Hi I'm just curious how one turns off or powers down their computers. I personally turns in off in a proper way like selecting the shut down button in windows area. My friend does really the opposite he turns the power off the computer while still running. I told him that some data would get lost or it will complicate your rebooting. He wouldn't listen and just continue doing his ways. How do you turn off your computers?
[question posted by nykel88]
responses and comments:
I do it the way you do, mainly because I was told I could mess up my computer doing it the other, and quite frankly I can not afford to have to buy a new one. [missliss08]
Good. Yeah it is better safe than sorry right? I don't know why my friend doesn't see it that way. lol [nykel88]
I do it the way you do too because that was what I was told to do when I first started using it years ago. It turns everything off in the correct order then I'm sure. Your friend will have problems soon if he keeps doing it so harshly surely? doh [mysdianait]
Yes. He is been doing it 3 months already. I know it is still a bit of a fresh start. But I kinda notice now his computer is a bit laggy than the usual. He may have not notice. I told him but he would just laugh. Lol [nykel88]
i select the shutdown button in windows area. it's safe.turn off the power is unsafe that maybe make your data lost,reduced computer's lifetime [limitSskyeBoys]
I turn my computer with the shut down button, and then I let my computer, go through all of the turning off thing it does, and then after all of that, I turn off my surge protector, because my computer turn itself back on, if I don't, it's been doing this since I brought it.shockedshockedshocked [notlistening2]
I think the reason why it restarts is to install updates. I noticed Xp does this when you shutdown from the start menu there will be something like a small box saying that it will restart and install the updates. [Lionel0008]
The only way I shutdown my computer is through the start button. Then I select the shutdown option, then shutdown. You should never turn off your computer by simply switching of the unit. As time goes by the computer will fragment pieces of information all over the system. You would also have to run the deframenter very often. Occasionally you might have to switch off the pc directly due to an occasional computer freeze, but that should be the only time you do it. [tdiamond33]
Thanks for the great advice. I never knew they had a stronger defragmenter that you can install onto you pc. I'm am really going to check it out and look more into it. [tdiamond33]
Shutting a computer off by going to Start>Shut down is the smart way to go about things. People that just hold in the button are slowly damaging their PC. Holding in the button is called a HARD shut down and is only there for when a PC freezes up and or you have no other way of turning it off but need to. So in other words, your PC is going to have a much LONGER life compared to your friends just from that small mistake that he keeps making when turning it off. [8bitRubix]
I try not to shut my PC. it runs for 24/7 but that's an off topic. Tell your friend to do it another way if he does not want to have any hardware issues in the sooner future. [unnamedny]
Yes thank you for the tip but wouldn't your computer over heat if it runs 24/7? Best of Luck [nykel88]
I turn my computer off manually like you..like going to the start option menu and selecting the shut down option and wait until it's completely shut down and there are times i do the opposite.sometimes when i do the opposite of not going to the manual is because couple times i tried to manual steps and nothing wouldn't happen and there are times when everything got froze up and stuck up on my computer including my mouse i had to just press the shut off button on the computer or monitor itself of it to shut down.but your also correct about not shutting down a computer properly will cause us to loose files...or ended with damage files,so the best way for anyone to shut down their computer and protect their files on it is to shut it down by going through the manual steps. [DOLLYBABY]
Well if it freezes I do the same. I restart my computer with the restart button. It only happens rarely in my computer. It does really damage files just like my photoshop files it won't open after I restarted it abruptly. [nykel88]
There are two types of turning off your computer or ways to shut down. One is press start then turn off my computer or short cut key like window logo then then press u 2x. It will shut down quickly. It is a warm boot. Second if you press reset button, it is called cold boot.Like your friend press the power on button, it's also okay because all the technician do it for quick shut down.To terminate the power easily so that if your computer got malfunction or you motherboard got a problem, it will not damage. [ghieptc]
I think if you turn off your computer automatically or immediately is like block out. Your data will be corrupted or some bytes will be lost.Your Hardisk maybe damage if frequently shut down in his way.You may encounter bad sector on the hardisk if turning off in his way. [ghieptc]
I often turn it off the right way, but there are times when I just hold the start key longer to turn it off. I don't know about data loss, it's not like I have open programs and just turned it off without saving or closing them all. [laydee]
I just same with you, I turn it off in a proper way. It will make your computer long lasting and your data will safe. [emine08]
I usually turn off my computer by pressing the shortcut which ctr+F4 i didn't think it will hamper my computer and i don't ever lost my data. [siliguri]
