Windows 8 Fast Startup and Hiberfil.sys

Hibernation also wears out the SSD quicker.

Speed difference?
It depends on how you shut off your PC. On MY PC it's like this with a fast SSD for Windows:

OFF to ON: roughly 60 seconds (has slowed down with more programs over time)
HIBERNATED to ON: roughly 45 seconds
Hybrid SLEEP to ON: 5 seconds.

Hybrid Sleep is the most common use. The system state is COPIED to the main Windows drive and most (not all) of the power is shut off. It can then restore in a few seconds. This also contributes significantly to SSD wearing and uses up SSD space.

Hibernation and OFF are the slowest to start. The advantage to OFF though is that you can disable the Hibernation file. If you need the space or are really concerned with wear then you need to do this. Hibernation is mostly POINTLESS. Hybrid Sleep incorporates Hibernation but can start in a few seconds. If the POWER is interrupted, then the system starts from Hibernation state instead.

How am I set up?
Wear isn't a huge deal to me due to the rapid SSD price drop. I'll replace my main drive before it wears out.

I use HYBRID SLEEP.

Photonboy,
Thanks for the information I also use hybrid sleep running windows 7, yep like 5 seconds if that. What I am really trying to figure out is how much of a difference if any there is on windows 8 between fast startup that uses the hiberfil.sys to store the kernel and drivers and doing a startup with the hiberfil.sys disabled. How much if any speed difference is there between the two?

I just told you.
If you disable Hibernation then you simply eliminate the option of "Hybrid Sleep" and Hibernation, thus leaving only a FULL OFF or SLEEP option.

If you use sleep it starts exactly as fast as Hybrid Sleep. The Hibernation file isn't used to startup from Hybrid Sleep; it's just there in case the power goes out turning off the PC. Without Hibernation your PC crashes if it is in Sleep mode.

How it works:
Hibernation-> RAM is copied to main Windows SSD/HDD (a restart copies it back)

SLEEP-> RAM still receives power but most of PC off (power loss crashes system)

Hybrid Sleep-> BOTH of the above (RAM still contains data thus quick to start; Hibernation file not used unless power outage then PC starts as if from Hibernation by copying from SSD/HDD back to your System RAM)

Photonboy,
This is what i am refering to
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/6320-fast-startup-...
not hybrid sleep
in the notes it spacifacly states
Note
The fast startup setting doesn't apply to Restart.

This is not the same thing as hybrid sleep/hibernate in Power Options.

Is this information incorrect?
Thanks

The speedup they show here is simply a slightly improved HIBERNATION mode. In fact, it's a bit deceiving in the gains because they're comparing a COLD BOOT to restoring by Hibernation. They aren't comparing for example, Windows 7 Hibernation to Windows 8 Hibernation on the same system.

Windows 8 has the feature ON by default. It will enable a faster HIBERNATION restart as well as shutting down into Hibernation or Hybrid Sleep faster.

The first part of this stage is the motherboard startup (POST) and that's always there when the system has been turned off. It generally takes 5 to 20 seconds. That's the motherboard testing itself (since SLEEP or HYBRID SLEEP is already on it won't do this when you do a warm start).

The best way to start your system is still Hybrid Sleep.