Remove the Hibernation file - hiberfil.sys


  1. Posts : 258
    Windows Home Premium (64)
       #1

    Remove the Hibernation file - hiberfil.sys


    My hiberfil.sys file is 6GB and I do not use hibernation.

    Looking at my Advanced Power Settings (they have been set like this since I got the system):
    -- Sleep after is "Never|"
    -- Allow hybrid sleep is "Off"
    -- Hibernate after is "Never".

    And "Hibernate" appears in my Shutdown menu.

    But I cannot rename / delete hiberfil.sys. Another program has opened it (it was last accessed when I booted the system).

    What do I need to do to remove hiberfil.sys safely?

    (I did a Search but did not get to a conclusive answer.)
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
       #2

    In an elevated command prompt, type powercfg -h off and press Enter.

    Hibernate - Enable or Disable
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 258
    Windows Home Premium (64)
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you. I was going to try that but my Settings are already as described in Option 4 and I did not think that "powercfg ..>" would do anything more. Does it also delete the file?.

    I was wondering, given my Settings, why the file is there on disk, opened by something. Should it have been deleted already?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
       #4

    Yes, the powercfg -h off command will delete the hiberfil.sys file.

    That is explained in the tutorial
    Hibernate - Enable or Disable
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 258
    Windows Home Premium (64)
    Thread Starter
       #5

    OK, thank you. But using "Option 4" does not delete the file. Perhaps an additional step to delete the file manually could be added.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
       #6

    The powercfg command is the correct and only way to create or delete this file safely.

    If you find some other manual way to do this, you are asking for trouble.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2
    windows 7 64bit
       #7

    To delete hiberfil.sys, first open command prompt with administrator right by right clicking on the command prompt from the start menu and Run as Administrator. Type the following command :
    powercfg -h off

    More information on delete hiberfile.sys.
      My Computer


 

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