27 replies to this topic

[rridgely]

I was just wondering if leaving you pc on all of the time can cause any problems? Or is it better to turn it off when not in use?

[gunner]

To reboot or not to reboot, that is the question? Reboot occasionally (I do it every day)Windows cleans up some items, and I have found my computer functions better.Personal preference.

[Tarun]

gunner, on Apr 16 2005, 10:24 PM, said:

To reboot or not to reboot, that is the question? Reboot occasionally (I do it every day)Windows cleans up some items, and I have found my computer functions better.Personal preference.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He's referring to always on vs powering down each night/non usage.

[rridgely]

Tarun was right about my question. I was wandering it its better to leave it on all the time or not. Ive heard that turning it on and off can cause problems but I have also heard that leaving it on all the time has its faults too. What do you two do.

[gunner]

rridgely, on Apr 16 2005, 08:50 PM, said:

Tarun was right about my question. I was wandering it its better to leave it on all the time or not. Ive heard that turning it on and off can cause problems but I have also heard that leaving it on all the time has its faults too. What do you two do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Leave Computer On?Here's a smart guy's opinion:


By Ben C Preston

Many of you, after reading my article titled "Computer Battery," had questions regarding how long you should leave your computer turned “ON.”

In this article, I will discuss the negatives of leaving a computer “ON” all the time.

A number of you asked "Does it hurt anything to leave my computer “ON" all the time?" The answer is, “YES.”

There are more good reasons to turn your computer "OFF" than there are to leave it "ON" all the time. Hopefully, this article will give you the knowledge to decide for yourself which is best for your situation.

Two things happen each time you turn your computer on:
(1) Power Surge - the initial “jolt” to the power supply inside the computer, which is almost insignificant.
(2) Thermal Shock - going from cold to hot, from room temperature to operating temperature. This is only critical when the room is very cold and the computer gets very hot by being situated in an enclosed compartment.

Let's consider what goes on inside the computer during the time it is “ON”:
(1) The hard drive runs continuously.
(2) The fans run continuously.
(3) Onboard memory accumulates “junk” even when there are no programs running and it gets worse when there are background programs running.

The drives, such as the hard drive, are simply motor-driven devices with a shaft that rotates at a high speed when the computer is "ON." The same is true for the cooling fans.The bushings and shafts wear out. The longer the motor runs, the sooner the bushings and shafts wear out. I replace fans all the time as a result of worn out bushings.

Note: The cooling fans pull air into the computer. This causes pollutants to accumulate inside, which include such things as oily residue from smoke, dust particles, hair, carpet fibers, etc. Cigarette smoke gums up fans to the point they can't even spin. I replace those fans on a more frequent basis.

The 4-hour factor: Windows programs perform housekeeping operations in the background while the computer is on. These operations take up memory. After 4 hours of "ON" time, Windows becomes degraded to the point the computer should be re-started to clear the memory.

In other words, the computer begins to become sluggish at or near the 4 hour mark. I've seen the computer's available resources drop as much as 25% after just 3 hours of "ON" time. Rebooting will clear this.

There is a common-sense rule of thumb I use to balance the good with the bad:
Turn the computer "OFF" during your sleep period and during times when you know for a fact you will not be using it for at least 4 hours. Leave it "ON" during your active time when you know for a fact you will be using it during the next 4 hours. This should be based on "probable use" within any 4- hour period.

Highly organized individuals schedule their time for the computer and they accomplish everything they need to during that scheduled time. If a person only uses the computer once each day for a few minutes, there is no need to leave it on all the time.

I turn mine on early in the morning and use it for abour an hour, then turn it off while I am out on appointments during the day. Later that evening I turn it on and use it for two to three hours, then turn it off at bedtime.

