Running 24/7?

Discussion in 'polls' started by mercurie, May 27, 2007.

?

Do you allow your home PC to run 24/7 round the clock?

  1. Yes (post your own reasons if different then below)

    42 vote(s)
    21.8%
  2. No (post your own reasons if different then below)

    29 vote(s)
    15.0%
  3. Yes, occasional I reboot but otherwise I hate to wait

    29 vote(s)
    15.0%
  4. No, it is a waste of energy and money

    93 vote(s)
    48.2%
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  1. ThunderZ

    ThunderZ Registered Member

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    Mine and the Wifes` towers are on 24/7. Lap top is only on as needed.
     
  2. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    My computer boots up while I'm making my morning coffee and stays on while I'm in front of it. When I am away from it I put it on standby. If I go out it goes off, only to be re-booted when I arrive home and the above routine continues until I retire and I turn it off. This routine keeps the computer cool, and saves the components, as well as reconfigures during bootup.
     
  3. mercurie

    mercurie A Friendly Creature

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    Thanks to my Wilders friends for all the replies. I look forward to more from those who have not yet had a chance. :thumb: :)

    Just a little more information about my post earlier, I do turn off the monitor manually when not in use; no sleep switch, screen saver or any of that.

    Keep the replies coming I may alter my behavior on the family machine based on what I am seeing here. I read in a PC maintenance mag. a long time ago that booting up was harder then running 24/7. But there is as one said much debate and energy costs are not going lower and I know some feel moral obligations for enviormental reasons. Then there is BigC, one who has run a business, refutting the mag. stance on the issue. :cool:

    The Family Machine is in the "Sleeping Quarters" and the spouse complains about the lights. :ouch: Got to keep her happy! :-*
     
  4. Alphalutra1

    Alphalutra1 Registered Member

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    Mine comes up in the morning and down at night. It is in my room and is a p4, so the thing sounds like a harrier because the fans have to keep on going on (well, having fun compiling a bunch of stuff doesn't help either :p ).

    I turn it on in the morning to blast music to wake me up, keep it on during the day while I am gone to use ssh so I have a nice proxy server (take that filters), encrypted e-mail,and access to all of my own applications.

    I do have another pc, that sometimes runs 24/7 for f@h, but since someone in my household teaches ap environmental science, they have been getting on my case to turn it off at night :D .

    Cheers,

    Alphalutra1
     
  5. herbalist

    herbalist Guest

    Has this question ever been completely answered? Does the hardware lasts longer when it runs constantly, avoiding the shock and wear associated with startup and shutdown, or is it strictly a question of how many hours it runs?

    This should be taken into consideration even from a conservation aspect. There's much more energy involved than the electricity it uses while installed in your PC, starting with the energy it takes to make that hardware and all the components that are part of it. Conservation and product longevity go hand in hand, which makes the answer to the lifespan question a major factor in deciding which is best.
    Rick
     
  6. farmerlee

    farmerlee Registered Member

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    I don't know if its been proven but theoretically the most damage done to electrical components is during power up and power down. However for moving parts such as in hard drives i'd say running constantly is not the best option.
     
  7. stapp

    stapp Global Moderator

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    On in the day, off during the night.
     
  8. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    The question of the components being constantly exposed to heat when running 24/7, which brings the fact that the fan is on 24/7 should be considered. Components will physically breakdown over time from heat, even though the actual temperature isn't what you would consider hot. That's why I use standby when ever I step away from the box for a period of time.
     
  9. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

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    I run 24/7 unless I am installing new software, hardware, or will be away from home for longer than a day. I don't have a regular schedule of use (day and/or night), so it is much more convenient to leave it running all the time.
     
  10. ThunderZ

    ThunderZ Registered Member

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    Have read quit a bit about the pros & cons. Agree 100% on the electrical statement. Going with the theory that a object once set in motion tends to remain in motion would seem to mean that the mechanical parts would live longer as well if left on. Much like the electrical theory, the initial start-up\spin-up is said by some to create more stress then to leave them constantly on. Just one more idea thrown out for your reading edification. :D
     
  11. Long View

    Long View Registered Member

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    The point that keeping a machine running 24/7 means that the parts will last longer in pretty irrelevant in my view. who seriously expects to be running the same machine in 5 or 10 years from now ?

    The point that keeping a machine running 24/7 "wastes" significant amounts of electricity and helps contribute to Global Climate change is very relevant to me.

