Do you think it's best to leave your computer on or turn it off every night? I used to turn mine off each night but then someone made the analogy of a car saying it was not good to turn it off & on like a car restarting it would wear out faster.Then I thought well if I made that same analogy leaving a car running all the time would wear it out even faster.What's your opinion should you turn off your computer each night to save electricity or leave it on all the time so it will last longer?
[question posted by meme0907]
responses and comments:
I don't think there is much difference in the life of the processor if we turn the computer on and off daily. But if we keep it on always, the power consumption increases very much. With all the drive across the world to reduce power consumption and global warming, it is good to turn off the machines and other gadgets when not in use. [shan_ab]
Wonderful advice-I've began to turn mine off when it's not going to be used for a while. Thanks for adding to this discussion +'s 2 all :D [meme0907]
Hi, Meme. :D I always turned my laptop off during the night and everytime I am done using it. It saves electricity. I dont know if I am going to believe that it will last longer if u let it turned on. Who told u that? Well, anyways thank u and good day. :D [Mherledy]
thanks for the reply MH |:) a lady who said her DH worked in the computer industry. +'s everyone :D [meme0907]
I used to always turn mine off, but now I leave it on and just turn the screen off. The whole thing only gets shut down if there is a thunder storm. [Calais]
Thanks for adding to his discussion-I'd always left mine on too but now I'm turning it off. +'s all :D [meme0907]
I don't think turning your computer on and off will wear it out any faster. You are more likely to outgrow your computer/want a new one than you are to wear it out. Turning your computer off will, however, save a lot of electricity. Also it should be unplugged or turned off at the power strip level. Things like computers that are turned off still suck "phantom" energy even when turned off. It's a dirty little secret that the power companies don't want you to know. Anything that has a black box shaped object at the end of the cord (like your microwave) is one of the culprits to suck phantom power, thus driving up your electric bill. [AnythngArt]
Thanks for the advice-ever since you posted this info I've been unplugging things completely. +'s 4 all :D [meme0907]
I have owned computers for more than 15 years, and have always turned them off and not leave them on overnight. I've not encountered any problem about wear and tear due to this. Besides, computer technology evolves so fast the useful lifetime of a PC, technologically speaking, is no more than 3 to 4 years. So it is more likely you will change or upgrade the PC before it is worn out. Besides, turning off the PC overnight or when not used for extended hours saves your electrical bills. [lexus54]
Good info from a long time user |;) Thanks for adding to this discussion +'s 4 all :D [meme0907]
All you are doing is wasting power and leaving it open for peopel to try and hack. [huggiebear22]
thanks for the reply hb22-yeah I was lying on the couch the other night & my computer restarted by itself @ like 2 am,it scared the caca out of me I thought my house was haunted LOL. +'s everyone :D [meme0907]
I have owned computers for more than 5 years, and have always turned them off and not leave them on overnight. I've not encountered any problem about wear and tear due to this. Besides, computer technology evolves so fast the useful lifetime of a PC, technologically speaking, is no more than 3 to 4 years. So it is more likely you will change or upgrade the PC before it is worn out. Besides, turning off the PC overnight or when not used for extended hours saves your electrical bills. And also computer parts can generally get damaged only due to moisture and also due to heat. So more running means more heat. So more prob. For the CPU. [amitavroy]
I've started to turn mine off each night since I started this discussion Thank you for your response +'s 4 all :D [meme0907]
That is not true, turning it on and off does not make your computer wear out faster, constantly restarting it every 5 min or something like that would though. Turning it of is a much better option to save electricity and also, after installing programs, you usually need to restart your computer for the effects to take place anyways. Furthermore, isn't it annoying to have the computer fans spinning all night long making a strange noise when you try to sleep? Also, if you do not have a decent computer fan, your CPU may overheat in hot days of summer [minijumbuk]
Yeah,that's kinda why I started this discussion b/c my fan was running & my computer would be thinking while I wasn't even using it Thanks for the advice-I'm turning it off nightly now |;) +'s 4 all :D [meme0907]
i think the computer should be turned off after use not only to save electricity but also to make the life of computer longer. [fedjdc]
so far that's the consensus Thanks for adding to this discussion +'s 4 all :D [meme0907]