Four other factors for consideration are:
(1) The computer uses electricity as long as it is turned on.
(2) Computers can raise the room temperature in small rooms by as much as 5 degrees, which in some instances will cause an air conditioner to run longer or more often. Don't laugh! Think of the combined usage of millions of computers running, but not being used, and you begin to realize what a waste of energy and financial resources.
(3) If a computer is located in a tight closed area it will get hotter than one in an open free-circulating area. The longer it runs, the hotter it gets.
(4) A computer running all the time in a polluted area will become packed with dust, smoke residue, etc., faster than one located in the same area that isn't running all the time.

Reminder: You should never leave your computer on during lightning storms or when you will be gone for extended periods of time. One of my customers left his computer on and the monitor caught fire according to the investigators, actually setting his house on fire! Electrical damage and fire damage from computers is more frequent than you might realize. See related article "Thunderstorms And Computers"

Finally, for those who must leave their computers on, you should use an UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) in conjunction with a good surge protector. See related article "Surge Protection"

As you can see, when to turn your computer “ON” and "OFF" is going to be a judgment you have to make.

Happy Computing!

Ben C Preston
CompTIA A+ Certified
April 22nd, 2001, Revised March 5th, 2003







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[ Technical Library ] [ Search Engines ] [ The Weather Channel ] [ Contact Ben ] [ Services Offered ]

[agumon]

one thing about leaving computer on is they tend to get dustier... i believe in the long run, it will damage the hardware...

[rridgely]

Thanks alot Gunner I guess it its time to shut down my PC.

[DjLizard]

In the other thread where this was asked, I ruled quite the contrary. Over the course of 10 years, I've determined [by observation and trial/error] that leaving my computer(s) on 24/7/365 has proven more beneficial than to those [my customers] who have not. My customers have purchased nearly identical class hardware, and reside in a nearly identical class of temperature, humidity, pollutants, and other environmental factors as I do. I have discovered that while that article is very factual in nature, it is not as cut and dry as listed above.
Ways to beat the odds:
1) Have a UPS system. You should get a UPS system. I don't have a UPS system [yet]. I get hit by power spikes/sags/outages. My power supply is above-grade [$150 Antec NeoPower), it doesn't die. It is not a Powmax ($2 ) power supply.
2) Have an air ionizer. I don't have an ionizer. I smoked. Doral lights. One day, (after 730 days of continuous computing/smoking), I decided to shut down and clean out my case (using a nice 90 psi air compressor), but to my amazement, there was nothing to clean. I don't understand... I quit smoking recently, just after I bought the parts for my new computer. This computer attracts loads of dust...
3) Keep it off the carpet. Keep it off the floor. Luckily, mine is precariously perched atop a rickety end-table that weighs less than half of what my PC weighs.
4) Keep it cool. You shouldn't buy a crappy case. You should buy a nice cool Antec case, and load it up with Antec brand 120mm case fans Your CPU should have a full on copper block with a hefty high speed fan that should not be throttled to lower speeds according to the temperature of your system. These parts were designed with a heat yield, and were designed to always be running.
5) Remember the "lightbulb principle". A lightbulb runs for several hours, then you finally turn it off. You do this day in and day out. One day, right when you turn it on, it pops. How come it never pops when it's already on? Thermal expansion. They last longer when they just stay on all the time. They are low wattage. Your computer is not! Do the math.
6) Hard drives don't like power-offs (they have to park, and why isn't there ever any place to park! lots of handicap spaces though), and are also heat yield-certified. They are designed to run a certain RPM, a certain temperature all the time, for a certain amount of hours. Cool them off and they run even longer. Stop defragmenting every week and maybe they wouldn't wear out so much.

The PC I had before this one had the following things happen over the course of its life (btw, it hasn't died yet) :
A) 7 capacitors total on the board had blown, and were leaking spent electrolyte, over the course of 5 years -- still works to this date
I accidentally "missed" when I later connected a floppy drive power plug... 5v to ground = toasty to the power supply -- still works
C) Video card fan's ball-bearing warped/seized (GeForce 3 (not a Ti)) - it was one of those paper-thin ones from back in the day. I noticed it about 2.5 years after I built it -- not sure how long it'd been dead -- so I zip-tied a northbridge chipset fan to it (because I broke off the video card's pegs, heh)
D) I had three hard drives stacked on top of each other with no fans on them, because, well:
E) I had no case fans.

