibernated your computer, you wont have a hibernation file to delete. Is this the case?

  15. Rich says:

    If you’ve never hibernated your computer, you wont have a hibernation file to delete. Is this the case?

  16. Christine says:

    It kind of auto-hibernated on me at one point. It was one of the settings that came preset on my laptop. I don’t like it though. I tried to put it in hibernate manually and it worked great, thanks. =]

  17. Christine says:

    It kind of auto-hibernated on me at one point. It was one of the settings that came preset on my laptop. I don’t like it though. I tried to put it in hibernate manually and it worked great, thanks. =]

  18. Christine says:

    It kind of auto-hibernated on me at one point. It was one of the settings that came preset on my laptop. I don’t like it though. I tried to put it in hibernate manually and it worked great, thanks. =]

  19. Christine says:

    It kind of auto-hibernated on me at one point. It was one of the settings that came preset on my laptop. I don’t like it though. I tried to put it in hibernate manually and it worked great, thanks. =]

  20. MarkusXO says:

    This is the only tutorial online which actually includes the instructions about running as an administrator.. AND.. states to run the CMD Prompt..

    I used another tutorial which stated nothing about running as Admin, and I just used Runboxx.. in which nothing happened.. and for Windows 7 Ultimate it had already been cleaned and I had nothing to cleanup when running the Disk Cleanup ( but not a bad idea anyway…LOL

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