Guest Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I'm wondering if people regularly turn their computers off for an extended amount of time (i.e. at night). I always turned mine off every night for the evening. Then, when I got this new computer last year, it did so many updates and scans and such in the late hours that I just started leaving it on. It seems like that's what it was meant to do. I'm curious if turning it off regularly is bad for it? Mine is a desktop, that might make a difference. (I could see turning laptops off.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
july19 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 (edited) I keep my laptop on at night. It came with an option that asked permission to restart it automatically when it needed updates, and it does perfectly every time. I don't shut mine down at night because my first laptop's battery died really quick. When I had it serviced, the guy checked the battery life and said that if I use my laptop as a desktop (I do) it's best to leave open at night. Then again, it came from a Dell IT guy. (I kid I kid!) I no longer have a Dell, but I still do it. Not sure if I should or not :lol: Coincidentally, my husband has a really beautiful expensive Macbook Pro laptop and did the same thing before we met. I'm no help to you. I apologize. :) Edited July 13, 2011 by july19 Mystery text! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I turn mine off every time I'm done using it ... so, several times each day. This is true of our desktops and our laptops. I don't notice the update/scan reminders or prompts, so someone else in the house must be dealing with those LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I have a laptop. I don't turn it off during the day. I do turn it off most nights before bed, but sometimes I leave it on, but closed and unplugged (I unplug every night, whether it's on or not). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 We turn our desktop off at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I used to Fold@Home (use my computer to run a little app that help with protein folding research) so it got left on all the time. I don't do that anymore so now that I'm watching power rate go up I always switch the computer off at night. It stays on during the day though unless I'm going out somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I leave the desktop on all the time. My laptop goes to sleep. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classical Country Mama Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I leave my desktop on most of the time, but power it off once every few days to clear out the caches and all that. It's sort of like taking a bubblebath: feels great and smells good but too time-consuming to do more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I turn mine off every time I'm done using it ... so, several times each day. This is true of our desktops and our laptops. I don't notice the update/scan reminders or prompts, so someone else in the house must be dealing with those LOL. This is what we do as well. I do manual updates and scans approx once a month or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisybeetle Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 just sometimes turn my computer off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 If it's not being used, it's off. Mine will do updates (if needed) when I tell it to power down. After the updates are done it turns off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertmum Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 We switch everything off at night. Otherwise the light from the surge protector keeps me awake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msk Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 We switch everything (computers and peripherals) off at night, and I do a quick check for "power vampire" charger cords and stuff when I check the doors and child locks before bed. It *seems* like a waste of electricity to me to leave stuff on, although I don't have any actual data on whether it takes more to turn things on and off than to leave things in sleep mode. Plus, my laptop runs faster if it's turned off once a day, although not all computers seem to have that issue. You can set the update time for some time it tends to be on but not in use (like during dinner or something) if you want to leave it off at night. Google can probably tell you how to find this setting on whatever computer you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi's Mom Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 We never turn off the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 We turn the computer off at night and if we're leaving the house during the day unless dh is downloading something. It is usually on during the day (which is why I use LeechLock on this site :D.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy2BeautifulGirls Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 My desktop is always on unless I'm away from home for more than two days. My husband leaves his work laptop on, too, even when traveling between home and work. When he closes the top, I think it just goes to sleep. When mine starts acting slow, I reboot it, but that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 (edited) My computer never gets turned off. I reboot it every couple of weeks and it is only off for the few seconds it needs, then turns back on automatically (because I tell it to restart, not shut down). My husband (a programmer) says there's no reason to turn off a computer unless it's to save electricity. He says that the most likely time for a hard drive crash is during start up or shut down so minimizing the number of times you ask the computer to do this is best. We turn off our monitors. ETA: As far as fans wearing out, etc, my computer does go into sleep mode when I walk away from it for a given amount of time, so the fans are not running all night long. Edited July 13, 2011 by Mimm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Both my laptop and my desktop seem to want to update constantly now. I