It depends on the job of each part. In a computer, of course there is more impactive wear on the switch from using it more, but this wear is minimal. As far as the innards are concerned, solid-state components of halfway decent quality are not going to wear out anytime soon, no matter how much you use your machine. However, there are moving parts to consider. The cooling fans are one, although I rarely ever see one go out. But the biggie is your hard drive. Even the best hard drives will fail eventually, and need to be replaced. The longer your computer stays on, the more work the hard drive performs, the faster the spindle and arm of the read/write heads will wear out. That said, my computer actually is on 24/7. But I use software called Acronis True Image to create backup images of my hard drive, which I then burn to DVDs for long-term storage. Even if my hard drive should go out suddenly, without so much as one SMART failure warning, all I have to do is go buy a new one, swap and pop, format the new drive, load up the image archive, and voila! I'm right back up and running. :) [santuccie]
thanks for the info-hopefully I won't have to worry about for quite a while b/c I'm so po LOL +++ [meme0907]
i guess, you should turn it off, becuase its a waste of energy when you just leave it on and not using it. in that way you can help reduce the socalled global warming... you may not feel the effect now but dont wait that the nature will turn on us. so help conserve energy... [boknoy]
Thanks for the response-I'm turning off my computer these days |;) +'s 4 all :D [meme0907]
hi there my friend, well its up to you if you will leave it on, because me i leave it on so that i can use my computer automatically. and if you save more in electricity then you shoudl turn off your computer if you will not use it. and my mom told me i should turn off my computer if i leave from the house for security purposes. happy posting my friend. have a nice day. [shane1987]
Thanks for your response-I've began to turn mine off each night since I started this discussion +'s |:) [meme0907]
i really doubt theer is any connection between leaving computer on the whole night and its wear n tear. i thnk being a responsible world citizen u shud alwyz switch off the computer wen not in use to save electricity specialy wit all the global warmimng thng hppning! [fleur_petal]
We always make sure to turn off our computer everynight so we could save electricity. Also, everytime no one is using it we turn it off. We only open our computer if we're going to use it. I think leaving computer on all the time could never make it last longer. For me, computer should also have a rest so it could run better and won't crash. [b_gryl]
I think it is better to switch it off when you are not using it. You are not only saving electricity this way, but also helping the Earth to reduce global warming. Further, the harder you work your computer, the sooner it will break down. If you have deep pockets, I guess the world is your oasis. [lordwarwizard]
Hey LW, thanks for the reply-that's what I had thought too until I was advised to leave it on or it would breakdown faster,I'm po so I need my computer to last as long as possible b/c I use it for work but now I'm seeing that turning it off each night is actually best. +'s 2 all :D [meme0907]
well i think compuyter shud b left on because iread it somewhere dat leaving ur computer on for 1 week is beeter then starting it again....well reason behind this is dat when u start ur computer every day electricity is passed in all the components exisiting their which reduces itheir efficeincy n life period as lot of electric current runs throug the agin n again........but if u leave it say for a week it does nt happens although u may get high electricity bill but if u can afford i dont think their is any problem reagarding wid it....... [punkish]
i turn my computer off at the end of each night so it can have a break, just like i do at night time. if i go to town for the day, i turn it off before i leave as well i dont know why i turn off when in town but i do it anyway just something i started doing since i had the computer and havent changed since. i dont think theres anything wrong with turning off. but i think leaving them on all the time they would wear out quicker but thats my opinion, like we all need to have a sleep [meljessxena]
Bleh, All rubbish. Computers dont wear off if you turn them on and off again and again. The most that can happen is that the computer buttons may become loose. If you leave it switched on then think about electricity. It would be a waste of it. [sanshray]
if you say that you would turn it off 'cause you'll sleep for the night then that would be okay but if the analogy you meant is turn it off and on a lot of times, yes it would scratch the platter of your hard drive. some sort of like that. you notice that when you boot your computer, it would sound like something is scratching inside? its your hard drive. [MGjhaud]
I personally leave my computer on for quite a long time. I'm not sure if it effects the computer or not, but I leave it on nonetheless. I don't think it's been off for more than ten minutes for at least two months. [forsakemysoul]
I had left mine on continuosly too after that advice but as of yesterday I'm starting to turn it off nightly Thanks for adding to this discusion +'s 2 all :D [meme0907]
From everything I read it appears to save a little bit of electricity. I normally turn mines off. [venshida]