It still works, but I wanted a motherboard with SATA, dual-channel 400MHz RAM support, etc, so I built the one I'm on now. I retired the old beast's carcass into the closet.

I think I was just lucky in all that (and it was a cheap computer) but the computer I have now is going to last a long while (it has many fans and a lot better things going for it

- DjLizard,
also CompTIA A+ certified. Missed 1 question between the two tests. Probably SCSI-related.

PS: My current uptime: 3wks 4hrs 43mins
Usual reboot reasons are: fiancee, "you must restart your computer" because I installed some hax0r driver, windows updates, blah blah etc.

[gunner]

Since the lizard has "ruled", I guess it's all over? I'm only a pitiful PHD.

DjLizard, on Apr 17 2005, 03:06 PM, said:

In the other thread where this was asked, I ruled quite the contrary.  Over the course of 10 years, I've determined [by observation and trial/error] that leaving my computer(s) on 24/7/365 has proven more beneficial than to those [my customers] who have not.  My customers have purchased nearly identical class hardware, and reside in a nearly identical class of temperature, humidity, pollutants, and other environmental factors as I do.  I have discovered that while that article is very factual in nature, it is not as cut and dry as listed above.
Ways to beat the odds:
1) Have a UPS system.  You should get a UPS system.  I don't have a UPS system [yet].  I get hit by power spikes/sags/outages.  My power supply is above-grade [$150 Antec NeoPower), it doesn't die.  It is not a Powmax ($2 ) power supply.
2) Have an air ionizer.  I don't have an ionizer.  I smoked.  Doral lights.  One day, (after 730 days of continuous computing/smoking), I decided to shut down and clean out my case (using a nice 90 psi air compressor), but to my amazement, there was nothing to clean.  I don't understand... I quit smoking recently, just after I bought the parts for my new computer.  This computer attracts loads of dust...
3) Keep it off the carpet.  Keep it off the floor.  Luckily, mine is precariously perched atop a rickety end-table that weighs less than half of what my PC weighs.
4) Keep it cool.  You shouldn't buy a crappy case.  You should buy a nice cool Antec case, and load it up with Antec brand 120mm case fans   Your CPU should have a full on copper block with a hefty high speed fan that should not be throttled to lower speeds according to the temperature of your system.  These parts were designed with a heat yield, and were designed to always be running.
5) Remember the "lightbulb principle".  A lightbulb runs for several hours, then you finally turn it off.  You do this day in and day out.  One day, right when you turn it on, it pops.  How come it never pops when it's already on?  Thermal expansion.  They last longer when they just stay on all the time.  They are low wattage.  Your computer is not!  Do the math.
6) Hard drives don't like power-offs (they have to park, and why isn't there ever any place to park!  lots of handicap spaces though), and are also heat yield-certified.  They are designed to run a certain RPM, a certain temperature all the time, for a certain amount of hours.  Cool them off and they run even longer.  Stop defragmenting every week and maybe they wouldn't wear out so much.

The PC I had before this one had the following things happen over the course of its life (btw, it hasn't died yet) :
A) 7 capacitors total on the board had blown, and were leaking spent electrolyte, over the course of 5 years -- still works to this date
I accidentally "missed" when I later connected a floppy drive power plug... 5v to ground = toasty to the power supply -- still works
C) Video card fan's ball-bearing warped/seized (GeForce 3 (not a Ti)) - it was one of those paper-thin ones from back in the day.  I noticed it about 2.5 years after I built it -- not sure how long it'd been dead -- so I zip-tied a northbridge chipset fan to it (because I broke off the video card's pegs, heh)
D) I had three hard drives stacked on top of each other with no fans on them, because, well:
E) I had no case fans.

It still works, but I wanted a motherboard with SATA, dual-channel 400MHz RAM support, etc, so I built the one I'm on now.  I retired the old beast's carcass into the closet.