I always shut down my computer properly by pressing ctrl+alt+del and select shutdown. Turning off the computer directly is inproper shutdown and may result in the computer break down faster. [minotaur87]
I shut it off your way but my laptop is laggy, like real slow on the uptake. It's like a ten minute exercise when I power on despite shutting down properly. Of course, it could be Norton or something I picked up. [TremendousMachine]
Yes, I shut down my computer properly. I think it's important to do this, it's one of the goldern rules to good computer operation. Your friend is definitely taking a risk with his computer. He should think twice before continuing to shut down his computer in this way. There are times when the computer freezes and you can't do anything, you cannot open or close windows and it's at these times then that the only option is to turn the computer off without powering it down completely. I wish your friend the best of luck with his computer. Andrewhappy [AndrewFreyne]
I do it like you I click on start then click turn off computer. I wait till it turns off and then I turn off the monitor. I use to turn it completely off with the power strip being the last thing to turn off. However, now with a vonage phone I need to keep the power strip on. I would be afraid to do what your friend is doing because I think it could eventually damage the computer in some way. [lelin1123]
if you just turn the plug off you can cause problems with your hard drive, by turning the pc off properly or pushing the power button on the machine itself not on the wall socket the pc automatically parks the hard drive thus stopping the possibility of causing damage to your hard drive. I know hard drives are not expensive and relatively easy to change but better doing it the right way than having to replace a drive at some point. [benny128]
There is a lot of ways to turn off our computer. i usually use shut down from start menu. But also we can shutdown our pc bu using shortcut winkey->u->u. Also if u want a faster shutdown, its better to open task manager by pressing alt+ctrl+delete keyes and then select shutdown option from menu with holding ctrl key. All the metods using software shutdown is valid and does not hurt. But switching off plug will harm a lot to ur pc. When ur pc is on, there a lot of hardwares and softwares are running. At that time, a sudden stop cant be handled by themselves and that 'd make ur pc dead. [delbin]
i shut down my computer properly. [hotsatya]
alt+f4 that the way i do.i have experience that i turn my computer off just pressing the switch button then when i turn it on my ram was affected and it wont work.so i need to buy a new ram.from that day i turn it off in the correct way i learned a lesson [janairah]
I shut it down the proper way, I'm just afraid that if I don't shut it down properly then something will happen to it... And that is what they teach us from the first time that our family bought our first computer so that's how I have been doing it ever since.. [Ingkingderders]
Sometimes, when i feel angry with my computer, i shut it down directly by pushing and holding the power button. My computer works slowly sometimes, so when i'm in hurry i never do the right way to shut down my computer. Sometimes i turn off my computer by turning off the power supply. I know that is not a good action for my computer, but fortunately, my computer is always in good healthy, its never broken, only get slow sometimes when i open many applications. [luvlymee26]
Turning your pc power directly will surely deter the life of motherboard. your friend will find the problem sooner or later. hard disk also suffers. we should always shut it down properly. it hardly takes time to long life your pc [quickstar]
I turn off my compute every night before I go to bed. I will alos turn off my compter before I go to work as well. I turn my computer off in the proper way. I simply goto the incon and lfeft click untill the box for shut off appears, I do not hit the power button. I only do that when the computer frezzes up or is unresponsive. [scififan43]
One fine day, your friend is going to grumble to you when he can't start up his computer properly. Windows operating system works in such a way that before it shuts down, it has to do some house-keeping - putting bits and pieces of data into their respective locations. It really isn't difficult to properly shut down a Windows-powered computer. I's just a matter of a few mouse clicks. You may want to pray for your friend. [myzire72]
I close all the windows and then shut down the proper way. However, I have had to power down abnormally during malfunctions. Perhaps that happened to your friend at some point and he got in a habit of not going through the shutdown routine. Just a guess. [KarenH1]
Well, i turn off my personal laptop and office laptops everyday.But when i was working on desktops, which were in office, i used to shut them down every once a week.I saw long time to boot on weekdays as the reason , to go in that mode.But then, after almost an year, the motherboard was out cold and well, it was to be replcaed.Well,i guess no machine can run long.It needs rest, else it would rust.I also see to proper shutdown of things, but sometimes, it does not happen.i appreciate your sense of thought.Thanks! [UltimateAsoka]
We never turn off our computers. We just hibernate ours. If we do turn them off, we shut them down properly. [illfavors]
