Leaving Computer on overnight

tigermatt

Ember999 wrote:

Luckily I use surge protectors on all my computers so I don't think I need to worry but I am pretty sure my desktop doesn't have this, however as my laptop has a battery I am assuming it does?

Your laptop can survive without electricity thus the battery. Your desktop most likely has a connection straight from the mains to the power supply connector and it doesn't go through any other boxes. A UPS for a desktop is a completely different unit and isn't built into the system, it is external and you have to buy it seperately. Most normal PCs don't come with one unless you explicitly ask for one.

Rex_Mundi

intel wrote:

Er doesnt happen on Electrical only mechanical so a PC being turned on
and off has NO effect, electricity isnt hot from the wire, unlike
combustable gases in a car, im afraid thats a load of baloney.

Errrr............This is very wrong (sorry Intel).

Thermal Stress: After your PC has been off for many hours the components will be at room temperature. When the PC is turned on, the components will heat up, sometimes to much higher temperatures than 70 degrees F, causing them to expand. Then when you turn off the PC they cool down again, and contract. This cycle of heating and cooling causes thermal stress in the components that make up the PC, and is a leading cause of system failure (this is also what normally causes light bulbs to fail, which is why they usually pop when you turn them on, and not out of the blue). Leaving the PC on all the time greatly reduces thermal stress, which can lead to increased life for the system. Strange as it may seem, most components last longer if you leave then running 24 hours a day for years than if you leave them off for 22 hours a day and on for only 2 (but this isn't true of all components.)

intel

Rex_Mundi wrote:

Errrr............This is very wrong (sorry Intel).

Thermal Stress: After your PC has been off for many hours the components will be at room temperature. When the PC is turned on, the components will heat up, sometimes to much higher temperatures than 70 degrees F, causing them to expand. Then when you turn off the PC they cool down again, and contract. This cycle of heating and cooling causes thermal stress in the components that make up the PC, and is a leading cause of system failure (this is also what normally causes light bulbs to fail, which is why they usually pop when you turn them on, and not out of the blue). Leaving the PC on all the time greatly reduces thermal stress, which can lead to increased life for the system. Strange as it may seem, most components last longer if you leave then running 24 hours a day for years than if you leave them off for 22 hours a day and on for only 2 (but this isn't true of all components.)

When components are hot I agree but not on about a PC on startup
or why on earth why would the PC manufacturers have start buttons.

Another scaremongering story that one Rex.

Rex_Mundi

intel wrote:

When components are hot I agree but not on about a PC on startup
or why on earth why would the PC manufacturers have start buttons.

Another scaremongering story that one Rex.

LOL.........Here's an experiment for you. Turn your PC on and off constantly (using the switch) for about 2 or 3 minutes. See what happens.

(Actually please don't do this. I know what's likely to happen, and you wouldn't be a happy bunny)

intel

Rex_Mundi wrote:

LOL.........Here's an experiment for you. Turn your PC on and off constantly (using the switch) for about 2 or 3 minutes. See what happens.

(Actually please don't do this. I know what's likely to happen, and you wouldn't be a happy bunny)

I would get a sore thumb.. and that proves what


Strike 2

djohn2002uk

intel wrote:

When components are hot I agree but not on about a PC on startup
or why on earth why would the PC manufacturers have start buttons.

Another scaremongering story that one Rex.

I'll appologise to you first too intel but Rex is correct here as regards SOME of the components in a PC.
Remember that there are hundreds of components on the mother board alone and the vast majority of them run cold all the time. That is because they have been rated above their normal operating power.
What causes heat in a component such as a resistor (to take the simplest to explain) is a combination of the voltage across the resistor and the current passing through it. That may equal 10mW, so they use a 15 or 20mW rated resistor (by increasing it's size) and it runs cold. This is a simplification and other things do come into the equation when you move on to miniturisation as in the processor and other chips where the use of heatsinks and/or fans is cheaper or more practical than increasing the size.

intel

djohn2002uk wrote:

