navycop
Member
My wife says that if I am not using the computer I should turn it off. I told her that it is OK to leave it on all day and turn off at bedtime. She turns it off then I have to wait till it comes on to do anything.
Settle a bet
- Thread starter navycop
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PenMan1
Member
YOU WIN! Go dance around. A computer (other than a monitor, which "sleeps" when not in use, uses virtually NO power.
ADDITIONALY, 86.347 percent of ALL fatal computer failures occur on "boot up" -DAMHIKT! Mine are so old, I'd NEVER turn 'em off!
ADDITIONALY, 86.347 percent of ALL fatal computer failures occur on "boot up" -DAMHIKT! Mine are so old, I'd NEVER turn 'em off!
Haynie
Member
How old is the computer. CRT Monitors suck electricity. Just turn it off. You can leave the CPU on.
The school I teach at needed to cut huge amounts off the electricity bill. When we all started turning off our CRT monitors they saved a crap load, at least that is what they said.
The school I teach at needed to cut huge amounts off the electricity bill. When we all started turning off our CRT monitors they saved a crap load, at least that is what they said.
navycop
Member
It is 2 maybe 3 yrs old.
sbwertz
Member
That isn't strictly true. It does draw power when it is in standby. The powersupply doesn't shut down. The problem is that if you have a power failure in standby, you will lose anything that has not been saved.
There is a very easy way to compromise. Don't shut down....hibernate. If you hold down the shift key when you are at the shutdown screen, the "standby" turns into "hibernate". When the computer hibernates, it shuts down completely. But before it does, it saves everything it is doing.
When you start it back up again it restarts in about 30 or 40 seconds and you are right back where you were when it hibernated.
You should still shut it completely every week or two just on general principle:biggrin:
My server runs 24/7 and is rarely shut down, but it is not used except as a file/printer server on the network. My laptops go into standby when I shut the lid, and if I don't restart them in a few hours, they automatically hibernate. I reboot them every few weeks, especially if they start getting kind of slow:frown:
All these settings can be adjusted on the "power options" in the control panel.
(I've had my own computer consulting business for 30 years)
There is a very easy way to compromise. Don't shut down....hibernate. If you hold down the shift key when you are at the shutdown screen, the "standby" turns into "hibernate". When the computer hibernates, it shuts down completely. But before it does, it saves everything it is doing.
When you start it back up again it restarts in about 30 or 40 seconds and you are right back where you were when it hibernated.
You should still shut it completely every week or two just on general principle:biggrin:
My server runs 24/7 and is rarely shut down, but it is not used except as a file/printer server on the network. My laptops go into standby when I shut the lid, and if I don't restart them in a few hours, they automatically hibernate. I reboot them every few weeks, especially if they start getting kind of slow:frown:
All these settings can be adjusted on the "power options" in the control panel.
(I've had my own computer consulting business for 30 years)
paintspill
Member
you have to leave it on. doesn't she realize how many people post on these threads in one day. you have to keep up.
NewLondon88
Local Chapter Leader
CRT monitor, yeah. Turn it off.
LCD? Let the computer turn it off after a set amount of time.
(not a screen saver, that is still using the monitor)
CPU? New ones can go into sleep mode with little wake up time.
I haven't turned mine off since I bought it. But the electric went
down after I got rid of the old one
LCD? Let the computer turn it off after a set amount of time.
(not a screen saver, that is still using the monitor)
CPU? New ones can go into sleep mode with little wake up time.
I haven't turned mine off since I bought it. But the electric went
down after I got rid of the old one
Never
I never shut mine down unless there is a power outage. Flat Screen goes to a screensaver after 15 minutes of no keystrokes and goes black after an hour. Comes back up with a key stroke or movement of the mouse. I just stop all the programs and let the CPU run. My antivirus does a run every night and a full run once a week at 2am. I clear temporary files and defrag every couple of days. Now and then after doing that I will shut all the way down for 30 minutes and let it reboot but not very often.
I never shut mine down unless there is a power outage. Flat Screen goes to a screensaver after 15 minutes of no keystrokes and goes black after an hour. Comes back up with a key stroke or movement of the mouse. I just stop all the programs and let the CPU run. My antivirus does a run every night and a full run once a week at 2am. I clear temporary files and defrag every couple of days. Now and then after doing that I will shut all the way down for 30 minutes and let it reboot but not very often.
sbwertz
Member
Leroy, do you know about CCLEANER? It is a free utility that cleans up temporary files, file fragments, odds and ends left in the registery, etc. It is one of my most used tools. Give it a try. It can REALLY speed up a machine. Be sure to run both the file cleaner and the registery cleaner.