think that's MSN, not the computer.... I turn both mine off every time I'm finished with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I turned my computer off every few nights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 We turn our desktops off at night and leave them off until ready to use them. Mine is usually on all day now. Dh insists sleep mode causes problems. Also, he says leaving the pc on all the time is not good for it either. The fans wear out faster and dust can collect causing overheating. We live in the desert and have to clean out the dust often. Rebooting every once in a while or turning it off for a few minutes can clear out a lot of junk that's been collecting in the RAM. He's not here, so at least I'm pretty sure that's what he's told me before. :001_huh: Sometimes when he gets technical I drift away. :blink: Your issues sound specific to your area. I was going to take issue with them but then you said you live in a desert. :D For me in Nova Scotia that wasn't a problem, but them I also crack the case every now and again and use a can of air to clean out the dust whether I run it all night o not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I rarely turn off my laptop. When it starts having issues, DH always asks when the last time I rebooted it was so that's the first thing I do when it has issues now. That's usually the only time I turn it off. The rest of the time, I just close the lid. It's set to hibernate or sleep when the lid is closed though I don't know which one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Our desktop computer gets turned off every night when we go to bed, and when we are not home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 We live in the desert and have to clean out the dust often. Rebooting every once in a while or turning it off for a few minutes can clear out a lot of junk that's been collecting in the RAM. Yeah, no kidding. We are in the desert, too, and it gets crazy. My dh always gives me compressed air to clean out the unit and that works really well. That being said, I tend to notice that the fans get louder when I leave the computer off because the dust seems to settle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missiemick Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Only if we're going on an out-of-town trip. Other than that it's on all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 There's an off switch?:confused: Jk. We leave all of ours on.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.m Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I use hibernate mode on my desktop and laptop. No problems with it. I can't leave the desktop on because it really heats up the room it's in. Good in the winter but bad in the summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemilie Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I have a laptop, and it hibernates at night. I hardly ever shut it off. I only restart if when it starts acting quirky. Sometimes that takes weeks and weeks?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Mine will do updates (if needed) when I tell it to power down. After the updates are done it turns off. Mine does the same thing. We have the computer and modem on a power strip and once the computer is shut down for the night, the power strip gets shut off. The tv, PS3, etc. are on another power strip that also gets shut down for the night. Dh is a little uptight about electricity.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtney.byrum Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Only if we're going on an out-of-town trip. Other than that it's on all the time. :iagree: This is what we do too. They do go to sleep though after a bit. With a laptop I'm not sure I'd probably turn it off every so often but not daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Yes, I do, every night. It is then off for about 18 hours. When I'm home and awake, it is on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy2BeautifulGirls Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Yes, I do, every night. It is then off for about 18 hours. When I'm home and awake, it is on. You're asleep for 18 hours??? :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenvneck Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I only turn my desktop (Mac) off it there seems to be a problem or I have manually enabled an update. I only turn my iPad off...uhhh....hmm. I've had it for as long as my iMac, three months, and I am not sure that I have ever had to turn it off. OTOH, I had to reboot my old PC every couple of days because software would hang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 You're asleep for 18 hours??? :tongue_smilie: Get into bed to read: 10 pm, then home from work the next day: 4 pm=18 hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 We switch ours off at night for environmental / energy saving reasons. There is enough "idle time" during the say for updates and scans. Since getting an iPhone I turn the computer on later in the morning, and off earlier in the evening, as I know I can Google a quick query on my phone if I need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Computers do need to run the shutdown sequence on a regular basis. Even if you keep them on all the time, restart every once in awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 We switch ours off at night for environmental / energy saving reasons. There is enough "idle time" during the say for updates and scans. . :iagree: We also turn the computer off during the day when it is not in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I always turned off my PC. Now that I have an IMac it just goes into sleep mode. I love it- makes it hard to really move away from it, though. If its just on with the shift of a mouse, any time of the day or night, and I happen to walk past it many many times a day while doing other things...its very easy to just quickly check my email, then the boards...and you know what happens then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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