I'll appologise to you first too intel but Rex is correct here as regards SOME of the components in a PC.
Remember that there are hundreds of components on the mother board alone and the vast majority of them run cold all the time. That is because they have been rated above their normal operating power.
What causes heat in a component such as a resistor (to take the simplest to explain) is a combination of the voltage across the resistor and the current passing through it. That may equal 10mW, so they use a 15 or 20mW rated resistor (by increasing it's size) and it runs cold. This is a simplification and other things do come into the equation when you move on to miniturisation as in the processor and other chips where the use of heatsinks and/or fans is cheaper or more practical than increasing the size.

Ha ha ha best tell everyone with a PC to

1, Leave it on all the time

2, Have home central heating to follow the heat of a PC as we wouldnt want to shock the poor thing.

3, Inform everyone with a PC to remove the on off button.

Strike 3

Yeeeeeeeeeeeer Ouuuuuuuuuuutta here...



:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

djohn2002uk

I bought my first home PC from Evesham in 1995 and never left it on overnight once in the 5 years that I owned it and it was on every day, sometimes twice, apart from holidays, and I can't afford many of those. It never had a fault in the whole of the 5 years
My second purchase, also from Evesham in 2000, was 2 PCs, one is still running networked to this one and the other is still running at my daughters. Between them they have now clocked up 10 years being switched on and off every day apart from holidays and only 1 Matrox graphics card fault.
My third purchase, also from Evesham in 2003, is the one I'm on now and has had almost 3 years of daily use being switched on and off with no problems. Plus, if I go out for more than 2Hrs it gets switched off and back on when I return.
This either shows no effect due to being switched on and off or to the quality of Evesham PCs.

Oh. I forgot, I also bought one for my son, also from Evesham, which has the same treatment and is now almost 6 years old but now has an intermittant memory or processor fault which I can't get my head around.

intel

djohn2002uk wrote:

I bought my first home PC from Evesham in 1995 and never left it on overnight once in the 5 years that I owned it and it was on every day, sometimes twice, apart from holidays, and I can't afford many of those. It never had a fault in the whole of the 5 years
My second purchase, also from Evesham in 2000, was 2 PCs, one is still running networked to this one and the other is still running at my daughters. Between them they have now clocked up 10 years being switched on and off every day apart from holidays and only 1 Matrox graphics card fault.
My third purchase, also from Evesham in 2003, is the one I'm on now and has had almost 3 years of daily use being switched on and off with no problems. Plus, if I go out for more than 2Hrs it gets switched off and back on when I return.
This either shows no effect due to being switched on and off or to the quality of Evesham PCs.

Oh. I forgot, I also bought one for my son, also from Evesham, which has the same treatment and is now almost 6 years old but now has an intermittant memory or processor fault which I can't get my head around.

Thank you djohn2002uk

Thats exactly what I was trying to say, not very eloquently I will
admit to that but it does re-iterate my pooey explanation.

:beer: :beer: :beer:

Rex_Mundi

I've always regarded Evesham as doing good quality computers. If I was to buy a ready made PC. I would definately consider this company.

I've got 2 self built computers here. One about 4 years old, and the other 1 year old (only use the lappy rarely so I'm not counting it). Both are switched on/off every day. They are normally switched on in the morning, and left running till last thing at night. Neither has given any problems (ever).

Sometimes I leave the older computer running 24/7 for up to a week when I'm on a heavy download spell (I normally switch the montior off overnight when I do this). This doesn't affect it in the slightest.

Computers and computer components can be a hit and miss affair whether they last or not. You can receive a brand new computer DOA. You could receive the same computer that lasts for years with no trouble. I've come accross (very rarely) components that were dead before I started on them (causing lots of frustration at the time!!!!!!!!).

IMO.........If you are going to go back to the computer in a relatively short time. Leave it running (it wont hurt it). For longer spells away from the computer. Switch it off (save the electric bill). It's all a personal choice and what will fit your habits.