This is a really interesting topic. It seems leaving the computer on all the time helps some of the chips on the motherboard from creeping as a result of alternate heating and cooling of the system. On the other hand, it consumes more electricity in doing this. But I also heard computers consume little electricity. Whatever the case, I usually leave this computer on because it takes it a very long time to boot. [2wicelot]
I think the most important thing about leaving your computer on is the potential for damage. If your internet connection is also connected all night, you leave your computer vulnerable to viruses, downloads or hackers on the internet. If you must leave it on be sure there is some protection for it from unwanted connections to the internet. [cotton0821]
hi computer switching on taking more time rather than in this fast generation .... we can waste that much time ... i.e the reason i love to switch of the monitor always when i have other work. [sreeraj_9]
I always turn my computer off each night and when I'm not using it for long periods through the day. It seems to function better with a respite lol and I don't want to pay for a higher electric bill for something that isn't in use. [Katali]
You should definitely turn-off your computer whenever you're not using it! The life of electronic devices will depend on the length of time it has been used, and this is also applicable to almost any gadget. It needs to have a "break" and that is by turning it off, to let the heating units of the PC or other device to cool down in order not to over-heat. [jowelvizco]
It is not a good idea at all for anyone to leave their computer on all night because it will waste electricty. It should be turned off every night before you go bed and it should also remain off if you are not using it. I don't want to be upset about my electric bill! [jazzygdc7]
I think you misunderstood someone.That person would have said don't turn off your computer if you are downloading some stuff,because our doanload speed increases when our computer is idle,by some percent.On the other side,there is no use keeping your PC on if you are not doing anything on it,during night time or if no downloading is going on.It will not save electricity but consume more electricity. [amey_dev143]
I think it's more of what you prefer. I leave mine on so that I don't have to worry about turning it back on in the morning. If you are going to be gone more than eight hours, I would turn it off for safety reasons. [pipebandgirl]
well if i had one like yours my friend then i won't think to save electricity,but i haven't got any in here and i turn mine off so it would last till i go back home,well if i can find it under all that dust,are you still lookin good? [crosa125]
you so silly +++ :D [meme0907]
turn it off at night electricity is too high [clocks123]
I turn my off and unplug it every night because if i leave it on it might run up my electricity bill. [coco526]
I leave mine on all the time. It goes to energy saver after 10 minutes and i dont think it really effects the electric bill that much. But i fear too because mine has automatic updates and downloads from the inter as it is alway connected. So i have all the best firewall programs and anti virus progemas that i can becasue it is online all the time. Plus i have it set on a scheudule to scan every so often and all the other maintenence things so if i happen to turn it off the night that it is scheduled then i have to wait for it to complete the next day and it seems to take forever. I dont know about it wearing out faster if left on all the time or wearing out faster if you turn it on and off every night. I dont think that either would really make a difference, it all has to do with what you download and get into on the interent, or if someone sends you something that you dont want and your defenders done catch it. [tina12679]
Hey t12679, Yeah, my internet is always connected too & it began to bother me after my computer restarted by itself one night at like 2:00 am-it freaked me out |:X Thanks for the reply +'s 2 all :D [meme0907]
I often turn off my monitor, but leave my computer on, most of the time it goes into hibernation or sleep mode as it is. It doesn't ahrm the computer I don't think if you power it down, but as long as it is down properly and not turning it off by the power switch. I do end up sometimes holding the power switch down and turning it off....but when I do that too many times I corrupt somthing and windows has to run a chck disk...annoying as all get out. So I really try to keep on otp of my kdis not to do that or myself not to do that very often. [oneandonemakesix]
The way I understand it is it takes more energy to turn it on and off than to leave it on. If it is a laptop you should turn it on and off. If it is a PC i would recommend leaving it on unless you need to restart it, or if you wont be using it for a period of time like a day or more. [jess368]
Hey j368, that's pretty similar to the advice I was previously given(turn it off if you'll be leaving off for more than 24 hours) Thanks for the reply +'s all around :D [meme0907]
I usually turn off my computer after I finished using it. By this way I can save electric consumption and also prolonged the life of my computer power supply. [Megzzz]
