Dell has added a fourth,
Standby Mode
Standby mode is the default "off" state for Windows Vista. Standby mode conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a
To set standby mode to automatically activate after a defined period of inactivity:
1Click Start 
and click Control Panel.
2Click System and Maintenance.
3Under System and Maintenance, click Power Options.
The next dialog box will show three power plans - the top option is Dell Recommended - this is the currently active plan.
There is also a show additional plans arrow underneath the three power plans. You can have many power plans, but only three are displayed and the top one is the active plan.
To immediately activate standby mode without a period of inactivity, click Start 
, and then click the off button icon. Windows Vista sets Standby as the default off state.
To exit from standby mode, press a key on the keyboard or move the mouse.
NOTICE: If your computer loses power while in standby mode, it may lose data. Windows Vista has a new feature called Hybrid Sleep mode - this saves the data into a file and also puts the system into standby. If you lose power, the system retains your data on the hard drive and resumes to the same state you left it. Go to Help and Support and search for Hybrid Sleep for further information. Hybrid Sleep provides fast wake if the system is in standby, but also keeps your data safe by storing it to the hard drive.
Hibernate Mode
Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits from hibernate mode, the desktop is restored to the state it was in before it entered hibernate mode. Windows Vista may mask Hibernate from the user if Hybrid Sleep is enabled. See Help and Support for further information - search for Hibernate.
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