Is it OK/safe to put a MacBook Pro to a long sleep/hibernation (close its lid) and moving it for a long time (e.g., over a day) instead of powering off?

Hello.

I noticed my client did not shut down his MacBook Pro today since
opening its lid up resulted the login screen instead of the usual boot
up from powering on. Its battery life was still high (91%) so that
wasn't bad, but is it really a good idea to put it to sleep/hibernation
for that long though especially when transporting it around like in
luggages? I can understand if it is a few minutes and hours for short
moves or idling, but days and moving around?

Thank you in advance. :)

--
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Barry Margolin

2014-01-05 16:55:50 UTC

Post by Ant
Hello.
I noticed my client did not shut down his MacBook Pro today since
opening its lid up resulted the login screen instead of the usual boot
up from powering on. Its battery life was still high (91%) so that
wasn't bad, but is it really a good idea to put it to sleep/hibernation
for that long though especially when transporting it around like in
luggages? I can understand if it is a few minutes and hours for short
moves or idling, but days and moving around?
Thank you in advance. :)

I've put Macbooks to sleep for weeks at a time with little problem.

--
Barry Margolin, ***@alum.mit.edu
Arlington, MA
*** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me ***

JF Mezei

2014-01-06 00:35:12 UTC

Post by Ant
I noticed my client did not shut down his MacBook Pro today since
opening its lid up resulted the login screen instead of the usual boot
up from powering on.

When, during sleep, batteries go below a certain point, the laptop will
spin up the disk, save memory to the disk and do a full shutdown to
preserve batteries.

When you then power up (with the power button), you get a special power
up mode where it restores the RAM content from disk and continues where
it left off. (not a real reboot).

Barry Margolin

2014-01-06 00:55:06 UTC

Why would you reply to my message, snip everything I wrote, but leave
the attribution referring to me instead of the attribution of the OP?

Post by Ant
I noticed my client did not shut down his MacBook Pro today since
opening its lid up resulted the login screen instead of the usual boot
up from powering on.

When, during sleep, batteries go below a certain point, the laptop will
spin up the disk, save memory to the disk and do a full shutdown to
preserve batteries.
When you then power up (with the power button), you get a special power
up mode where it restores the RAM content from disk and continues where
it left off. (not a real reboot).

--
Barry Margolin, ***@alum.mit.edu
Arlington, MA
*** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me ***

Your Name

2014-01-06 03:06:02 UTC

Post by Barry Margolin
Why would you reply to my message, snip everything I wrote, but leave
the attribution referring to me instead of the attribution of the OP?

A. It's easy to do by accident, especially if you're in a hurry.

and

B. Perhaps the original message didn't show up on his server (yet).

Alan Browne

2014-01-10 22:42:11 UTC

Post by Barry Margolin
Why would you reply to my message, snip everything I wrote, but leave
the attribution referring to me instead of the attribution of the OP?

bad habits of JF include the above and better yet: complete strip and
answering with a change of context.

--
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
- Mike Tyson

Ant

2014-01-06 06:56:59 UTC

Post by Ant
I noticed my client did not shut down his MacBook Pro today since
opening its lid up resulted the login screen instead of the usual boot
up from powering on.

When, during sleep, batteries go below a certain point, the laptop will
spin up the disk, save memory to the disk and do a full shutdown to
preserve batteries.
When you then power up (with the power button), you get a special power
up mode where it restores the RAM content from disk and continues where
it left off. (not a real reboot).

Ah, so unsaved works will still be there. Nice. :)
--
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A song is/was playing on this computer: Eighth Wonder - I'm Not Scared
(Dance/Disco Mix)

Lewis

2014-01-06 03:34:03 UTC

Post by Barry Margolin

I've put Macbooks to sleep for weeks at a time with little problem.

Little? How about none? I have a 2009 MacBook Pro that I am using right
now that to the best of my knowledge has only ever been shutdown to have
RAM added and an SSD put in. Other than changing the hardware I can't
think of a single reason to ever shutdown a MacBook.

--
Quis custodiet opsos custodes

Ant

2014-01-06 06:58:02 UTC

Post by Lewis
Little? How about none? I have a 2009 MacBook Pro that I am using right
now that to the best of my knowledge has only ever been shutdown to have
RAM added and an SSD put in. Other than changing the hardware I can't
think of a single reason to ever shutdown a MacBook.

Major software and firmware upgrades?
--
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thudded over the mossy floor. "These are of no more significance than
the scurryings of ants to the wide universe, and are unaffected by
planetary movements." --Harry Potter book
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\ _ / If crediting, then use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.
( ) If e-mailing, then axe ANT from its address if needed.
A song is/was playing on this computer: Eighth Wonder - I'm Not Scared
(Dance/Disco Mix)

Lewis

2014-01-06 12:04:03 UTC

Major software and firmware upgrades?

