What is better for a computer, does keeping it on or always turning it off matter?
450986
Pretty much a catch 22 question.  The answer really relies on how much use during the day when it's left on.  Turning the computer on and off numerous times throughout the day will wear on certain parts of the computer while leaving it on constantly will wear on other parts of the computer.  If the computer is used constantly throughout the day I would leave it on and ensure that it is properly cooled.  If it may only be turned on once or twice a day I would shut it off.  Hope this helps.
174897
1.\nPower down all nonessential functions. Switch it off if you're not using it. Many business travelers already know that you don't want to take the DVD player for a spin on the plane, and that every time you hit "save" it can set the hard-drive whirring, which devours even more power. "But users often also forget to turn off their wireless card when they are no longer using it but are still using their computer," notes Mike Fuller, executive vice president of PC Laptops, a Sandy, Utah, laptop manufacturer. "When the wireless card is on, it still continually searches for networks." In Windows XP, click on "Power Options" in your control panel. It allows you to reduce the power consumption of any number of your computer devices or of your entire system.\n \n2.\nStay out of extreme temperatures. The technology that powers you battery isn't terribly complicated. But it's important to understand a little bit about the chemistry behind batteries, and how that can affect your work. Specifically, temperatures can affect the performance of your battery. It's best to use (and especially charge) your batteries at room temperatures. Extreme conditions can drain your battery quickly. Also, avoid partial charges and use the battery until it is dead. Battery experts liken partial charges — and discharges — to eating a cup of lard every day. It significantly shortens your battery's life. Considering that a lithium-ion battery can explode if it's improperly used, it could also shorten your life.\n \n3.\nLet your laptop do the saving. Not every computing device handles a power source in the same way. Some of the more sophisticated laptops, which are designed with business travelers in mind, are misers when it comes to using power. And that's a good thing — if you can remember to take advantage of it. "Most users make the mistake of simply not choosing to use a product's built-in ability to conserve battery life," says Dan Coffman, a senior product manager for PC manufacturer ViewSonic. How do you harness your PC's built-in ability to save? Consult your user manual. Often, calibrating your laptop is as easy as double-clicking on the battery icon in the toolbar.\n \n4.\nAlways, always carry a spare device that uses batteries. How obvious is that? Well, if you're trying to keep under the onerous new airline weight-limits, it isn't. But as Rick Thompson, director of engineering at Valence Technology in Austin, Texas, observes, "the availability of 'free' power outside of your hotel room is not predictable." That's a nice way of saying it. In fact, I sometimes think airport terminals, car-rental facilities and hotels try to hide the power outlets from us to keep us from accessing their free power. Thompson recommends a system that can simultaneously charge a second portable device such as a cell phone or PDA, allowing you to multitask your battery operations.
418901
If you are using windows xp, properly shutting down the machine is best when not using it for extended periods of time as the operating system carries out routine maintenance of your drives/files during boot up and shut down. When you shut down everthing will stop apart from the built in clock (battery powered) the machine has to be on for any processing to take place.
134849
On LapTops definitely turn it off, it will wear down the battery. On desktops I will turn it off, if your not gonna use it within six hours. The reason for this is I find I have to replace more fans on computer used 24 hours than on the ones that are shut down everynight. If your cpu fan burns out while no one is using the computer, your cpu can burnout as well, costing a bit.
42778
It is better to switch it off. This is to increase the efficiency and life span of the PC. \n\nIf you are using Windows XP, then you might want to try the hibernate option. When u restart the computer from hibernation, the PC gets back on the desktop much much quicker than a normal starting process, thus saving sometime.
688364
well you dont need to keep your desktop but its handy if your laptop ever messes up you'll still have a computer.\n\n(PS) if you leave your laptop on over night it wont over heat because i have a laptop and i leave it on over night defraging and other stuff
1156291
while you shutting down the system... there may b some unwritten data on the ram of ur computer.. if u just turn off the power switch u will lose all the data on the ram.. coz ram is dynamic storage element!! it stores the data only when the power is on!! when u use shutdown it flushes all the unnecessary data and backups some system files on the pc in order to stablize the pc for next time boot up.  so it is necessary to use shutdown dailouge... hope this answer helps u!! bye dude!!
1051445
If you program to do that, then... It will do it by itself. If you turn off a computer, you must reboot to restart it. If you have it hibernate, it does not need to reboot.
349803
I turn my computer on first thing in the morning\nIf I'm home I'm on and off all day till around 11:00pm sometimes later. computer is off while I sleep.\nAll week and weekend.
477381
Mainly there are two types on maintenace you need to perform. One of the posters has it correct that you need to keep your Windows patches up to date, since they usually fix security flaws. Anti-Virus software is nice to have, but if you do not download or execute unknown programs and all you do is surf the net, you truely do not need one. Defragging is good to do but you really only need to do it once a month or when you uninstall a large program of some sort.\nThe second type of maintenance is physical. Dust collects inside your computer, so peridoically you will want to open your computer and used compressed canned air to dust off your computer. DO NOT use a towel, since this will create static eletricity and that is bad. Only use canned air. Another poster said to turn off your computer when you are not using it and that is not recommended. The thing the uses the most eletricity is the monitor and all you have to do is just have that turned off when you are not using it, but you would want to keep your computer on almost at all times. The reason for this is that when you turn on your computer everytime, a jolt of eletricity goes through the motherboard and doing this on a consistent basis will wear down your computer alot and will make it more siceptible (sp) to the motherboard crashing. Keeping on the computer itself, not including the monitor, does not use that much eletricity.
1186804
not necessarily its used for avoiding DAMN BURN INS....for crt monitors...its more effiecient if you use POWER SAVING OPTIONS....
922057
Best to turn off for a number of reasons.\n\nSave electricity\nProlong life of components within the computer\nCertain items will need refreshing which is done during reboot\n\nI'm in charge of a PVC mixing plant, the control PC's that handle large amounts of information the automated operations are on most of the time because they are needed for production.  With time they slow down until a point comes where it is unbearably slow and the operator decides to reboot, which resolves the problem.\n\nMore chance for hackers to gain access if you are connected to net.\n\nWithin my company all non productive computers must be switched off since if left on and unattended they can be fire hazards\n\netc etc
804522
its a way for your computer to save energy while its not in use.
283388
Standby lets you save energy by turning off the monitor & harddrive.\n\nHibernate saves more energy by essentially turning it off but remembers all your desktop activities (ie. nothing will be removed).  The computer also boots up faster from Hibernate than from a totally off state (persnal observation).\n\nTurn Off:  totally turns your computer off, but it is more time consuming to turn it on.\n\nLog Off: if you have diff users on your computer each having his own password and user name, then log off simply remove the current user (you) and allow the next user to "log on" and use his own settings.
899752
It should not be that much to run your computer. The main power users in a home are: 1. Refrigerator \n                                              2.Washer and dryer\n                                              3. Electric heaters \n                                              4. Electric ranges\n                                              5. Freezers\n                                              6. Air conditioners\n                                              7. Dish washers\nAnything with a heating or cooling element will be a big factor in you electric bill. Things like lights and computers do not use much energy so if you leave it on overnight, do not fret about it for that reason alone.
497407
Off of coure is it's for hours but for short piorod's of time it wont hurt to leave it on. But even you computer needs it's sleep some times it will help it! Just like sleep hepls you! Plus you save on your power bill!
966535
when you know you will come back to your computer in the same day then you can put it in stand by. The less you keep turning on and off your computer the better. It puts a strain on your hard drive if you do that a lot of times a day. So stand by is the best you can go.