On or off?

[still learning]

Hello, I am still new at using computers and always turn them off at each day or use. A friend mention that I should always leave the computer ON?

Please let me know what you feel about leaving a computer ON or OFF? We use it at night mostly (surfing) and for the Kids homework. ....Aloha

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Turn it off to save power.
If you leave it on all the time, reboot it occasionally (once a week maybe) just to let it clear out it's caches. The only time my systems off is when I'm working on it's guts, or going out of town for a few days. Otherwise, it runs 24/7

But the on/off things a personal preference.

 

[terryl965]

Now adays computer come with energy saver so there are no real value to shut them down anymore. I just leave them on until they die and then refix those damm things.
Terry

 

[Tarot]

My computers have a sleep mode, at the end of the day I put it to sleep. This means the harddrive is not running but my computer still has power. In the morning they get woken up.

 

[Andrew Green]

I turn it off, why use power?

They do need rebooted at a minimum every once and a while.

What might be going on is your friend might work for a company that tells employees not to shut them off. The reason is IT can remote administrate them, and they do, overnight.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Turn it off, a reboot never hurts and can help fix the occasional problem. Also depending on which operating system you are using it helps reset the OS, if you will.

Additionally, if you are using dialup to connect, this is not an issue, but if you are using roadrunner shutting it off is a very good idea. With roadrunner you are always connected to the internet and as leaving you PC on is just an additional security risk I do not suggest taking.

 

[Carol]

Also depends on the type of computer. If it's a laptop, shut it down whenever possible.

Laptops were designed to be portable, they were not designed to sit in one place and crunch away. As such, laptops are more subject to problems due to thermal (heat) damage than desktops. There are two main sources for this. Laptop computers have rechargable batteries (which are a source of heat), Desktops to not. Laptops also have less heat shielding and isolation than desktops do.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Now adays computer come with energy saver so there are no real value to shut them down anymore. I just leave them on until they die and then refix those damm things.
Terry

Terry,

I disagree as when my PC is shut off there are no lights on, yet when it is on there are lights on that draw power.


Now personally I always turn it off, as I do not want it on when I am gone.

 

[rutherford]

When I worked as a computer guy in a factory, I always knew to have plenty of spare parts around for shutdown periods. If you leave a computer on for months at a time, the most likely time for a failure is when you shut down. They just might not come back up.

That story actually doesn't have a lot of bearing on your personal decision, other than point out the the power cycling down and then back up is a time of stress for a computer. But, it's really very minor stress. I assume your house is a lot easier on computers than the dirt, heat, and constant vibrations of a factory floor.

If you have a high speed internet connection, I'd shut down when you're away from the computer - especially if you don't have a good firewall.

If you're worried about the few pennies in electric costs, go ahead and shut down.

If you don't shut down, make sure you at least have a screen saver. Displays still burn pretty quickly.

Definitely shut it off if there's a lightning storm in the area. Even if you have "good surge protection". As if. Hehehe.

Have fun.

 

[terryl965]

Terry,

I disagree as when my PC is shut off there are no lights on, yet when it is on there are lights on that draw power.


Now personally I always turn it off, as I do not want it on when I am gone.

How come mine has a power save mode with it, the screen shuts down but the computer is in sleep mode, but then again I know nothing about them just do what my programmmers say to do.
Terry

 

[Carol]

How come mine has a power save mode with it, the screen shuts down but the computer is in sleep mode, but then again I know nothing about them just do what my programmmers say to do.
Terry

All modern Windows machines have a variety of power saving schemas. They are user-customizable (to a point), and they can be disabled entirely.

Having the computer "asleep" does not mean it is off, nor does it mean that it stops drawing power. It just means its drawing less power. It does not mean the computer is immune from network activity (wanted or unwanted).

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Any modern PC using an ATX or newer style motherboard (Pentium 2 or newer, or AMD equivilent) is on, as long as it's plugged in. This is why they tell you to unplug it if you open it up. (Theres a kill switch on most but not all newer power supplies, but id in doubt, pull the plug)

It's the same as if your VCR is plugged in, it's on. It simply uses less power when set to "off" than when it's "on" and in use. (alot of printers, scanners, etc are the same way)

There is a setting on most modern motherboards "Wake on Ring" and "Wake on LAN" that allow you to send a signal to turn it on from a remote location. If it wasn't on, that of course wouldn't work.

 

[Cryozombie]

I leave my PC on all the time, but I shut off my router when I am not "online".

I turn my monitor off when I am AFK.

​

 

[Cthulhu]

Turn it on in the morning, shut it down when I go to bed.