Just a restart in those cases.

--
Mos Eisley spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum
and villainy. We must be cautious.

Alan Baker

2014-01-05 17:06:49 UTC

Absolutely safe. I do it all the time.

nospam

2014-01-05 18:00:06 UTC

it's designed to sleep rather than shut down.

if you are going to have it off for a few weeks, then shut it down,
since there is a very small amount of battery drain in sleep (a little
more than the self-discharge rate) and it will eventually shut itself
off anyway. if you shut it down first, then you control when it shuts
down.

Ant

2014-01-05 18:11:15 UTC

Post by nospam
it's designed to sleep rather than shut down.
if you are going to have it off for a few weeks, then shut it down,
since there is a very small amount of battery drain in sleep (a little
more than the self-discharge rate) and it will eventually shut itself
off anyway. if you shut it down first, then you control when it shuts
down.

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.
--
"The great companies did not know that the line between hunger and anger
is a thin line. And money that might have gone to wages went for gas,
for guns, for agents and spies, for blacklists, for drilling. On the
highways the people moved like ants and searched for work, for food. And
the anger began to ferment." --John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
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\ _ / If crediting, then use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.
( ) If e-mailing, then axe ANT from its address if needed.
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on this computer.

nospam

2014-01-05 18:42:10 UTC

Post by Ant
So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

having to shut down all the time would be a pain in the ass.

Alan Baker

2014-01-05 18:53:19 UTC

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

What made you think it wouldn't be in the first place?

Hard drives have "parked" their heads when the are powered down for a
long time now and with the fans, those are the only moving parts in a
laptop.

Don Bruder

2014-01-05 20:13:42 UTC

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

Why wouldn't it be???? Except for the technicality that it's keeping the
RAM refreshed and watching for a "time to wake up" signal, there's very
nearly no difference between "asleep" and "powered off".

--
Security provided by Mssrs Smith and/or Wesson. Brought to you by the letter Q

Your Name

2014-01-05 20:24:27 UTC

Post by Don Bruder

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

Then there's also no reason not to simply power it off instead. :-)

Realistically the only reason not to switch a computer off when it
won't be used for a while is because impatient fools can't wait the
extra few seconds for the computer to shutdown or reboot. :-\

nospam

2014-01-05 20:31:22 UTC

Post by Your Name
Then there's also no reason not to simply power it off instead. :-)

yes there is. power off is only needed for storage or moving a computer
that plugs into the wall.

Post by Your Name
Realistically the only reason not to switch a computer off when it
won't be used for a while is because impatient fools can't wait the
extra few seconds for the computer to shutdown or reboot. :-\

it's more than a few seconds to boot, but regardless, instant trumps a
delay.

Alan Baker

2014-01-06 03:08:27 UTC

Post by Your Name

Post by Don Bruder

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

Then there's also no reason not to simply power it off instead. :-)

Of course there is: time to usable state.

Your Name

2014-01-06 03:26:05 UTC

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

Then there's also no reason not to simply power it off instead. :-)

Of course there is: time to usable state.

That's what I said below ...

Post by Alan Baker

Lewis

2014-01-06 03:36:19 UTC

Post by Your Name

Post by Don Bruder

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

Then there's also no reason not to simply power it off instead. :-)

Yes there is, it takes much less time to wake from sleep than to boot
up.

Yes, extra "few seconds". My MBP, with an SSD, takes more than 2 minutes
to boot. It takes about 2 seconds to wake from sleep.

--
How do I set my laser printer to "STUN"?

Larry Gusaas

2014-01-05 20:20:59 UTC

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and safe? Interesting.

Of course it is. Why would you think it wouldn't be?

--
_________________________________

Larry I. Gusaas
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Canada
Website: http://larry-gusaas.com
"An artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs." - Edgard Varese

Michael Vilain

2014-01-06 00:20:35 UTC

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

Well, for varying values of safe.

Boreder patrol may confiscate your machine if they don't have the tools
on-site to image the drives. Just to be sure, install TrueCrypt on your
system and use a 4096bit key.

And carry it on. Be sure to wear high-top boots that lace up to mid-calf.

Being behind you in the security line will lots of fun.

--
DeeDee, don't press that button! DeeDee! NO! Dee...
[I filter all Goggle Groups posts, so any reply may be automatically ignored]

Lewis

2014-01-06 03:37:23 UTC

Post by Michael Vilain

So even when transporting like (commut/travell)ing, it will be OK and
safe? Interesting.

TrueCrypt on a Mac is silly.

--
At night when the bars close down
Brandy walks through a silent town
And loves a man who's not around

Kevin McMurtrie

2014-01-06 06:43:19 UTC

Sleeping is fine for normal travel. If you think it's going to get hit
hard during transport (bouncing around in a off-road vehicle) and you
have a spinning hard drive, shutting down is better. If you check the
systems logs, you'll find that the computer does momentarily wake from
sleep sometimes.

