Debate - better to leave PC on, or turn it off?

[leepalao]

I have a friend who is taking a PC repair class now at a Tech school. Although I have a computer science degree, I have never taken a PC repair class. I learned building PC through this website 4 years ago, and the support from this forum has been excellent.

My friend and I had a debate last night. He said (also believe in it so much) that his professor told him that it's best when leaving your PC on all the time. And the reason is because the transisters and some other chips tends to expand when it's heated, and shrink when cooled. So when a PC is turn off and on, this can affect the life of a PC. If it's always on, then it won't have that effect and thus the PC will last longer. So that is why his professor leaves his PC on all the time.

My argument to this is that heat is the number 1 cause of hardware failure. And the more you use the PC, the more it will likely fail. That is why manufacture have a time warranty on their products and a life spend on how long the hardware should last. Beside, isn't today's hard drive spin so fast? And don't fans spin for only an amount of time then break down? Also, a good quality motherboard should not be a problem with turning the computer off. I told him that it's always best to turn it off when you don't use it. Maybe I'm wrong? Maybe I'm right? I don't know so I need some of your experts' opinion on this. I have a feeling his professor is working for Xcel Energy though.

[bailey]

I always leave my systems on 24/7, also they are powered though ups supplys to protect them from power line problems.

I have been in the electronics field all my life and I am a firm beliver in the fact that the biggest money maker is the power on/off switch, it causes more damage than you would belive.

same seniero works with the engine in your car.

[oddjob]

Originally posted by bailey same seniero works with the engine in your car.

Hey bailey, you don't leave your car running 24/7 too, do you?!? lol!

[bigandy]

LOL Oddjob .

I leave mine running all the time as well. With the exception of the occasional shut down for cleaning, and restart after installing software that needs a restart afterwards.

This is an article on PSU's, and at the bottom it also has some insight by Drisley as to whether or not to leave it on or turn it off.

[oddjob]

Good link, bigandy. I haven't read that before! In fact, that's exactly what I do, I turn my machine on and leave it as such until I go to bed.

[lil Jimmie]

I keep my 5 puters on 24/7, I only shut them down when I go out of town for any lenght of time.

[morriswindgate]

Doesn't matter as the reliability of the hardware is such that the computer will be long obsolete before you would be able to tell which is better.

[RJ]

I treat my PC as any other electronical device. When I need it, I turn it on, when I don't need it, I turn it off.
I don't believe it would make that much of a difference, and even if so, the life expectancy is longer than I need anyway. My old Pentium 133 from 1996 still works and it never ran 24/7. I have no use for it anymore, it's my moms PC right now, and even she will get my old PIII800 system that I ditched a couple of weeks ago in favor of a new P4.
And the electric bill for 24/7 vs. new computer components after many years (which I will buy anyway, no matter whether the current one fails or not), well, that'd be another story.

RJ

[pam123]

As a rule I turn it on in the morning and it stays on till I'm done for the day or I have to go out.
I know people who just leave them on and, as far as I can tell, it makes no difference except to the electricity bill.
There are PCs left running 24/7 for 3 years that still work and those just as old that were turned off regularly that still run.
I keep thinking that this argument is some form of mythology or legend.

[bigandy]

I agree with those of you who are saying it doesn't matter. Because in my experience it doesn't. I've had computers that I've turned off and on every day, and they lasted several years.

I choose to leave mine on because I'm running F@H, and so it's convenient. Whenever I need to use my PC, I just go on over and turn on the monitor and boom, I'm ready to go.

[james8547]

I keep my system up and running 24/7. It collects more dusts since the fans are always on. I keep it plugged to a Tripplite UPS (w/ auto-shutoff) to have some protection against power spikes/loss.

[kram 2.0]

I keep my desktop (Win98SE HP) on about four hours a day, shutting them down everyday. I keep my laptop (WinXP PRO Toshiba) on only when needed. I was thinking - why spend the money for keeping it on when you don't need it?

And also, with the new laptops with Intel Centrino(c) Technology, less power is utilized and is more energy efficient . That's probably where I'm going next, with its 6+ hours battery.

kram

[FLG]

I leave it on when im using it and if i step out and i know im commin back within a hour or 2 i leave it on, i turn it off when i leave the house.

By the time these problems would even occur your comp would be obsolete.

[diver203_98]

I used to turn my computer on and off maybe 3 or 4 times a day some times more. But now I turn it on in the morning and off again before I go to bed. The company where I work started a policy of restarting their computers at the end of the day, leaving them on 24/7. Then in the morning all they have to do is enter their password. The company likes it when the office people can start working sooner instead of having to wait a minute while their systems start.