Ive been working in Cafe as a technician. A simple turning off of computer in proper ways can make your PC's age longer. Turning off a computer rashly can damage some disk drives and it makes your OS damage also. Preventing this I usually keeping my computer turned off in proper way. [popitz]
I always shut down my computer properly. Yes by not doing so, would create problems. I lost my files before due to that, it when to the part that I cannot access the windows anymore and called an IT or computer technician to fix and reinstall my windows... Some, actually most of my files were gone... too bad I don't have back up. I have a habit of saving my files on desktop only-- so definitely, my files are not saved... From then on, I always properly shut down my computer. This is really a nice topic nykel88! At lease we are able to inform others that are not shutting their computers properly about the possible effects of short cut computer turning off... PS: It happened to my auntie as well... Shutting off the computer properly is just a few minutes, so why not make it a habit... It keeps us away from headache and possible expenses due to reinstallation or reformating. [lovelyn_medrano]
Well that is what he will get from not listening to you nykel88... Yes I noticed also that you have lots of respondents... Well that is good. Well I hope your friend's computer will not crash... I don't know if the fun is also related to that too... [lovelyn_medrano]
Most of the time my computer stays on. I have it on Standby. Like you, if I turn it off, I use the windows area. The only time I cut it off manually, is when it freezes. [RobtheRock]
That is good. We shouldn't turn it off abruptly. This would complicate your hardware in your computer. Good thing you knew this. happy [nykel88]
The only time I turn off the PC is I have to move the computer, then I do a power shut down. I leave it on and only restart it. [robertjvan]
I make a shutdown shortcut and put on Rocketdock so I can turn off easily. [ayummypie]
Shutting your PC down directly is a bad way to turn off your computer. After using the computer, just like you, I first go to start and then click the shut down button. There's no need for me to turn my computer off completely because i'm using UPS instead of AVR.UPS is better than using AVR especially if your area usually has power fluctuations. It's like a big battery..Even if there is a blackout, your computer won't shut down suddenly so you still have time to save your files and shut it down yourself. It usually lasts for 20 minutes or until the battery is low. [keinah2]
Wow I envy you. I tried to talk my dad on getting UPS but he said their expensive we just have to deal with the current power source. Yes you right it doesn't turn off your computer directly. It leaves about 15 or 20 minutes before you can turn it off properly. Good back up system. [nykel88]
I do it the way most of you do, that is using the shutdown button from the start menu. Otherwise may cause errors in the system, disks and who knows in other hardwares? I cannot afford to buy another pc for a stupid reason of saving or secods in turning off a computer. [mne762002]
I shut it down first before pulling the plug. Turning it off without shut down can damage the system in the long run. That happened to me a long time ago when I knew little about computers. Learned my lesson the hard way. [atv818]
hi nykel88, I shutdown my computer the way you did.I guess your friend have not met with any data lost or machine breakdown yet due to its negligence and ignorance.Its hard to advise someone who's stubborn,in fact just let him be.One day,when his computer got some breakdown or need some major repair,then only you tell him ,its his own fault for not listening to your advise. Human will always learn from their own mistakes especially if it involves ca$h to fix things. [tayd88]
SHAME on him!Hope he learn the lessons now. [tayd88]
I press the power button, but that's because my power button is setup in the control panel to power the computer down the proper way I have my significant others computer setup the same way. On computers that I don't know, I use the Start, Shutdown menu. Doing a hard power off all the time will definitely destroy data. I know this. I have lost important stuff because I couldn't be bothered to wait for the computer to power down, and I just held the off button until it turned off...Well came back a few hours later and all the stuff I had been working on was either gone or corrupt. It is best to do it the proper way if you don't know the computer and you don't know how the power button is setup. Again like I said I have my power button and my significant others power button setup to properly shut the computer down. I don't want to catch any flak from anyone saying it's the wrong way to do it. [crazycory22]
Having been in IT support for over 5 years, the correct way is to utilize the shutdown method that you are using. The only time any of us use the power off method that your friend uses is if the machine is malufnctioning, is frozen, or has suffered a BSOD. (A blue screen of death for those who have not heard of it before). While the quick powerdown may work great for your friend now, he will inevitably suffer memory and other hardware issues that he may have no clue where they came from. Its best to take the few extra minutes to shutdown the machine correctly, instead of being forced to fork over large sums of money to purchase a new machine due simply to improper behavior. [smokeywins]
I turn off my computer by turnoff option in start panel.But if i am busy then i directly switch off my pc while it is running.You are right some data will be lost if we switch off pc directly when its running. [Haribol]