Do you leave your computer on all the time?

[PapaBear]

I've read several debates about whether it's best to leave your computer on 24/7, and still can't find a real answer. I almost always turn mine off when I go to bed, am home but not using my comp, or I leave the house. It's just the way I was raised. Turn shit off when you're not using it, because it's bad to waste energy. I find it almost weird, when I find out that friend's NEVER turn theirs off. But I must admit that it can be a pain in the ass when I want to look for something on my comp, or online, and my comp is turned off.

On the rare occasions that I DO leave mine on for extended periods of time, I can swear it runs slower over time. I'm told it doesn't, but it just seems like it does. I've been experimenting with leaving it on for longer periods of time. I do turn off the monitors and block my internet connection when I do, though.

So... What do YOU do?

[Chimee]

I turn it off every night when I go to bed and turn it on first thing when I wake up.

[commish13]

I pretty much leave it on constantly. All three desktops in my house are on constantly, and I keep my laptop on all the time as well. Usually it's because I go to bed listening to RnF or OnA or music from my iTunes, so the computer has to be on, although in general I still just leave it on.

If I'm going to be gone for an entire day or longer, I turn it off, but otherwise that's it.

[Whiskeyportal]

I leave all of mine on all the time, they hibernate, and that works for me

[nassue]

i went back and forth between turning it off when I went to bed or work/leaving it on.
i found that leaving it on most of the time it runs smoother; now i just turn of the monitor and reboot once a week
Now that I've gotten rid of cable i need that fucker to be quick

[biggestmexi]

Actually it the I.T. guy and I starting talking about hard drives the other day. He said when he started at the company everyone always turned the PC's off and was going through a tremendous amount of HDD's. After a while he told everyone to leave them on and have yet to have such a problem as he used to.

As for me I leave it on. At home.

At work its on for a week then off on the weekend.

But imagine all the stuff the HDD has to read so your PC can boot up. If you have an older HDD especially the life is almost gone. Unless you have Solid State:wub:.

[donnie_darko]

sleep mode....only annoying part is the glowing light...my only apple related complaint.

[JimmieHats]

Always leave mine on, unless I'm gone for a few days.

[Patient zer0]

it will drain minimal energy if left of all day, especially if its in hibernation mode.

its actually harder on your computer when you do hard boots all the time.

[GreatAmericanZero]

i used to leave it on all the time, but i stopped when i moved to a place where electricity wasn't included in the rent.
...
kinda off topic, but yesterday my monitor on my desktop just went black. then the "on" light started blinking. I couldnt get it on. Never had this problem before...anyone know? (im using my work laptop now)

[biggestmexi]

i used to leave it on all the time, but i stopped when i moved to a place where electricity wasn't included in the rent.
...
kinda off topic, but yesterday my monitor on my desktop just went black. then the "on" light started blinking. I couldnt get it on. Never had this problem before...anyone know? (im using my work laptop now)

possibly dead. Or a bad cable connection. Try to riggle some wires. Turn off restarts the pc. If the pc seems to run fine then you GPU might be bad or the (internal) is bad. Try to hook up the laptop to the monitor.

[GreatAmericanZero]

possibly dead. Or a bad cable connection. Try to riggle some wires. Turn off restarts the pc. If the pc seems to run fine then you GPU might be bad or the (internal) is bad. Try to hook up the laptop to the monitor.

the cpu is running fine...i could tell cuz when i restarted it it had all my normal "restart" sounds, it is def a problem with my monitor. I'll try some stuff when i get home from work...how much is a new monitor going to set me back?

[biggestmexi]

monitor pricing is a huge variable depending on what you want.

Old CRT, flat screen, flatscreen-widescreen, dual screens.

Check this site out. http://www.slickdeals.net

They have some very good deals on monitors pretty often.

Just peruse around.

[Dre]

Always on, unless I know I'll be gone for a significant portion of time.

[RhinoinMN]

monitor pricing is a huge variable depending on what you want.

Old CRT, flat screen, flatscreen-widescreen, dual screens.

Check this site out. http://www.slickdeals.net

They have some very good deals on monitors pretty often.

Just peruse around.

I used that site to get a 19" flat LCD for $140. It was a $50 off coupon for Best Buy.

Pretty cool site.
Good call bogosities

[biggestmexi]

I used that site to get a 19" flat LCD for $140. It was a $50 off coupon for Best Buy.

Pretty cool site.
Good call biggestmexi


fixed

[JPMNICK]

i always leave mine on, I hate when I want to go use it and I have to wait for it to start up

[KingGeno]

Energy Savings were incorporated into windows, and this has effect on a lot of things (Monitor, Hard drives, network cards). Hibernation and Sleep are great features. An occasional reboot or shutdown can't hurt though.

If it were a few years ago, I would say to leave you computer on as much as possible. Nowadays, with smaller chips, better heatsink and fans, smoother and faster running hardware, you really don't run into an issue with failing components or overheating.

