It'll be easier if I just rundown the chain of events...

Machine: Samsung NP780Z5E (Laptop, Ivy Bridge, OA Win8 updated to 8.1, SSD 840PRO, magician software used to disable hybrid mode, 8GB onboard + 4GB add on module)

Removed SDHC card while computer was in sleep.  Stop/error screen on resume, restart. (that should have been the end of it)

Occasional boot failures thereafter: Laptop powers down after bios screen (Samsung logo) , power button restart usually would boot normally on second attempt.

Suspecting a bad memory module, removed 4GB module.

From that point might take 5 or more power on attempts before the machine would boot.

When it did successfully boot, it was fine.  Bios accessable 100%, boot PM from thumb drive 100%.

F-8/ fixboot didn't catch it.  Nor did SFC (I don't think SFC is meant to look for this, but I ran it, reported 0)

Suspecting a failing SSD, called Samsung.  Very friendly tech said it sounded like an OS issue and suggested wiping/resetting the drive and starting over.  Was prepared to do that but instead decided to do some googling first.

What fixed it:  Formal shutdown via cmd (shutdown /s /t 0).  That appeared to fix it, but for extra measure disabled hybrid shutdown (aka "fast startup" @ Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Power Options\System Settings.

Something is amiss, at least on this hardware config.  Hybrid shutdown should p/u and apply/update hardware changes.  For reasons unknown, at least on this config it is not.  If I weren't a tech...I could see most of my relatives or friends putting the machine aside thinking it's "dead", or unnecessarily performing RP reset/reinstalls.

Noticed this booting PM from a flash key.  It flashes by so fast it's difficult to catch as it's onscreen for about 100ms before loading GRUB:

Error: secure boot forbids loading module from EFI/Boot/x86-64/UDF.MODE

Is it possible this is a BIOS issue preventing Windows boot manager or the running OS from clearing or modifying the hiberfile?   Bios has optimized defaults loaded at some point when the trouble began (which likely means no difference).  Secure boot set for standard.

No issues since turning fast start OFF, but for more common users that may not figure any of this out, could secure boot be a culprit?  Ideally secure boot should be left on - possibly a BIOS update AMI/Samsung might be in order?

Another little bit of info:  I had turned UAC off way long ago.  Since the fix (formal shutdown via CMD/disable hybrid shutdown), Metro apps refuse to launch (objecting to UAC being turned off.  They had been launching).  Quick google to find out it's supposed to be that way.  Hmm.