ware and tear on a computer

I just bought a brand new Acer. I put a lot of money into this computer and i never want it to fail, it is god to me With that said, when not in use for a long time, (ie, going to bed, work) I turn my computer off, so my computer goes off and on at least once a day. I hear my friends say that they keep their computer on for days becuase its good for it. Now, I dont see a use in keeping my computer running, my fans blowing, and heat going for no reason. So I shut it down. Will this excessive shutdown/start up ruin my compter? I;m kind of OCD about this stuff.

 

The most definitive answer you're likely to get is "it depends". There are pros and cons on both sides.

Leaving a system on generates heat that will shorten the life of any electrical part somewhat. How much depends on how hot it runs. I've heard it said that every 10c degree rise in the operating temperature of a component will halve the operating life of the component, but I don't know how true that is.

But...

Turning a system on and off creates thermal shock -- rapid expansion and contraction of the parts that warm up. They expand at different rates, putting a lot of stress on the junction between them. Under some circumstances, this can eventually crack solder joints and other parts of the structure. In addition, the electrical resistance of a cold part is less than that of a hot part, resulting in an initial inrush of current into a system that's just been powered up, heating the current-carrying parts up that much faster. Heat thrown off by an electrical conductor varies with the square of the current flowing through it.

A common rule of thumb that nobody will swear to is: if you'll use the system again within 12 hours, leave it running. Otherwise, turn it off and save the power. The 12-hour figure is quite arbitrary -- pick another if you prefer.

Then there's the observation that a computer that isn't running can't be hacked. You decide.

 

Right, I;ve herd all that before, and all that is true. But basically, if I keep doing what I'm doing with it, (on and off during the nights) I mean, this computer will last me untill i need a new one right? It wont die on me 2 weeks from now right? lol.

 

I couldn't have said it better then Rob M. I use my computer every day, so I tend to leave it running unless I am going to be gone for a over a day. I personally think that it is less "harsh" on a system to just leave it running as opposed to turning it off every night - but this is just my opinion. My PC's are set to 'power-down' after a set time - i.e. the hard drives, monitor, etc. go into a sleep mode which is a lower power state, without actually being turned off and going completely cold.

My oldest computer is an eMachines I got in 2001 - it became one of my kids' computers they used in their basement room (nick-named "The Pit") and it has probably run for most of the last 4 years. They would use it constantly - and for a while I had it running the SETI program. It's still chugging right along, though I no longer have it in active service. The only thing I have had to replace on it was a case fan, which was still working but developed this aggravating buzz.

But then, PC's do sometimes have defective parts - but you said this is a new PC so it should be under warranty for a while, I would think.

 

My first comp was a 486 about ten years ago. I have always turned my comps off when not going to be using even if just for a few hours. I have not had any fail. I currently have four comps running and always turn on and off as needed. As stated previously I believe this is more of a matter of preference as I have not seen any documented proof anywhere saying one was better than the other. Every article I have read says the same thing, some good and some bad about both choices. The biggest problem I can think of with leaving on is hacking if you are not using firewall protection and are always connected to the internet.

 

Ive always found a computer runs better after being restarted.
Frees up the resources better, reconfigures the whatsit or something.:crap
No basis what so-ever, it just appears to work for me.
Also some parts (fans come to mind) are rated to last for a certain amount of hours of usage (hard drives too I think)
fans are cheap, the last thing you want stuffing up on your computer is your hard drive I reckon

 

As you all probably know, this issue gets hashed and re-hashed in forums. I agree with Rob M's point about stressing of components by turning off and on but I also think it's a minor issue and simply is not compelling enough to justify leaving computers running 24/7. As a practical matter, obsolescence is going to send your computer to the computer junk pile long before any breakdown of components occurs due to shutting off and turning on.

I have an 11 1/2 year old Pentium that's surely been turned on and off thousands of times and it's still running. I had a 486 that I loned to a friend for her son to use for school; it was already 7 years old when I loned it and then he used it for 3 years. I know he often turned it on and off more than once a day.

And, I believe you're actually more likely to have to replace fans by letting a computer run all the time. You should also plan on cleaning dust out more frequently to prevent a negative impact that dust can have on cooling.

 

So it's not in fact bad to turn a computer off..

 

Although some people will disagree I would say no it's not. As stated before it's an ongoing issue that no one, not even manufacturers can agree on.

 

I'm sorry - I should have went on to say that my wife's pc is generally turned off every day - as she doesn't use it all the time like I do mine. It hasn't suffered for it that I can see. She and I don't even agree on this issue . . . rolleyes

Like others have said - it boils down to personal preference. My PC is almost always in use, so I find it fits my workstyle better to shut it down only when I'm going to be away for a day or so. If you don't use yours everyday, then by all means, shut it down - you'll find as many people on that side of the fence as the other, lol

@shanemail, it is true that a restart makes a PC run better - it essentially dumps temp files and flushes the ram. I use CCcleaner and other utility programs on a regular basis, and don't even have to restart as often as I used to.

 

It sounds like you're looking for a guarantee that your computer will last at least a few years if you do everything right. Your odds are pretty good -- but there are no guarantees.

S**t happens. If that weren't so, who would need a warranty? Even the warranty provider isn't really saying that your machine will not crap out. He's only saying that he'll do something about it if it does.

 

ehh...oh well i guess. Just enjoy it while I got it right?

 

That works for me, Deadman. May the Force be with you, and may your computer last forever. (Or at least as long as you want it to!) :beer

 

I think it's probably more harsh on the components when the system is being turned on and off frequently than if it's just left on.

But today's computers use a lot more power and run hotter than in the days of the old Pentium 2's so that is something to consider also.

I don't really have a set pattern - sometime I turn it off at night and sometimes I leave it running, just depends on what I'm busy with.