Good to Keep Your Computer On?

Ladyzekke · 03-06-2005, 08:20 PM

I've just have had a few people tell me leaving your PC on all the time is OK and the machine "likes" it if you will. Is this true? And if so, what is it that leaving it on helps? I'd think you'd run a chance of overheating myself, but I am no computer whiz so who knows!

How many of you out there keep your computer on all the time? How long is yours on mostly on a daily basis? I guess for me, on the workdays when I get home from work I have mine on for about 5-6 hours. On the weekends something around 9-10 hours, but the weekends its a random thing, depending on what I'm doing. I always stay home more on the weekends during winter LOL. And said hours is not online time, but just how long my PC is just on, as I also play games and sometimes it just sits there and I'm not using it at all, but it's on.

Just curious, especially re the leave it on all the time deal. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Larry_OHF · 03-06-2005, 08:36 PM

What they mean is to use sleep mode instead of turning the machine off. I have been told to do this here and there, but I rarely do so.

The benefits are that it saves on HDD life, from what I hear. Oh yeah...and it has something to do with energy reduction.

[ 03-06-2005, 08:38 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

Vaskez · 03-06-2005, 08:48 PM

Well it is true that the most damaging thing you can do to an electronic circuit is turn it on, due to the relatively sudden change in voltage across the circuitry. Therefore, if you never turn it off, you never have to turn it on, thereby reducing wear on the circuitry.

Also, I wouldn't worry about overheating, since the amount of energy/sec produced in watts, should be dissipated by the heatsink and fans otherwise your comp would overheat in the couple of hours that you normally have it on.

The downside to keeping it on is the power usage, but of course you can set power saving settings to turn off hard-disks (but again turning them on is the worst) and monitor etc.

I personally always turn it off because of the noise the CPU fan makes (I can't sleep) but if it was quiet I'd keep it on.

Most PCs in businesses are on 24/7 including servers and all workstations at work (including mine) and they run fine for years.

[ 03-06-2005, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Vaskez ]

Sir Goulum · 03-06-2005, 08:55 PM

My mac never gets turned off, it just goes into sleep mode. My pc, on the other hand, is turned off after about 12 hours or so, every day. It rarely stays on overnight.

Seraph · 03-06-2005, 09:01 PM

Quote:

I've just have had a few people tell me leaving your PC on all the time is OK and the machine "likes" it if you will. Is this true? And if so, what is it that leaving it on helps? I'd think you'd run a chance of overheating myself, but I am no computer whiz so who knows!

When you turn on your computer there tends to be a small spike in the power going through the system. If you cycle the power enough you could eventually cause significant dammage to your computer.

There is however a counter this argument, namely that ICs only have so much run time in them. This however is a function of temperautre so it isn't a real problem if your comptuer is kept cool.

Kakero · 03-06-2005, 09:12 PM

I turn my computer on 24/7 ever since I started replaying ragnarok online. apart from the hanging once a while the computer is okay. I open up the casing and put a table fan to blow wind to it to cool it down.

Vaskez · 03-06-2005, 09:17 PM

Seraph stop repeating my message! [img]tongue.gif[/img] Nah, actually glad you're backing me up.

Kakero - opening up the case to cool the stuff inside with a table fan is a bad idea: you blow loads of dust onto the circuitry which can have all sorts of effects, starting from static to clogging up air vents in the side of the PSU etc.

Variol (Farseer) Elmwood · 03-06-2005, 09:25 PM

I have 2 PC's and they're on all the time. We use them every day. By leaving them on the heat is more constant. If they're off and on all the time, everyhting expands and and contracts, thus weakening solder joints etc and shortening the life of your hardware. (havn't read all the posts here BTW)

Ladyzekke · 03-06-2005, 09:29 PM

Thanks for yall's replies so far. Had no idea so many left their PCs on. Thing is, I just don't want to do it cause I'm afraid something could go wrong and start a fire, when I'm not at home. I remember when my power supply popped a few years ago out of nowhere, luckily I was here and smelled the smoke instantly, not to mention heard the pop LOL.

I do see what yall are saying though re the power it takes to start up and turn on. Some say the same thing with automobiles now that I'm thinking about the subject.

shamrock_uk · 03-06-2005, 09:44 PM

A general rule of thumb that I use:

If you'll not be using it for at least two hours, turn your monitor off (your CRT monitor life is directly related to how long its on for - this has to be weighed against the disadvantage of frequent degaussing hence the rather arbitrary figure of 2 hours)

If you'll not be using it for 24 hours, turn your computer off.

The biggest saver is indeed on your hard drive as it avoids having to spin up and spin down which is fairly stressful.

