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Should you be turning off your PC at the end of the day?

Posted by Edward Drummond on Sat, Jun 30, 2012


It used to be that shutting down a computer frequently would stress out the hardware and cause it to fail earlier.   W
ith the advances in power-saving technology as well as the quality of certain components over the last decade, that is no longer the case.  In fact, the longer a computer is kept powered on, especially with laptops and netbooks, the faster the computer will age and eventually fail.

Average time between failures is a general rating each component is given during  manufacturing.  That means that there is only a certain number of hours that each component can run under even the best conditions before it will fail.  For most consumer grade components, the average is about 3-5 years of nominal usage.

Another factor to consider that often shortens the lifespan of components is heat buildup.  Heat accounts for about 60% of all hardware failures we see, meaning it can seriously shorten the lifespan of your computer.  Temperatures over 140F are of the most concern, as above that temperature components begin to wear much faster.  This is why making sure all the air vents and fans on a PC are clear, dust-free and working is a very important step to maintaining your PC.

Turning off your computer can help to minimize overheating, reduce the number of hours the system is used which in turn can lead to your computer lasting longer with less service, saving you money through a reduced power bill and even improving the security of the system by minimizing the window of opportunity for malware and hackers.  On top of that, it gives the machine an opportunity to install more intensive operating system updates which help keep your computer safe and secure.

You should be turning off your PC at the end of the day, not putting it in to hibernate mode, if they are going to be inactive for an hour or more.  There are some exceptions to this, including servers and some network devices which are specifically designed to be on 24/7. 

 

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Tags: Keeping your PC working, Operating System, PC tips, PC Tips'n'tricks, Speed up my computer, Windows Tweaks