Turning off computers for the night...

[bellebud]

do you "have to" turn your computers off for the night? I was always just shutting the lid, but someone told me it's not good for my laptop because it never cools all the way down then. anyone know?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Do you need to...not really, but they do tend to need to cool themselves more often. Personally, we never shut off our desktop, it runs 24/7, as for my notebook, I just use sleep mode on lid shut.

 

[Agri]

I just close mine, too, but I turn it upside down so the vents aren't against the table.

 

[JessicaR]

Do you need to...not really, but they do tend to need to cool themselves more often. Personally, we never shut off our desktop, it runs 24/7, as for my notebook, I just use sleep mode on lid shut.

Same here.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I just close mine, too, but I turn it upside down so the vents aren't against the table.

If you're notebook is still on, you may actually be doing it more harm. Computers are designed to be most efficient in the most common storage format and with all panels intact. For instance leaving the side panel off of a desktop can actually cause airflow issues inside the computer. Some with turning a notebook upside down. The notebook is designed to have a pattern of air flow.

Now will it kill your computer tommorrow, no, but it's probably not helping it at all.

 

[BroganMc]

No you don't have to shut it off or put it into sleep. Laptops are configured to use the least amount of power needed these days.

One thing you probably do want to do is reboot it every week or month. This clears the memory cache and reduces the number of errors that can crop up.

Oh and if there's a powerful electrical storm, you're best shutting everything down just to protect it. Especially if you have a lot of peripherals connected and the power fluctuates. You need to protect your gear from power surges during storms.

 

[MoniqueU]

I never shut mine off. I jones for internet and I don't like to wait for it to power back up honestly. It drives my DH nuts but he knows not to shut mine off! I go through about a laptop a year but that is mostly from drops or trips. I now have a netbook as backup wiyh its own 3 g service. You gotta be prepared!

 

[stevenpensacola]

what really happens when you leave your computer on at night:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~jvdkuyp/flash/see.htm

 

[bumbershoot]

what really happens when you leave your computer on at night:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~jvdkuyp/flash/see.htm

 

[pixiewings71]

We turn all our computers off at night, all electronics actually. The laptop is off unless it's being used (like right now), the netbook is off unless it's being used, DD14s laptop is off unless it's being used, the desktop is off unless we are recording something at night. If something is scheduled to record (we use WMP as our DVR/cable connection) the desktop stays on. We have everything plugged into power strips, those strips are off at night.

 

[SookieStackhouse]

I just close the lid.

 

[Sosai X]

I set mine to hibernate. Few seconds to come back up isnt a bother.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't have a laptop but my desktop is on 24/7, UNLESS we are having a severe lightening storm.

 

[SaraJayne]

Our laptop and netbook are turned off and stored when not in use.

The desktop is turned off at the end of the day, so the poor thing can "rest".

 

[jking6]

Desk top on 24/7 and laptops shut off every night usually as one of them only gets used a when grandkids come.

 

[merryweather20]

Seriously all of you? I'm not any sort of tech expert, but I often troube shoot software problems for customers anyway because of related services and thats the problem 75% of the time. My friend is an admin assistant for the tech department of a large comany and she said its more like 90% for employees that bring in their iphones.


I'll ask them about x and y when they turned the computer on in the morning and they'll reply they don't ever shut it off. Oh, then go to the start menu and click re-start. And they'll reply its fixed!

Your computer, various programs and iphones schedule various tasks for when they are shut down and when they are turned on. They are designed to be shut down when not in use.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Your computer, various programs and iphones schedule various tasks for when they are shut down and when they are turned on. They are designed to be shut down when not in use.

I know my Win 7 PC will automatically shut down and restart if there are updates that need to be applied with no intervention by me.

PCs are not that different from servers which run 24/7, they really don't need to be shut down or restarted all that often, again with the exception of patches and updates which if they are operating system related and you're running on a newer platform, will happen automatically anyway.

 

[bicker]

There is no absolutely correct answer. There are advantages to leaving computers on, and advantages to shutting them down. It is a tie. Do which you personally feel benefits you, yourself, more.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I make sure ours are turned off. If I remember the story correctly, somone here on the DIS lost her DD to a house fire that started from a computer that was on at night. I will never leave a computer on at night for that reason.

 

[bicker]

We had a house fire when I was growing up, from a train set that was off. Unless you unplug the computer from the wall, the power adapter is still "on". And that goes for many electronic devices.