One thing you should never do is take advantage of the windows power saving feature that lets you 'turn off hard disks' after about 10 minutes - nothing will shorten their lives more

[ 03-06-2005, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

03-06-2005, 08:20 PM	#1
Ladyzekke Ironworks Atomic Moderator Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Virginia, U.S.A. Age: 58 Posts: 9,005	I've just have had a few people tell me leaving your PC on all the time is OK and the machine "likes" it if you will. Is this true? And if so, what is it that leaving it on helps? I'd think you'd run a chance of overheating myself, but I am no computer whiz so who knows! How many of you out there keep your computer on all the time? How long is yours on mostly on a daily basis? I guess for me, on the workdays when I get home from work I have mine on for about 5-6 hours. On the weekends something around 9-10 hours, but the weekends its a random thing, depending on what I'm doing. I always stay home more on the weekends during winter LOL. And said hours is not online time, but just how long my PC is just on, as I also play games and sometimes it just sits there and I'm not using it at all, but it's on. Just curious, especially re the leave it on all the time deal. [img]smile.gif[/img] __________________ Reality Show Recaps

03-06-2005, 08:36 PM	#2
Larry_OHF Ironworks Moderator Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Midlands, South Carolina Age: 49 Posts: 14,759	What they mean is to use sleep mode instead of turning the machine off. I have been told to do this here and there, but I rarely do so. The benefits are that it saves on HDD life, from what I hear. Oh yeah...and it has something to do with energy reduction. [ 03-06-2005, 08:38 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ] __________________

03-06-2005, 08:48 PM	#3
Vaskez Takhisis Follower Join Date: April 30, 2001 Location: szép Magyarország (well not right now) Posts: 5,089	Well it is true that the most damaging thing you can do to an electronic circuit is turn it on, due to the relatively sudden change in voltage across the circuitry. Therefore, if you never turn it off, you never have to turn it on, thereby reducing wear on the circuitry. Also, I wouldn't worry about overheating, since the amount of energy/sec produced in watts, should be dissipated by the heatsink and fans otherwise your comp would overheat in the couple of hours that you normally have it on. The downside to keeping it on is the power usage, but of course you can set power saving settings to turn off hard-disks (but again turning them on is the worst) and monitor etc. I personally always turn it off because of the noise the CPU fan makes (I can't sleep) but if it was quiet I'd keep it on. Most PCs in businesses are on 24/7 including servers and all workstations at work (including mine) and they run fine for years. [ 03-06-2005, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Vaskez ] __________________ Too set in his ways to ever relate If he could set that aside, there'd be heaven to pay But weathered and aged, time swept him to grave Love conquers all? Damn, I'd say that area's gray

03-06-2005, 09:17 PM	#7
Vaskez Takhisis Follower Join Date: April 30, 2001 Location: szép Magyarország (well not right now) Posts: 5,089	Seraph stop repeating my message! [img]tongue.gif[/img] Nah, actually glad you're backing me up. Kakero - opening up the case to cool the stuff inside with a table fan is a bad idea: you blow loads of dust onto the circuitry which can have all sorts of effects, starting from static to clogging up air vents in the side of the PSU etc. __________________ Too set in his ways to ever relate If he could set that aside, there'd be heaven to pay But weathered and aged, time swept him to grave Love conquers all? Damn, I'd say that area's gray

03-06-2005, 09:25 PM	#8
Variol (Farseer) Elmwood Jack Burton Join Date: May 16, 2003 Location: Dartmouth, NS Canada Age: 60 Posts: 5,634	I have 2 PC's and they're on all the time. We use them every day. By leaving them on the heat is more constant. If they're off and on all the time, everyhting expands and and contracts, thus weakening solder joints etc and shortening the life of your hardware. (havn't read all the posts here BTW) __________________ A MAN WHO WANTS FOR NOTHING HAS INFINITE WEALTH. (me)

03-06-2005, 08:55 PM	#4
Sir Goulum John Locke Join Date: February 7, 2002 Location: Edmonton, Canada Age: 36 Posts: 8,985	My mac never gets turned off, it just goes into sleep mode. My pc, on the other hand, is turned off after about 12 hours or so, every day. It rarely stays on overnight.

03-06-2005, 09:12 PM	#6
Kakero 40th Level Warrior Join Date: March 24, 2002 Posts: 10,215	I turn my computer on 24/7 ever since I started replaying ragnarok online. apart from the hanging once a while the computer is okay. I open up the casing and put a table fan to blow wind to it to cool it down.

03-06-2005, 09:29 PM	#9
Ladyzekke Ironworks Atomic Moderator Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Virginia, U.S.A. Age: 58 Posts: 9,005	Thanks for yall's replies so far. Had no idea so many left their PCs on. Thing is, I just don't want to do it cause I'm afraid something could go wrong and start a fire, when I'm not at home. I remember when my power supply popped a few years ago out of nowhere, luckily I was here and smelled the smoke instantly, not to mention heard the pop LOL. I do see what yall are saying though re the power it takes to start up and turn on. Some say the same thing with automobiles now that I'm thinking about the subject. __________________ Reality Show Recaps

03-06-2005, 09:44 PM	#10
shamrock_uk Dracolich Join Date: January 24, 2004 Location: UK Age: 42 Posts: 3,092	A general rule of thumb that I use: If you'll not be using it for at least two hours, turn your monitor off (your CRT monitor life is directly related to how long its on for - this has to be weighed against the disadvantage of frequent degaussing hence the rather arbitrary figure of 2 hours) If you'll not be using it for 24 hours, turn your computer off. The biggest saver is indeed on your hard drive as it avoids having to spin up and spin down which is fairly stressful. One thing you should never do is take advantage of the windows power saving feature that lets you 'turn off hard disks' after about 10 minutes - nothing will shorten their lives more [ 03-06-2005, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

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