Shut it down before sending it through package X-ray machines because
some of them are very powerful. A system panic while wrapped up in a
suitcase or a box could cause overheating. That includes checked-in
airline luggage, USPS, UPS, and FedEx shipping.

Carry-on airline scanners are low power and I haven't seen them harm
anything that was powered on. Even if it did crash it would be fine in
a cary-on bag.

Alan Baker

2014-01-07 04:32:19 UTC

Post by Kevin McMurtrie

Hard drives aren't spinning when the machine is sleeping.

Post by Kevin McMurtrie
Shut it down before sending it through package X-ray machines because
some of them are very powerful. A system panic while wrapped up in a
suitcase or a box could cause overheating. That includes checked-in
airline luggage, USPS, UPS, and FedEx shipping.

Can you produce a single verifiable case of that ever happening?

Post by Kevin McMurtrie
Carry-on airline scanners are low power and I haven't seen them harm
anything that was powered on. Even if it did crash it would be fine in
a cary-on bag.

Bread

2014-01-10 21:38:55 UTC

Post by Alan Baker

Can you produce a single verifiable case of that ever happening?

I've found my mid-07 MBP, having been put to sleep, wake up while
packed in my backpack.

It was a few times, and it seems very much like an anomaly. It hasn't
happened in a couple of years. And I just retired that machine
permanently the other day (it's failing much more seriously now).

But it has certainly happened to me. And no, I really never figured
out why it happened, nor why it hasn't since then.

I never shut down my laptop in general every day usage, to and from the
office, or traveling by plane (since it's certainly going to be in my
carry-on, not in checked luggage).

But if I were packing and shipping it out of my hands, I'd shut it down.

Otherwise, no, I never shut it down (periodic reboots don't count)
unless I'm doing some kind of surgery on my MBP.

FWIW.

nospam

2014-01-07 13:38:12 UTC

In article

Post by Kevin McMurtrie
Sleeping is fine for normal travel. If you think it's going to get hit
hard during transport (bouncing around in a off-road vehicle) and you
have a spinning hard drive, shutting down is better.

if you think it's going to get hit during travel, get a good carrying
case to cushion it.

how often does this actually happen anyway?

Post by Kevin McMurtrie
If you check the
systems logs, you'll find that the computer does momentarily wake from
sleep sometimes.

very rarely does it do that and the timing would have to be *exactly*
at the same time as it being hit (which is rare to start with) to even
matter.

that makes *no* difference whatsoever. the drive is completely off and
parked when the laptop is sleeping.

however, shipping a computer that's sleeping is not a good idea, but
not for the reason you give. it could be in transit for a while, maybe
a week if you choose ground, possibly even longer, and the battery is
slowly draining during that time. there's no advantage to sleeping it
for shipment or for extended periods of not being used.

there *is* a huge advantage for sleeping it in normal everyday use.

Post by Kevin McMurtrie
Carry-on airline scanners are low power and I haven't seen them harm
anything that was powered on. Even if it did crash it would be fine in
a cary-on bag.

as it would anywhere.

JF Mezei

2014-01-07 18:41:55 UTC

Post by Kevin McMurtrie
Carry-on airline scanners are low power and I haven't seen them harm
anything that was powered on. Even if it did crash it would be fine in
a cary-on bag.

I have seen my MacPro gain a significant static charge going through the
scanner (you get big electric shock as you touch it afterwards). Whether
it is from the X-ray or from the plastic tray rolling along on those
plastic rollers, I don't know.

Did not seem to hurt it, but static discharge is never good on a
computer. Perhaps the aluminium shell is well insulated from the
insides. However, never touch the keyboard first. The plastic does
penetrate and can damage electronics below.

nospam

2014-01-07 20:18:12 UTC

Post by Kevin McMurtrie
Carry-on airline scanners are low power and I haven't seen them harm
anything that was powered on. Even if it did crash it would be fine in
a cary-on bag.

it's not the mac pro that's doing it.

send through a bag of clothes and you can still get a shock from a
metal part of your luggage or the rails of the scanner.

always touch the rails before touching anything else.

Post by JF Mezei
Did not seem to hurt it, but static discharge is never good on a
computer. Perhaps the aluminium shell is well insulated from the
insides. However, never touch the keyboard first. The plastic does
penetrate and can damage electronics below.

i've had that happen a number of times in the winter months, when the
dryer air increases the chances of a spark. what generally happens is
the trackpad will cease to function until the laptop is slept/woken.

Jolly Roger

2014-01-08 03:09:09 UTC

Post by Kevin McMurtrie
Carry-on airline scanners are low power and I haven't seen them harm
anything that was powered on. Even if it did crash it would be fine in
a cary-on bag.

You lugged a Mac Pro on a flight as a carry-on?