I think I was just lucky in all that (and it was a cheap computer) but the computer I have now is going to last a long while (it has many fans and a lot better things going for it

- DjLizard,
also CompTIA A+ certified.  Missed 1 question between the two tests.  Probably SCSI-related.

PS: My current uptime: 3wks 4hrs 43mins
Usual reboot reasons are: fiancee, "you must restart your computer" because I installed some hax0r driver, windows updates, blah blah etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[DjLizard]

¬_¬

[DAE]

Ditto..I did not see any mention of leaving the computer on with high speed internet allows hackers, viruses , worms, etc. to access your computer. So, if you leave it on, make sure you have the firewalls, etc..the only way to prevent this access is by turning the pc off. And, some people just turn it OFF..it should be Shutdown through windows, not just turning off the power button. That can cause problems too.

Just had to mention the above... Couldn't just pass it up..no offense

[DjLizard]

Yeh, I guess "hackers" could get in if I didn't keep Windows up to date. I don't use a firewall (except the Windows internal one) and I leave myself on the DMZ of my router (I hate restricted access).

[DAE]

DjLizard, on Apr 18 2005, 08:57 AM, said:

Yeh, I guess "hackers" could get in if I didn't keep Windows up to date.  I don't use a firewall (except the Windows internal one) and I leave myself on the DMZ of my router (I hate restricted access).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

really..I guess I just don't trust what is out there. I find so much "crap" on my pc , guess that's what brought me here in the 1st place.

[Andavari]

DAE, on Apr 18 2005, 01:12 PM, said:

really..I guess I just don't trust what is out there. I find so much "crap" on my pc , guess that's what brought me here in the 1st place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I turn mine off for the simple fact is I don't want a power failure to corrupt the OS or files. There's enough thunderstorms here in the midwest during the spring and summer that cause far too many power failures, hence the reason I turn mine off when not in usage.

[mjp28]

......5) Remember the "lightbulb principle". A lightbulb runs for several hours, then you finally turn it off. You do this day in and day out. One day, right when you turn it on, it pops. How come it never pops when it's already on? Thermal expansion. They last longer when they just stay on all the time. They are low wattage. Your computer is not! Do the math......

This is true.

If you have a 4W or 7W nightlight it's cheaper to leave it on 24/7 than turn it off/on. The electrical power is much less than the cost of replacing the bulbs.

Plus you don't have to remember to turn it on.

....Very interesting thread....

[DjLizard]

My XP machine at home has been on (and under heavy use) for 3 weeks and 4 days without a reboot.

[zaphirer]

It depends.... if you are running SETI or something that uses CPU usage.... then you comp might overheat....

However, I do believe there is a "hibernation mode" that shuts down the HD and practically everything else.... it can also "boot instantly" although I'm not entirely sure how to do it...

[gunner]

Make sure you're logged onto your PC as Administrator or as a user with Administrator rights.
You can check the status of your user account by going to Start | Control Panel and selecting the User Account icon.
Your account should be listed there.
If it says Computer Administrator you have the rights to make this change.
To show the Hibernate option under shutdown, select Start | Control Panel, and select the Performance and Maintenance icon.
Select the Power Options icon under "or pick a Control Panel Icon."
Select the Hibernate tab, and click on the Enable Hibernation box.
If Hibernate still doesn't appear, it may be because your PC is fairly new and supports the Stand By low-power shut-down option.
To make Hibernate appear in the Turn Off Your Computer dialogue, simply hold down the Shift key and Stand By will switch to Hibernate.
You need to hold down the Shift key to see and use the Hibernate shut-down option (windows XP)

[gunner]

Forgot to mention it will cost you about 500 mb reserved for this task.

[DjLizard]

It will cost as much hard drive space as you have system RAM (i.e., for me, it'd be 1024 MB of space, not 500)

The computer won't overheat from constant CPU usage if it is built properly. A CPU is designed to do work, not to not do work.