Computer - Leave it always on , or turm it off off sometimes?

N/A ^ | Jan. 3, 2002 | Capt. Tom

[Capt. Tom]

This question could be answered on a computer board somewhere on the Internet, but I value the opinion of Freepers in all matters so I will ask it here,since everyone has a computer and undoubtably an opinion and may be interested in the answers.

I turn my computer off if I am going to be away from it more than 8 hours. Friends of mine leave the computer on 24/7. The reasons I turn mine off is in case of a power surge or outage when I am not using it. I have a Virus program but do not have a fire wall and figure it is less time a hacker has to get into my computer. Also I can hear things running (FAN etc.)inside my computer and figure that it's less wear and tear on the machine.

Since I started turning my PC down each night years ago things may have changed inside computers that we have today. Maybe starting it up each morning is more detrimental to the computer than just letting it run all the time.

There are undoubtably a lot of factors involved since chips like AMD are in common usage today and run hotter than Intel chips thus requiring more cooling. I have an intel chip in a 200 mhz NEC.

Comparing my shutdown method to my friends, it doesn't appear to me to make much of a difference. If it doesn't, I might just get a firewall system in my next computer and leave it on all the time.

[George Smiley]

You left out the option of leaving it OFF always. :^)

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

We learned another lesson the hard way regarding computers and lightning a few years back, when our home's chimney & roof was hit directly with a lightning bolt (yes, we have a lightning rod which is grounded and all that). There is no thunderstorm as loud and noisy and destructive as a midwestern storm. The electricity apparently came down through the home's wiring on that side of the house (north) which is where our in-home office was and fried out the hard drive on the computer.

Moral of the story is that we power-down the whole system (3 computers hooked up to router box sharing a DSL modem) and unplug everything away from the wall during severe storms.

[callisto]

I cannot run ZoneAlarm at high security, only medium

This seems to be a new quirk in the latest updated version of ZoneAlarm. The last time we wiped the harddrive we reinstalled it from the website straight to the computer and very soon thereafter noticed the same thing. Personally I uninstalled it and reinstalled an older version I had downloaded to a CD and it resolved my problem. But then again I'm now running a non-updated version.

As an aside, I've also noticed that IE6 has a default security setting that does about the same thing. I used to be able to log onto FR with Medium security settings and then raise it to High security, but after upgrading to IE6 my computer won't recognize any cookies already placed there if it's set to High.

[SLB]

Wow, am I ever surprised at the numbers of folks who like to play dangerously. The issue we deal with is not so much leaving them on or turning them off, but the ability for hackers to find their way into our networks if they are left on. We have direct connections and even with the firewalls there is still too much of a security risk for us to leave machines on all of the time. It is better to have to replace a component or two every once in a awhile than have someone hack in a destroy weeks or months worth of work.

[Aggie Mama]

Thanks for asking this question Capt. I learn so much on FR. Perhaps those of you that are so knowledgeable might be able to help me with a question that I have. We had the AT&T broadband service and had our 2 computers networked. Since they pulled out of Houston, we had to go with a cable provider. I only have one computer with internet access now. I know I need to buy a router and run the cable to the other computer, but I'm wondering if I might be able to get some use out of the Linksys homelink network adapters that I purchased from AT&T?

[NeoCaveman]

bump for later reading

[AFreeBird]

but I'm wondering if I might be able to get some use out of the Linksys homelink network adapters that I purchased from AT&T?

I'm assuming that your broadband that got pulled was from their "fixed wireless" system? They're pulling the plug because it wasn't meeting revenue projections.

Anyway.... I'm also going to assume that the wireless link was managed by some sort of wireless modem, and your two computers were linked to that via cable. If that is the case then your Linksys net adapters should be of the Ethernet variety, and should plug into say a Linksys router/firewall/hub without problem.

[SamAdams76]

It is actually more wear and tear on your computer by turning the power off, even if you do it just once a day. Also, the temperature fluctuations (by turning power offand on) cause the boards and integrated circuits to become brittle with time, causing eventual failure.

I keep both my home PCs on 24/7. They only get shutoff during power failures, which might happen 2 or 3 times a year. I have surge protectors (built into the power strips) and have never had any problem. In fact, I've had at least two computers running at home for the past five years and have never experienced the failure of any component. I did replace the cooling fans on one of them because it was noisy (A $30 quiet fan is well worth the investment).

I also disable all power management options on my PCs, so that the hard drive never spins down and the monitor never shuts off.

I'm sure it adds to the power bill each month but think of how much you would have to pay for a new motherboard or hard drive if they failed due to being spun up and down every day.