I never turn off my computer. It's always on and I'm always online. I heard the same analogy in college. My roommate left his stereo on all the time. When he didn't want to listen to it he just turned the sound down. He said the sudden surge of electricity when the stereo was switched on can burn out circuits. I'm sure the same holds true with computer components. I do power off and unplug during storms. I've had a lightning strike crawl up the phone line from outside and fry my modem and sound card once. I think back then it was God's way of telling me I was spending too much time online. [ORyansBelt2012]
Hey ORB2012, Wow I can't afford for that to happen to me-should I completely disconnect the surge protector & all? BTW Love your tag name-my son's name is Ryan & I used to sing that song by enya "anywhere is" to him he loved the part about "form a new orion" cause I would make out like it was him |;) Thanks for the reply +'s 2 all :D [meme0907]
Here is my thinking... why keep it on if you are not going to be using it over a long period. ash [ashu2077]
I don't think so. If I may share, there is a policy here in our office, enjoining all of its employees to always turn off all electronic appliances, especially the computer units, before going home at the end of the day. And also, during lunch breaks, we are encouraged to turn off the screen of our computers when we have our lunch outside the office or when they are not in use. I believe the comparison isn't proper, because if the car is turned on the whole night through, it is very likely that the fuel / gasoline will be used totally, and this is the only element (I guess) which will be consumed by the car. But in the case of computers, it is plugged in directly and electricity is consumed. We all know that this could not be consumed for just overnight. So, I think there is no benefit to the computer like prolonging its life if we turn it on the whole night. [mykmari_08]
I heard once from an old school tech-geek that if you turn off and on a computer that the silicone (or metal) will recrystallize after heating up and cooling down. Did you ever pop open your computer and feel the heatsink? it gets pretty hot (sometimes even up to ~60C) so that makes it half believable. Who knows if this is just a myth but I think we should all turn off our computers to save on energy (¿and the environment?) [Adamwest]
no i dont think we should turn the computer on while sleeping , dunno something about saving electricity but it wont definitely wear out, it will get more rest i.e its components which are running over the day will get some cool down and this will avoid over heating etc. [Deathknight_31]
It's like one of those situations of d---ed if we do, d---ed if we don't. Computers are a mega pain in the backside no matter which way one looks at it. Either method consumes a considerable amount of electricity, even if one is lucky enough to have the sleep function on their's. I always turn mine off at night or when not in use these days. I tried an experiment once, where I left the computer on for a whole month, with exception of turning off the monitor. (In my area monitors are expensive to replace no matter where one looks.) When the electric bill came it was nearly $100.00. I than spent a month using my computer as I normally do, with turning everything off when it was not in use. When I got my electric bill it was a considerable $40 or more less than the previous months. So at this point I don't care what anyone tells me my computer and any other electronic equipment gets shut off when it is not being used or really paid that much attention to. [jeweledbluerose]
At the begining, i used to turn of my computer every night before i sleep, but after upgrading the DSL speed, i began to leave the computer on without turning it of at all, i did a bit of research and found out the computer doesn't use that much of electricity. It all depends on your character if you like to leave the computer on then leave it, you don't then don't. [Sherifm]
Thanks for adding to this discussion what do you think about the whole hacking issue if you have hgh speed? +'s 2 all :D [meme0907]
We don't turn off our computer. Our computer is on 24/7. Most of the time I just turn off the screen but that's all about it. I don't know. That is my family and friends do so I do it too. I just grow up with it so I bet there's nothing wrong not turning off the puter. I've heard that it is actually good not to turn off the computer. I'm not sure. [bestfriends]
There are good arguments on both sides of this question, but my practice is to power the CPU down whenever I am not near enough to keep an eye on the computer's security, because I think it is easier for a criminal to hack into your system if it is unattended. One of my computers runs hot and the fan puts so much heat into the room that I turn it off whenever it is not in use. The others stay on unless we are sleeping or away from home, but I switch the cable modem off to prevent unwanted communications if I'm concentrating on something else for any length of time. Since my phones are mostly VOIP, that diverts all incoming calls to voice mail and that is an easier way to do that than to reprogram all 4 lines. However, I do leave my printers on all the time as they all have a power-save feature. I left one HP all-in-one computer on for 7 years and had no problems with it. In fact it probably would still be working fine today, except that I got rid of it to buy one with a smaller footprint. [drannhh]