hiberation not in start menu (but it IS ENABLED)

After some recent updates and/or software installs, at some point the "hiberation" option no longer appeared in my start menu shutdown options. I searched the web and found many posts suggest that the fix is simple -- all I have to do is enable hiberation via one of two ways

- run "powercfg -h on" from an elevated command prompt

- modify the registry to enable hibernation

Well I did both those things and neither worked.

The registry already had the correct value for the key -- hibernation is enabled.

What should I do?

Check to see if you have Hybrid Sleep enabled in Power Options.
If Hybrid Sleep is enabled, Sleep is listed in the Shutdown Options, but Hibernate is not.

Hybrid sleep was enabled. I disabled it, but no change -- shutdown options still don't show hibernate.

In the power configuration, I went to the option to select what the shutdown button does. Hibernate WAS listed there. I selected Hibernate but it STILL doesn't change anything -- the power button still shows its previous state (which happened to be "switch user") and doesn't list hibernate in the options.

This is after a reboot, by the way.

Interesting. For me when I turn off Hybrid Sleep, Hibernate does get added to the Shutdown Options.

I'm not sure why it doesn't for you.

As a temp workaround you could try creating a Hibernate shortcut and see if that works.
Here's a link to the tutorial for that.

Hibernate Shortcut - Create

That shortcut does cause it to hibernate, I think. it doesn't give me an actual message saying "going into hibernation" but it seems to shut down power, then on power-up it says "restarting windows."

I found a link indicating that you should edit the group policy to add or remove buttons from the shutdown options. I don't have the group policy editor (on Home Premium) but there is a script to do it. It doesn't work either! See here:

Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate Commands - Add or Remove

I will consider this problem "solved" when I can add a freakin hibernate to the freakin shutdown options (what the freak is wrong with this thing?)

but for now I can hibernate if I want to.

Well, at least you know your PC can hibernate/restart and that's good.
And, you have a work-around to hibernate.

I have W7 Pro and Ult, and you have W7 Home Premuim - not sure if that makes a difference for this.

fwiw, I prefer Hybrid Sleep:
- Wake from Sleep takes ~5 seconds for me.
- Resume from Hibernate takes longer, 20-30 seconds.
- Sleep doesn't use much power, about the same as a night-light from what i know.

Nice find for that tutorial - i missed that...

I need to hibernate because I need to turn off power completely.

Wow, thanks for explaining that. Now you're talking! So if I enable hybrid sleep then the "sleep" option on the "shutdown options" menu will now mean "go into hybrid sleep", and I can cut power to the computer safely? (I'll test it, of course.) OTOH, since I know I'm cutting power, it makes more sense to do the specific thing I need (hibernate), rather than rely on a more complex function like hybrid sleep. But maybe it will work.

I agree with you, having hibernate available on your shutdown options would be best.

I tested hybrid sleep on my systems, and it works for me.

worst case: I can put a PC to Sleep and pull the power cord if an electrical storm pops up...

again - i made backup images before i tested, and i have a "Test" PC for stuff like this...