I would HIGHLY recommend cleaning out your DESKTOP computers as much as possible. I mean buying duster spray, and making sure any fans (intake/outtake) are clean and clear of dust and debris. People who smoke around their computer cause MAJOR problems, and must make sure to clean their computers. Tar and smoke is a bad thing. If you can open up the case of your computer, while unplugged mind you, and clear out the motherboard and fans of debris inside that can help also.

[biggestmexi]

Energy Savings were incorporated into windows, and this has effect on a lot of things (Monitor, Hard drives, network cards). Hibernation and Sleep are great features. An occasional reboot or shutdown can't hurt though.

If it were a few years ago, I would say to leave you computer on as much as possible. Nowadays, with smaller chips, better heatsink and fans, smoother and faster running hardware, you really don't run into an issue with failing components or overheating.

I would HIGHLY recommend cleaning out your DESKTOP computers as much as possible. I mean buying duster spray, and making sure any fans (intake/outtake) are clean and clear of dust and debris. People who smoke around their computer cause MAJOR problems, and must make sure to clean their computers. Tar and smoke is a bad thing. If you can open up the case of your computer, while unplugged mind you, and clear out the motherboard and fans of debris inside that can help also.

You should work here. I clean them out as well. I work at a sand plant in the lab and there is a layer of dust on thing in about 8hr. Imagine how bad the PC's are.

[KingGeno]

You should work here. I clean them out as well. I work at a sand plant in the lab and there is a layer of dust on thing in about 8hr. Imagine how bad the PC's are.

Yea man. Back when I contracted and did on-site computer repair, I saw some crazy shit. Truckers using the CD tray to hold an ash tray, computer jus totally pitch black from cigarette and smoke, etc.

Cleaning out desktop computers, specially older ones with shitty fans, is really important I feel. It's the equivalent of having insulation shot into your computer occasionally, and can build up pretty quick.

Shame people don't realize how crappy it is for smokers to be blowing smoke on or around monitors and electronics. :furious:

[Misteriosa]

i keep the work comp on all weekand then turn it off on the weekends. it has nothing to do with energy savings. my work comp is spotty on finding network connections. if i leave it on, the connections stay. when i turn it off, there is a good chance i wont be able to log on the net with out reentering pass keys, etc.

my laptop stays on sometimes... it depends on how im feeling

[KatPw]

We shut it off at night, an anytime we are not going to be using it for a few hours. We have it set to go into sleep mode also when not used for a bit.

[Space Edge]

I leave mine running all the time. I use remote desktop software to get into my computers when I am not home to be able to do things.

[Space Edge]

monitor pricing is a huge variable depending on what you want.

Old CRT, flat screen, flatscreen-widescreen, dual screens.

Check this site out. http://www.slickdeals.net

They have some very good deals on monitors pretty often.

Just peruse around.

I used that site to get a 19" flat LCD for $140. It was a $50 off coupon for Best Buy.

Pretty cool site.
Good call bogosities

http://www.newegg.com/

Has some great deals on PC and Mac stuff.

[~Katja~]

I just hibernate the laptop at night...

at work I log off during the week and shut it down on the weekend... as I take it with me then anyway

[drjoek]

I leave my computers on all the time and I have the bastards working They do the scheduled chores, disk clean up, system scan, daily back up to external hard drive etc while I sleep

[drusilla]

i only turn it off when i leave for work. other wise, it's on most of the time. i'll really only turn it off if i know i'm going to be gone for most of the day. i leave it on when i'm sleeping. i like waking up in the morning & having it turned on already.

[hunnerbun]

I used to shut it down completely at night but since it has been taking up to 5 minutes...yes 5 minutes to boot up I get pissed waiting for it and I have just been putting it into hibernate mode.
I have done every possible scan to see if I can figure out what the problem is but I think I have narrowed it down to an update. I have since talked to a couple of other ppl who also have HP computers and they just started having the same issue. Guess its time to suck it up and call Apu in Bombay to see what the deal is.

[Fallon]

I shut if off when I go to work and sleep.

[IMSlacker]

I shut if off when I go to work and sleep.

They let you sleep at work? Lucky!

[JustJon]

Work - always on

Home -

AppleTV - always on
Mac mini (connected to tv) - used to be always on, but now on when I want to use it because of AppleTV
MacBook Pro - On from the time I get home from work till I go to work again, usually on all weekend
PC - 650w power supply, so on to dl email, use it, etc. Off otherwise to save on power bills.
MacBook - On only when I want to use it

[Friday]

my comp is on just about all the time.
if i leave the house i usually turn it off though... or at least send it into hibernate.
when i have a job again (please god soon!!!) i will resume shutting it down when i go to work so it will have more time off.

[GreatAmericanZero]

update on my monitor..i left it unplugged overnight and its working now. If the problem comes up again ill see whats-whats. thnkx for the helpz0rs

[GreatAmericanZero]

ok, so i was just on my desktop and my knee hit against my desk and my monitor did that thing where it went black. Its def only a problem with my monitor because I was streaming XM at the time and the audio wasn't interrupted and the cpu sounded smooth and fine. I can't believe i gotta buy a fucking new monitor...it took me forever to figure out my wireless internet and once i got that working i gotta buy a new thing. a whole new unrelated problem. im fucking pissed

[Lady Resin]

Since I got my laptop, I turn off the desk top. I use to keep the desk top on 24/7. It started to slow down. Now I turn both off.

