Main > Software Forum
Help. Is it bad for you computer to shut it down everyday?
<< < (3/6) > >>
dax:
Everyone else has some good ideas on this issue, however, there are much more important elements in making your PC reliable than whether or not you routinely power on/off the machine. 

The most significant of which are: CLEANLINESS and TEMPERATURE.  These two factors, if not optimized, will cause much more stress on your equipment and reduce the longevity and reliability.  If you keep the computer cool and in a clean, dust-free environment, this will go the farthest towards making sure the system is solid and long-lived.
Howard_Casto:
Temperature yes... cleanliness no.  I've seen 15 year old linux servers chugging away with literally an inch of dust rest on their motherboards. 

And since temperature isn't really an issue unless your pc is outdoors or over a heat vent, I'd say both are really non-issues. 


Now humidity/moisture, that's another issue... but another rant for another day.
Brad:
I agree. I have got 15 year old RS6000 machines running AIX and they haven't skipped a beat. they run 24/7 too. We had to add some more memory into into one last year. I warned them that I could NOT guarantee that it would start again. I took the cover off and I'm not kidding when I say that I could not see one single component. The dust was actually the same shape as the case cover so that when I took the cover off it just looked like another cover only dusty coloured was underneath.

A good clean out after, new simms and it started no problem. All this in a warehouse situated inside a freezer  complex with massive amounts fo moisture.  They just don't make them like that anymore =(

We've begged them to update it but they keep saying why fix something thats so reliable. It's hard to argue against it too LOL!

Brad
danny_galaga:

--- Quote from: Howard_Casto on February 28, 2006, 04:49:26 pm ---There are benefits and drawbacks to either philosophy. 

All things considered, it's best to leave a pc on all the time. 

Why?  Back to the car analogy.  When you start a car a sudden surge of power goes through the car, the engine cranks harder and the starter motor, which really isn't designed to handle that much abuse, is put into overdrive to generate enough juice to start your car.  The less you start your car, the longer it'll last.  Unfortuantely for cars, we don't have this option to leave it running.  We eventually run out of gas.



--- End quote ---

howard, you may or may not be right but this analogy is TERRIBLE! firstly, the starter IS designed to handle that much abuse. and what is this 'engine cranks harder' thing? the start-up wear in engines is caused by 1) lack of oil pressure 2) tolerances being designed for a warm engine, not a cold one.

if the engine is running fine, and you stop it and start it again a few minutes later there isnt all that much more wear than if it had been running in that same time- the tolerances are at operating temperature, oil pressure is up (or at least oil is everwhere it should be). the starter will wear out faster in the same way your pcs fan will if left on- its being used more. but the engine will be fine...
dax:

--- Quote from: Howard_Casto on February 28, 2006, 10:16:01 pm ---Temperature yes... cleanliness no.  I've seen 15 year old linux servers chugging away with literally an inch of dust rest on their motherboards. 

--- End quote ---

Seriously?  You actually think that having an inch of dust on a motherboard doesn't have an impact?  C'mon, please, common sense dictates otherwise, as well as my personal experience.  Plus, you say temperature has an impact.. well if there's dust and dirt clogging everything, that affects airflow and temperature.

Dust and dirt most definitely will wreak havoc with a computer.  It will gunk up sensors and floppy drive heads; it will cause bearing failure in fans; it will cause all equipment to run at hotter temperatures.   
Navigation
Message Index
Next page
Previous page

Go to full version