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General discussion

Poll: When I'm not using my computer:

Jan 21, 2011 7:57AM PST

When I'm not using my computer:

-- I leave it on. (Any particular reason why?)
-- I shut it down. (Any particular reason why?)
-- I put it on hibernate/standby mode. (Any particular reason why?)
-- I put it on sleep mode. (Any particular reason why?)

Discussion is locked

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Why I turn my computer off when not in use
Jan 21, 2011 9:09AM PST

I have two cats who shed. The computer fan sucks up their fur. If the computer is not on, neither is the fan, therefore less fur coating computer hardware.

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YI turn off comptr
Jan 22, 2011 2:02AM PST

Love the 'fur' answer. I have a ragdoll with long white fur. Things end up looking like a 'white xmas' if I'm not careful. So I shutdown as well.

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LEAVE IT ON
Jan 21, 2011 9:16AM PST

I had the occasion to speak with people in two large corporations and they both said that all computers are left on even though they are only used during the day. So if it works for them...

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Now I leave it on
Jan 21, 2011 11:16AM PST

I used to turn it off at night (except for my weekly scheduled Norton scan which is set for the early hours of the morning so it doesn't slow things down if I'm using it). I thought this was just common sense like not leaving my TV on while I'm at work all day.

However, a couple of months ago I turned the computer on when I got home and it wouldn't boot, just kept restarting and restarting but never getting there. I ended up having to buy a new hard drive. My computer tech (a friend who fixes computers and knows what he's talking about) said that many computer problems are related to start-up and that he leaves his on. So now I do the same but reboot now and then to give it a fresh start when I feel it's getting slow and bogged down with temp files etc. (I turn it off for 5 minutes, as distinct from restarting). I do this maybe once a week, no set rule.

My job is with a small firm with 6 computers and we turn them off (except for the 'server' computer). Don't know if our IT guy suggested it or not. I've also worked in large companies like banks and insurance and it varies a lot - some turn them off, some don't. But are there computers in the IT office that do a major backup and stay running? I have no idea!

As for sleep mode etc., when I go away from my computer for a while, the screen saver works at first and then reverts to that screen showing the user name. Don't know what power-saving mode this is and can't seem to find how to make the screen saver stay on all the time, like it used to do with XP (I'm now on Windows 7).

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Electric Bill
Jan 21, 2011 9:23AM PST

We've got 2 PC's, a laptop, 3 TV's with DVD Players, 2 XBoxes and assorted Printers, Scanners, Powered Speakers, and Sound Equipment that at any given time were running. After the electric bill topped $200 a month, new rule in the house. Shut it down and turn off the power conditioners/strips to conserve both electricity and money. Down to $190 now but I haven't cracked down as hard as I'm going to.

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Electric Bill Savings
Jan 22, 2011 2:14AM PST

You probably have reduced as much as you can. Unnecessary lighting, other appliances including electric furnaces and air contitioners, and perhaps "old" CRT TV's, may be your main consumers of electricity.

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Turn off
Jan 21, 2011 9:45AM PST

I work for a large company and they've been pushing a green initiative for about 2 years. I figured I would do the same at home, and ever since I'm saving about $50 a month. I used to have a server at home, but I never needed 24/7 access to all the data, so I replaced that with a 4TB raid solution and use MobileMe or Microsoft's Sky Drive for data I know I need.

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when not using a computer
Jan 21, 2011 9:52AM PST

If I'm away from my computer for a lenght of time, say over 2 hours I will turn it off. I never use sleep mode or hibernate. As a tech of 32 years I've seen too many problems with those modes. Many times what happens is if a computer goes into sleep or hibernation and you press the space bar or any key it will not wake up and you have to do a hard reboot. I only use a screen saver, and when I'm on a job installing a new system for someone the first thing I do is go into the power settings in the control panel and do my thing.

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I agree!
Jan 21, 2011 10:12AM PST

Putting the PC (I don't know about the Mac) on sleep or hibernate also eats up memory space as the system creates a snapshot of what was active when hibernate was activated and those snaps just build up until you remove them. Perhaps the newer OSs have settings to automatically remove these files, but since I don't use the hibernate or standby function, I don't know (or care). I also shut down my PC if I am going to be away from it for over an hour (unless I have a process running). This is good for saving electricity, frees up the RAM, and cleans up what I call 'debris', the temp files and other files or damaged created during processes. Also, I have a healthy case of paranoia and think it makes the PC more secure from hacking, and also being used in a botnet if I have an undetected malware infection.

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when not using a computer >
Jan 22, 2011 2:42AM PST

You mean you don't ask? I would be upset if some one did not tell me what I wanted to know. I find too much of useful information is "hidden". Being American I do not read every manual cover to cover. And really rather not Google everything. But things like static and dynamic and the codes for changing need to be easily available.

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Sky Drive
Jan 21, 2011 10:00AM PST

Good for you, skydrive is excellent.

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I have an apple
Jan 21, 2011 10:02AM PST

My MacBook Pro doesn't 'deteriorate' like my pc used to when i just close the cover. I only reboot my computer once every couple of weeks and don't have any problems! When i had a pc, I had to restart it every day in order to avoid performance issue.

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I shut it down
Jan 21, 2011 10:04AM PST

This saves electricity. Go Green my friend.