[zildjian361]

I just hibernate the laptop at night...

at work I log off during the week and shut it down on the weekend... as I take it with me then anyway

no wonder you needed a day inthe central park sun:help::innocent:

[SatCam]

ok, so i was just on my desktop and my knee hit against my desk and my monitor did that thing where it went black. Its def only a problem with my monitor because I was streaming XM at the time and the audio wasn't interrupted and the cpu sounded smooth and fine. I can't believe i gotta buy a fucking new monitor...it took me forever to figure out my wireless internet and once i got that working i gotta buy a new thing. a whole new unrelated problem. im fucking pissed

Does your monitor say "No Sync Input" when it goes black? Can you still access menu functions?

If yes it sounds like a connection or video card problem, making the monitor lose its signal and go into sleep mode (the blinking light)

[boosterp]

Server (home) is always on but I do scheduled reboots.
Laptop is always on or in hibernation except for the occasional restart
Linux computer is on only when I use it
Gaming machine is only on when I need it

And, my electric bills are not bad compared to my neighbors.

[boosterp]

Does your monitor say "No Sync Input" when it goes black? Can you still access menu functions?

If yes it sounds like a connection or video card problem, making the monitor lose its signal and go into sleep mode (the blinking light)

Agreed!

[GreatAmericanZero]

Does your monitor say "No Sync Input" when it goes black? Can you still access menu functions?

If yes it sounds like a connection or video card problem, making the monitor lose its signal and go into sleep mode (the blinking light)

it was a problem with the monitor. I just bought a new one at BestBuy (i dont care if i didnt get the best deal, it was convenient) and its working fine

[ahhdurr]

I have the power options set for hibernation after 1 hour - something like that. This tends to be a pain in the ass when I'm attempting to access the upstairs computer from the basement and I have to go up and turn it on so that the network sees it.

I guess life could be worse.

[Death Metal Moe]

I turn my desktop on when I get home from work and turn it off before bed. It's kind of a noticable noise in the background of a quiet room and it creates some heat so I turn it off.

My laptop is sometimes on overnight because it's next to my bed but it goes off before I go to work.

[cougarjake13]

so whats the better way to do it

turn off completely or sleep/hibernate

[PapaBear]

so whats the better way to do it

turn off completely or sleep/hibernate
Back when I had a crappier computer, I always disabled sleep/hibernate, because it caused some problems. I think I'm going to look into setting it up to hibernate, and leave my comp on most of the time. It's pretty clear that most people here do leave theirs on, and the post about how hard starting is on your hard drive got me thinking.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

For GAZ, sounds like you just had a cable problem more than anything else. Did you try replacing cables and seeing if those worked?

I'm not sure if you should leave it on or off... the electricity bills may or may not be a big deal to you... and I don't know what is less healthy for the computer- turning it off and on every day, or leaving it on for several days. Either way, much like living, each minute that goes by is one step closer to CPU doom.

[PapaBear]

I'm trying to decide if I should use "system standby" or "hibernate" when I'm away from my computer for a long time. I read that there can be problems with standby if there's a power outage, but unless the power is out for more than 15-20 minutes, that shouldn't be a problem for me. I use a UPS device that works fine in power outages.

[ahhdurr]

I'm trying to decide if I should use "system standby" or "hibernate" when I'm away from my computer for a long time. I read that there can be problems with standby if there's a power outage, but unless the power is out for more than 15-20 minutes, that shouldn't be a problem for me. I use a UPS device that works fine in power outages.
Fancy. Does he deliver electricity? "Brown - so fast you won't lose any data"

wakka.

Hibernate is shutting the machine down almost completely, but you don't do reboot when you start up so it's more convenient. Power savings + ease of restart = we still all die in a hail of locusts in 2012.

[PapaBear]

[/b]
Fancy. Does he deliver electricity? "Brown - so fast you won't lose any data"

wakka.

Hibernate is shutting the machine down almost completely, but you don't do reboot when you start up so it's more convenient. Power savings + ease of restart = we still all die in a hail of locusts in 2012.
I don't get it. So, is hibernate better than standby?

EDIT: I should clarify. I want the one that allows my comp to do scheduled scanning and update tasks.

[ahhdurr]

I don't get it. So, is hibernate better than standby?

The bad joke or the hibernate/stby thing? Stby just shuts less down.

It's the difference between killing 1/3 power to your computer or 7/8 power.

Recap: Stby is convenient when you're working in an office and you tend to leave your desk for 20 minutes or so at a time- you can set it to stby so you just shake the mouse and the whole thing is up in 4 seconds.

Hibernate is good for home so you can just up and leave the computer and it shuts itself off, but stays on just that little bit so you can startup (I'd say) 60 to 70% quicker. Someone mentioned that a full boot of your machine wears on an internal battery so I guess it beats that but I'm not sure if that's really an issue.:dry:

The joke just sucked. Please disregard.

[sr71blackbird]

I work for a utility, and leaving it on costs you at least $400 a year