[Kov-Ice]

Is there a downside to leaving a laptop on, such as heat issues or anything like that?

[EzyStvy]

What do you guys do when those big ol thunderstoms blow through and you're miles away? Do you pray alot/rush home or hope your pc fries so you can build another one?

[kram 2.0]

Nope, I have a UPS on my computer plug, so that my computer is surge proof. However, for my laptop, I just turn it off and unplug it. Hey, it's Centrino - it'll last like seven hours without power ;-).

However, for my other computer, I just go home, back up my data, plug it off, and pray that static won't electritize my computer, as it is on a table that is on carpet.

kram

[QuickSilver]

Originally posted by morriswindgate Doesn't matter as the reliability of the hardware is such that the computer will be long obsolete before you would be able to tell which is better.

I agree. By the time turning it on and off has any effect, you will have gone through another 4 or 5 PCs anyway, so you will probably never have the chance to see one way or the other.

[ric449]

I have no choice, my computer has to be always on since I made a website, I host it off my own computer.

[mairving]

At work, I require that people leave them on so that I can push out patches and do virus scans, etc. when they aren't around. Not all of them obey the rules though.

[HAL9000]

3 machines all on 24/7... I don't even know I have a worn out fan until I shut down for cleaning and it starts howling after cooling down LOL

Originally posted by oddjob Hey bailey, you don't leave your car running 24/7 too, do you?!? lol!

You've never watched diesel trucks in the winter have you. In really cold weather here, the truckers never shut them off. Not only is it a bugger getting them going again, but the wear and tear during the warm up will cost you more in the long run than the fuel burned.

[Punked Out Comp]

it makes no signifigant differance wutsoever wether or not u leev ur comp on all the time

[HAL9000]

While not a big dollar item, I beg to differ... It gets quite dusty where I am and fans last a heck of a lot longer on systems left running than those shut off all the time.

[Hi Ho]

I leave my computers on from the time I get up to the time i go to bed. Even if I leave the house I leave them on. I really don't think it makes much difference in the longevity. It's just more convenient to have it ready to go all the time. All I have to to is touch the mouse. I have some friends that only turn their computers on when they need it. Even if it is just a couple minutes to check email. I imagine that is quite hard on a system. I would think it would be annoying as well.

[Kov-Ice]

But what about a laptop? Compact size and smaller vents make it more susceptible to overheating?

[Leprechaun]

I leave it on 24/7 but keep my fans on too. keeps the CPU temp at 50c.

[I_let_the_smoke_out]

Originally posted by HAL9000 3 machines all on 24/7... I don't even know I have a worn out fan until I shut down for cleaning and it starts howling after cooling down LOL You've never watched diesel trucks in the winter have you. In really cold weather here, the truckers never shut them off. Not only is it a bugger getting them going again, but the wear and tear during the warm up will cost you more in the long run than the fuel burned.

Not to mention the fact that the driver will freeze his keester off with the truck shut down (14 years of experience talking here).
I run 6 machines on my home network, counting my DC and I leave them on 24/7, except for the Kids' (they're grounded). It does play hell with the power bill, but when you've got a slew of SCSI drives that take forever to spin up when starting, it beats waiting.

By the way, HAL, good to see you on the other boards, too. Unless there's another HAL9000 out there.

[oddjob]

Originally posted by HAL9000 You've never watched diesel trucks in the winter have you. In really cold weather here, the truckers never shut them off. Not only is it a bugger getting them going again, but the wear and tear during the warm up will cost you more in the long run than the fuel burned.

C'mon HAL, I live in Vancouver and have only ever been to Regina in summer. What's winter? I only see one every 5 years or so. We had one "good" snow this season, and it didn't even last 24 hours. Although, I do know about the diesel truck thing, good friend of mine drove truck back east for years. I've heard many stories.

[HAL9000]

Originally posted by I_let_the_smoke_out By the way, HAL, good to see you on the other boards, too. Unless there's another HAL9000 out there.

Depends what other boards you're talking about... this is the ONLY tech board I go to, so any other HAL9000 out there is an inferior clone.

[EzyStvy]

Originally posted by HAL9000 While not a big dollar item, I beg to differ... It gets quite dusty where I am and fans last a heck of a lot longer on systems left running than those shut off all the time.

Don't have have some concerns about these fans dying anyway while it's on?