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Leave it on
Jan 21, 2011 10:13AM PST

I have automatic updates turned, schedule my daily virus and spyware scans for 12:00am, they just finish by 5:00 when I get up. I find this to be more efficient than having my day impacted by the scans and I normally do not have do anything for the updates, the system has usually rebooted by the time I am wanting to use it. I've very rarely had issues with automatic updates. I have a small condo and my electric rarely exceeds $40.00 in a month.

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Not always...
Jan 21, 2011 10:38AM PST

My main criteria is to have my computer off over night. I'll leave it on once I turn it on during the day, but it's off at night, or if we're away for a day or more. I do that mostly for power saving reasons, less coal and natural gas gets burned.

I don't think that turning a computer on and off once a day is going to hurt it. On the other hand, I wouldn't recommend more than that.

-Roger

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Off - why risk electrical hits, etc.
Jan 21, 2011 10:43AM PST

We live out in the country and my home tends to have both brown-outs and surges. I figure why risk damage if I dont need to.

Additionally, I like to clear out cookies, temp files, etc. before I shut down.

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Off
Jan 21, 2011 10:46AM PST

Even though I have the drive shut off after a set period, I won't be using the computer if I'm not on it, so turn it off & save the electricity.
I like the one about the cat fur, I understand that one (smirk).

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I leave it on 24/7
Jan 21, 2011 10:54AM PST

Since I have a server that has a small holding file per user, for email, and I get lots of large emails, I have to leave mine on all the time so I don't lose emails and people don't think I have no email address, because all my mail gets returned to them. I just shut off the monitor when it's not going to be used to save it and the energy it uses.

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Turn it Off
Jan 21, 2011 12:14PM PST

I have a PC and am on Orlando Utilities. In the summer especially, they suffer power brown outs. This causes the computer to shutdown and reboot, BUT if there is a second one while rebooting, the computer will crash Windows. Lost my system to this twice and had to restore it, loosing everything I had not yet backed up to that point in time! Turn it off daily or when not using it for a long time.

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I shut it down. I close all my files and shut it down.
Jan 21, 2011 1:59PM PST

Save power. Less chance for hackers. It's good for the system to reboot. Also, I shut down my Belkin surge protector where the computer and all my peripherals are connected to. 5 years ago had my hard drive on an old computer fry after a major power outage when the power was restored. Had an inadequate and cheap surge protector. Hopefully, never again.

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Turn off at night
Jan 21, 2011 8:16PM PST

I wonder how long the bearings in the fan and hard drive will last--one reason I shut down. Have had problems that my guru said were corrected by shutting down for at least 15 secibds--over night is MORE than 15 seconds.

My computer goes into sleep mode when I don't use in daytime, but have had no problem with it waking up.

When doing a lengthy virus or malware scan, or lengthy update--allow computer to run all night.

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When I'm not useing my computer
Jan 21, 2011 10:34PM PST

My Pc is also used for Magic jack Telephone service while its not being use for tv and bill paying and just looking up info that goes with day to day request.

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When I'm not using my computer:
Jan 22, 2011 2:27AM PST

The poll was too limiting. I use different replies when the situation changes. If i am coming back and don't want to lose my place it is hibernation or sleep. If I am running a program like malware that will take hours the I will leave on. I will use my other computer during that time

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Shut It Down.
Jan 22, 2011 2:55AM PST

Save power, cat fur (if you have cats,you have fur)and a basic analog analogy, "There are only so many turns in a bearing before it wears out"
Note* Shutting down PC and modem closes the system to whatever new backdoor malware might be doing while unwatched (Imagine the damage if you picked up malware that auto enabled itself after 5-6 hours of PC non-use?). tDuck

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computer ready
Jan 22, 2011 4:07AM PST

because someone is always looking up some information and needing it quickly, we just put the sleep mode on and have the computer ready to go..

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When I'm not using my computer I leave it on
Jan 22, 2011 4:16AM PST

I leave it on because I get so many emails from friends, and I'm retired and I enjoy checking my email through the day. However, at night, I shut the computer down. Is it not safe to leave it on all day?

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The jury's out on that.
Jan 22, 2011 4:22AM PST

You will find conflicting views from both experts and amateurs, (like myself). Some will think it does no harm and others will think it is better for the computer to 'give it a rest'. I am of the latter group, but I have to say that, if it works for you then that is what is important.

With regular maintenance, including a yearly "spring clean" to remove all the dust bunnies inside the case, then there is no reason why you shouldn't continue as you are.

Hope that helps.

Mark

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**** it down
Jan 22, 2011 6:28AM PST

Because my desktop has some stupid fan light and I can't turn it off (unless I cut the wire).

Otherwise, my laptop is always on sleep.

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Leave it on
Jan 22, 2011 10:59AM PST

I leave some of my computers on all the time - one has a screensaver that is the nightlight in my bedroom, (LED screen) and my main one has trouble turning on, so I just leave it on (turn off the CRT screen on that one at night though). The other ones are laptops, and are off until I'm on the road and need to use them

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Computer state when not in use
Jan 23, 2011 12:52AM PST

Glorious sleep for minimizing power use. Yes I could further reduce power use by hibernating, but impatience with resuming activity makes me prefer sleep, with occasional restart to clear sloppy RAM allocation/release.