    This last week has been the coldest on record for May, and it hasn't stopped raining for a week. I reckon its all the fault of those of you who keep your machines going 24/7 just because you can :rolleyes:

    Next month I will have to have my Air-con on 24/7 and later in the year storms and gales will .............

    So turn the ...... machines off otherwise I'm going to go into the virus writing business -- specifically attacking machines left unattended over night
    :cautious:
     
  12. ThunderZ

    ThunderZ Registered Member

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    yea......but I compensate. I use energy efficient light bulbs in all my regularly used lite fixtures. :D
     
  13. Climenole

    Climenole Look 'n' Stop Expert

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    Hi all :)

    I run my PC 24/7 occasionally but I prefer to use the hibernation instead of a complete shutdown.

    There is some reason to reboot from time to time:

    1- Some jobs like chkdsk required a reboot
    It's a good preventive maintenance job to do it from time to time (say 1 X month)

    2- Some updates needs reboot

    3- There's some jobs in Windows called "Pendings operations" which needs a reboot.

    Ref.:http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/SystemInformation/PendMoves.mspx

    4- Last but not least I shutdown completly my PC ... sometimes.

    Just to convince me that I not a PC addict. :blink: (This is false!) :rolleyes:

    :)
     
  14. YeOldeStonecat

    YeOldeStonecat Registered Member

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    I leave them on 24x7, unless laptops.

    Been doing that for years..even going back to the first Pentiums. Turning on/off/on/off is the equivalent of kicking someone in the head. Surge of electricity, the hard drive gets heavy wear during bootup, they heat up...thermal creep and expansion eventually leads to issues. IMO better to get it up and running...and leave it there, rebooting on the rare install of new software or a game (since Win2K)..granted back in the Win9x days you needed frequent reboots.

    I've had rock solid hardware at home...very minimal issues compared to what I see as average problems and failure rates of others.

    Plus for recent years....I do some major Folding at Home.

    Electricity? Not really an issue, doesn't add all that much..always turned monitor off when I'm done (Uh..yes I own my own house and pay my own bills)
     
  15. TonyW

    TonyW Registered Member

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    When people say they turn it off before going to bed, do they mean actually off at the power switch? I mean a complete shutdown or do you standby/hibernate? Hibernate does shut it down, but restores Windows much quicker when coming out of that state.
     
  16. Seer

    Seer Registered Member

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    24/7, due to P2P and Folding@Home, mainly.

    Not unattended, I have my security watching over. ;)

    Cheers.:)
     
  17. Menorcaman

    Menorcaman Retired Moderator

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    Hopefully it's not a CRT monitor :eek:. You're more likely to knacker that by switching it on and off than you are your PC (degaussing coil surge, electron gun heating element surge, etc). :D

    Regards

    Menorcaman
     
  18. InfinityAz

    InfinityAz Registered Member

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    Over the years I've read many articles/views saying leave computers on, the surge stresses components, etc. Of course, if you call your utility company they will tell you not to change your thermostat when you leave your house because it costs more to return the temp to normal when you return. I tested this myself and found it was more efficient to raise or lower the thermostat when I leave and set it back to normal when I return.

    I've been turning off my systems when not in use since I got my first computers in the 80's and I've never had a hardware failure, except once from a lightning strike through my modem.
     
  19. Long View

    Long View Registered Member

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    I hope the use of the :D means you were jocking ? I have an 8 year old IIyama
    which is turned off every night and will just not fail. I would like to have an excuse to buy a new monitor but this one just refuses to fail.

    On a more serious note - is there not a difference between rebooting and allowing a pc to shut down entirely for at least 30 seconds ? Shuting down, waiting 30 seconds and re-starting has saved me many times. Kinda indicates that to keep a pc healthy it is a good idea to let them clear out all the crap we put in every day ?
     
  20. Mele20

    Mele20 Former Poster

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    Where I live it is death to a computer to shut it down on a regular basis. One would be lucky to have it last a couple of years in that situation. I never shut down my computers except when going on vacation. Shutting them down just hastens the corrosion. Everyone I know who ignorantly shut theirs down when not using it, or at night when sleeping, had it rust out very fast (especially if the case was crappy).

    I have a Dell Dimension that is 8 years old today. It has never had a problem except needing the floppy drive replaced at about four years (and currently appears to need a new NIC as its internet speed is way down). It's running 98SE with only one format back November 2, 2000. Those who say 98SE is unstable have always puzzled me. As for the hardware, I know a lot of folks with Dells bought the same year I bought that one and theirs lasted 2-3 years because they shut them down when not using them. You can't do that here. Plus, I am right on the ocean so my computers get more salt air than those more inland yet their computers died soon...why? Because, in every case, they were shutting them down when not using and/or sleeping.