[Penny1]

I leave mine on 24/7 because much of the highest strain on crucial components occurs at startup. However, when talking to our network tech at work a couple of years ago, he said it was kind of a 50/50 split on whether shutting down at night or leaving it on 24/7 would be best for most PCs.

I shut it down if I'm going to be out of town for at least one night. I also pay attention to threatening weather systems--electrical storms or possible power outtages--and shut down for those situations.

Remember that surge suppressors may not protect your computer as much as you think. One of the dangers to your CPU, at least from information I got a few years ago, is for it to start up with less than full power--i.e. during a brownout, or when your power goes out as the chip first starts up. If it starts up under-powered, that may fry your CPU, according to what I was told.

-penny

[SamAdams76]

As an addendum to my previous reply, I do reboot the computer at least once a week. That clears out the RAM and gets the machine running clean again. But it is a "soft" reboot, not done by hitting the power switch.

[aaaDOC]

I just checked my Add/Remove Programs list via the Control Panel and Zone Alarm was listed.

This probably means that it can be removed.

However, I can't think of a reason why I would want to remove it. It is great and on testing it, it works perfectly.

[Capt. Tom]

400 watts an hour to run it.

400 watts x 10 hours /day x 365 days = 1,460,000 watts/year or 1,460 kilowatts.
1,460kw x $0.11 /KW = $160.60 a year.
Now if I keep a computer 4 years.. 4 years x$160.60= $642

I could get a new computer for that money saved,less the monitor and printer and scaner which I already have.

Thats just another factor isn't it. No easy answer to this question is there? -Tom

[Shurnuff]

I agree: beware Zone Alarm
I have had nightmares when I installed that monster.... I don't wish it on anyone but enemies.... It seemed great for a few days, but then blocked everything in sight and simply killed all uses of my computer. I had to reinstall Windows... then it blocked my ISP (Roadrunner, a fast cable service)... I uninstalled ZoneAlarm, but the problems did not go away. Evidently, uninstalling does not get rid of everything..... I had a three-hour session with RoadRunner, and they finally told me I would have to re-install ZoneAlarm, then lower its firewall protection as low as I could. After that, I had to get a kit to reinstall my RoadRunner. After countless hours of research I finally found a way to get rid of ZoneAlarm completely; it was not an easy job..... I saved all the information, so if anyone needs it, let me know and I will e-mail the directions to you.....

Nightmare is the correct description for ZoneAlarm. Just do a Google search for "Zone Alarm problems" and learn about the many, many who has the same experiences I did!

[jedi150]

I keep mine off when I am not using it and other than wearing out the on off switch nothing seems to be different? Except my yearly electric bill.

[XDemocrat]

"400 watts an hour to run it." As an old electronics tech. and certified pc technician, I can assure you that your pc doesn't draw 400 watts at anytime. Most pc's have a 150 to 250 watt power supply. Measurments I have taken generally show below 100 watts average draw during normal operation. Of course this doesn't include the monitor. I usually recommend leaving the pc on all the time during the day and turning it off at night, and the main reason I like to see it off at night,is a shutdown and reboot at least once a day will keep your operating system up to snuff and take care of some little problems that develope when using the pc such as ram not being released by programs that were using it, other resourses that get bottled up and slow the pc during normal use. Any modern pc should last many years even if it is left on all the time. Most business users I deal with never turn the computers or the monitors off, I don't see any great decrease in lifespan of the system. Just my humble 2 cents worth.

[AFreeBird]

It seemed great for a few days, but then blocked everything in sight and simply killed all uses of my computer. I had to reinstall Windows... then it blocked my ISP (Roadrunner, a fast cable service)...

Huh? This sounds absured. I have never seen any type of problem with ZA on any computer I've had it on. Even with the Internet security set to High, I've only encountered a couple of problems and those were corrected by allowing certain windows (W2K) components (Services and Controller App) to communicate.

[VA Advogado]

This probably means that it can be removed.

Yep. Its listed. But if you try to remove it and then run your computer (on the net) you can't do it. I dont even think mine works if ZA isn't ON. its kinda like herpes, once you got it, you got it. lol

[gunshy]

Most electronic failures occur at time of startup. Your chips and boards are cold, room temperature, and you suddenly heat them up with electric current. If any of the components are weak, this is the time that they will fail.

You don't need a firewall to protect you when you are not at home and your computer is on, just hang up the phone line. If you are still concerned, disconnect the phone line from your modem.

[Michael Barnes]

*snickering, shaking my head*..This is a funny thread..

[Capt. Tom]

I agree: beware Zone Alarm I have had nightmares when I installed that monster.... I don't wish it on anyone but enemies.... It seemed great for a few days, but then blocked everything in sight and simply killed all uses of my computer.

Remember;"Today's solution is tomorrow's problem."-Tom