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I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

nospam

2014-01-08 03:56:42 UTC

Post by Jolly Roger

Post by JF Mezei
I have seen my MacPro gain a significant static charge going through the
scanner (you get big electric shock as you touch it afterwards). Whether
it is from the X-ray or from the plastic tray rolling along on those
plastic rollers, I don't know.

You lugged a Mac Pro on a flight as a carry-on?

you would trust it in checked baggage?

JF Mezei

2014-01-08 06:44:19 UTC

Post by Jolly Roger
You lugged a Mac Pro on a flight as a carry-on?

Sorry, MacBookPro :-)

I don't think a MacPro (2009) would fit size and weight limits for hand
luggage.

Jolly Roger

2014-01-08 18:30:47 UTC

Post by Jolly Roger
You lugged a Mac Pro on a flight as a carry-on?

Sorry, MacBookPro :-)
I don't think a MacPro (2009) would fit size and weight limits for hand
luggage.

I figured that' what you meant, but asked just in case as I think that
would be a rather interesting story. : )

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I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

Your Name

2014-01-08 20:03:43 UTC

Post by Jolly Roger
You lugged a Mac Pro on a flight as a carry-on?

Sorry, MacBookPro :-)
I don't think a MacPro (2009) would fit size and weight limits for hand
luggage.

Probably not "hand luggage", but there was at least one company which
used to make carrybags for Mac Pros. They also made them for Apple
Displays. :-)

Bread

2014-01-10 21:47:52 UTC

Post by Your Name

Post by Jolly Roger
You lugged a Mac Pro on a flight as a carry-on?

Sorry, MacBookPro :-)
I don't think a MacPro (2009) would fit size and weight limits for hand
luggage.

Probably not "hand luggage", but there was at least one company which
used to make carrybags for Mac Pros. They also made them for Apple
Displays. :-)

Then, there was this:

Loading Image...

I was working in a retail computer store at the time and we sent
several folks home with Macs in those carry bags as part of the Test
Drive A Mac campaign.

I imagine that some folks used those same bags to carry some of those
Macs on planes. (Never me, though.)

(And the new Mac Pro would certainly be potential carry-on. It's a
little heavy, but quite small enough!)

Alan Browne

2014-01-11 00:51:14 UTC

Post by Jolly Roger
You lugged a Mac Pro on a flight as a carry-on?

Sorry, MacBookPro :-)
I don't think a MacPro (2009) would fit size and weight limits for hand
luggage.

Probably not "hand luggage", but there was at least one company which
used to make carrybags for Mac Pros. They also made them for Apple
Displays. :-)

http://www.macmothership.com/gallery/Newsweek/p019.jpg
I was working in a retail computer store at the time and we sent several
folks home with Macs in those carry bags as part of the Test Drive A Mac
campaign.
I imagine that some folks used those same bags to carry some of those
Macs on planes. (Never me, though.)
(And the new Mac Pro would certainly be potential carry-on. It's a
little heavy, but quite small enough!)

The Mac Pro doesn't have a battery to hold up the memory, however, so
you'd have to suffer through 30 - 60 seconds of boot time... (Would be
nice if that could be hacked to add battery holdup for the RAM...)

It with monitor(s), keyboard/mouse/trackpad/graphics-table would fit
into a checkable Pelican case. It would be a challenge, but possible,
to find a small monitor, storage and other kit that would fit well into
a carry-on.

OTOH, you could always find a monitor to use on site when you got there
and possibly the memory in the MP would suffice for many jobs.

--
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
- Mike Tyson

b***@MIX.COM

2014-01-07 03:02:24 UTC

...and post it to non-relevant groups?

Post by Ant
Hello.

No.

Post by Ant
I noticed my client [...]

Particularly not if you're in the consulting business.

Post by Ant
--
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summer." --Proverbs 30:25 (Bible)
/ /\ /\ \ Ant's Quality Foraged Links: http://aqfl.net
| |o o| |
\ _ / If crediting, then use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.
( ) If e-mailing, then axe ANT from its address if needed.
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And, by the way, it's polite to confine one's sigs to four lines, or less.

Billy Y..

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Ant

2014-01-07 14:18:39 UTC

Post by b***@MIX.COM
...and post it to non-relevant groups?

Post by Ant
Hello.

No.

Why not?

Post by b***@MIX.COM

Post by Ant
I noticed my client [...]

Particularly not if you're in the consulting business.

It's more of a volunteer work, not paid job related.

--
"Look at them, fighting like ants. The fate's waiting them." --Kane in
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
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/ /\ /\ \ Ant's Quality Foraged Links: http://aqfl.net
| |o o| |
\ _ / If crediting, then use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.
( ) If e-mailing, then axe ANT from its address if needed.
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on this computer.

Jolly Roger

2014-01-09 19:14:11 UTC