    I don't think it is true that they overheat if always running. My main machine has a CPU that throttles down if the temp gets too high. The fan on the video card runs faster if the card starts to heat up. It makes a racket (normally Dells are super quiet) when the fan revs up really high but it sure cools the CPU, video card, hard drive down. But I can count on the fingers of both hands the few times the fan has revved up. (I'm sure that would happen more often if I was a gamer).

    I do have my CRT monitor on the old computer go to standby after 5 minutes of inactivity and the same for the flat panel LCD attached to my main machine. I could not use hibernation on my previous XP machine and don't on this one either because I don't know if nVidia ever got the problem fixed plus I never liked hibernation.

    I have had a lot of hardware problems on both of my XP machines but that is because of them being Dells and Dell engineering quality has gone in the toilet since I bought the Dimension back in 1999 that has had only one small problem in eight years. I don't think the hardware problems on the recent Dells has anything to do with running them 24/7. Dell rebuilt my 8300 fall 2005 and the phone techs were convinced it was all corroded. Nope. In fact the field tech said mine was in the best shape he had seen of any Dells or HPs that he works on here and he remarked that was amazing since I was on the ocean. Only the floppy drive was corroded but what would you expect? Floppy drives have been pathetic as far as hardware quality goes. Nothing like even the replacement floppy drive for my 98SE several years ago which was not nearly as good quality as the original drive and now the floppy drives are pitiful. They get replaced here about every six months the tech told me.

    The field tech said he thought the reason my 8300 was not corroded (except for the floppy drive) was because I never turned it off. He said no one should ever turn off a computer here, especially ones in homes (where air conditioning is rare), and he disapproved of hibernation. He said they will last longer if run "always on" but to, of course, have the monitor, especially if a CRT, set to go to standbye after a few minutes of inactivity. Recently, the XP computer had the mobo (at 11 months of age) die suddenly along with (predictably) the floppy drive. I had two different field techs over here (Dell sent two mobos DOA ...typical of how low Dell has sunk) and both said never turn off the PC. One of them was doing field tech work for Dell as a side job to his main job which involved building and maintaining one of the main telescopes on Mauna Kea. The other tech used to run a computer business here. I didn't ask if they would give that advice to users living in non Marine environments or living with air conditioning.
     
  21. YeOldeStonecat

    YeOldeStonecat Registered Member

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    Back in the CRT days..yes I did have CRTs, and never had one fail on me. They always outlasted what I expected out of them in lifespan...then again, I always stick with better brands, usually Viewsonic, Sony, etc. Today yes they are all LCDs..Viewsonic/Optiquest.
     
  22. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    the only monitor that went for me is a IIyama.
    the backlight tube went.
    and no one would replace the tube.
    so in the end IIyame gave up and sent a replacement after my dad ordered the dell 19inch im using now:D
    my IIyama is for my test pc now.
    lodore
     
  23. herbalist

    herbalist Guest

    A lot of my clients have PCs that are at least 5 years old. This box was given to me about 5 years ago by a friend who was "upgrading" to XP. That XP box is long dead while this 98 box just keeps going. Even the original floppy drive still works and it's been very well used. I'm sure some here remember the spanned sets of floppies that were used for backups before CD burners were common. If mine running 5 years from now and is still internet compatible, I'll probably be using it.

    Older PCs aren't worthless. The PC that's too slow for a newer OS can be made into a very nice hardware firewall, even a windows 95 unit. I have an old Gateway 2000 P5-133 that was too underpowered even for a Win98 testbox. I installed 2 cheap NIC cards from WalMart and installed Smoothwall 2.0 on it. Total cost for a hardware firewall, under $40 including the cables. This box is about 10 years old and has run without a reboot for 32 consecurtive days and counting. By using different NIC cards, a Smoothwall equipped PC can easily serve as a router, complete with firewall and Snort IDS. Why buy a router when you can make something better for less money? When you factor in the energy that doesn't get used making a router and the toxic waste that doesn't end up in a landfill by recycling that old PC into a firewall, it's a win-win situation for all parties, except the router manufacturers.
    Rick
     
  24. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    USA still the best. But barely.
    So it's 60% no & 40% yes so far.
     
  25. The Hammer

    The Hammer Registered Member

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    Add me to the no side. I've had the same PC since 1998 (upgraded some parts like memory and video card) and shut it off when I'm not using it.
     
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