Are we talking power draw, or safety for the computer?
A computer will draw a lot more power when on then off - but it also has 'phantom' draw when off and still plugged in...about 40 watts in sleep mode, and 15 watts when completely turned off (compared to about 200 watts in 'on' mode)
But in terms of running properly, I don't think it really matters, I always put mine in standby during the day, and off at night....
A computer will draw a lot more power when on then off - but it also has 'phantom' draw when off and still plugged in...about 40 watts in sleep mode, and 15 watts when completely turned off (compared to about 200 watts in 'on' mode)
But in terms of running properly, I don't think it really matters, I always put mine in standby during the day, and off at night....
navycop
Member
I think LOML is talking about power draw.
navycop
Member
I enabled the hibernate on my computer. Is there a way for the standby to turn to hibernate by itself. I was thinking a friends computer had "hibernate, turn off, restart". He didn't have to hold the shift key.
Off and ON
I spent 4 years in the Navy and 32 years at IBM working on Electronic hardware and trust me on this. When electronic hardware "breaks" about 90 per cent of the time it happens upon power up.
Does a computer use more power when the unit is turned on? Sure it does, will you notice it in your electric bill if you turn it off whenever you walk away from it during the day - maybe a little. But --- if you are thinking of saving electric power, there are lots more productive ways of doing it than turning off the power on your computer whenever you are not using it.
I spent 4 years in the Navy and 32 years at IBM working on Electronic hardware and trust me on this. When electronic hardware "breaks" about 90 per cent of the time it happens upon power up.
Does a computer use more power when the unit is turned on? Sure it does, will you notice it in your electric bill if you turn it off whenever you walk away from it during the day - maybe a little. But --- if you are thinking of saving electric power, there are lots more productive ways of doing it than turning off the power on your computer whenever you are not using it.
sbwertz
Member
In control panel, select "power options" You will have a setting for enabling standby after so many minutes, and enabling hibernate after so many minutes. If you set the hibernate for, say, 1 hour, when your computer is in standby, after an hour it will go automatically into hibernate mode.
Getting the hibernate command to permanently display on the shutdown menu (without holding down shift) requires a registery hack.
PM me if you want the text for the hack
sbwertz
Member
Again, the only problem with leaving the computer in the standby mode, is if you have a power failure it can corrupt files or lose data. Here in AZ where we have daily thunderstorm/lightning storms every afternoon during monsoon, standby is NOT a good idea.
I even shut down my server during monsoon storms. AND unplug it from the wall. We had a lightning strike on the transformer behind the house and blew every bulb in the house that was turned on, blew the 12v/110 converter in the motor home, sent a three foot tongue of flame out the dimmer switch in the hall, and fried half my surge protectors. The surge protectors did their job and I lost no electronics (EVERYTHING is on surge protectors...the computers on two of them daisy chained.) Even so, I unplug my server. All my data is on there (regularly backed up, of course :biggrin
I even shut down my server during monsoon storms. AND unplug it from the wall. We had a lightning strike on the transformer behind the house and blew every bulb in the house that was turned on, blew the 12v/110 converter in the motor home, sent a three foot tongue of flame out the dimmer switch in the hall, and fried half my surge protectors. The surge protectors did their job and I lost no electronics (EVERYTHING is on surge protectors...the computers on two of them daisy chained.) Even so, I unplug my server. All my data is on there (regularly backed up, of course :biggrin
Florida Marine
Member
what he said... I never turn ours off.
Until recently, I was the PM who purchased all the computers and software for the entire Marine Corps..so I am pretty well versed in IT hardware. Plus have been a Comm Officer and IT Officer for most of my adult life.
Leave em running.
CREID
Member
It used to be a heavy power user to leave the computer and moniter on. Now adays, they go into sleep mode. They basicly shutdown every thing except what is necessary to just sit there.
So you win.
Now ask your wife if she unplugs the tv, the stereo, the cell phone charger and many other electronics, it's a small amount but their still using electricity when turned off.
Curt
sbwertz
Member
Actually, the TV uses more power than a computer in standby. The TV keeps current running in it all the time so it doesn't have to "warm up" when you turn it on, and to allow the remote to turn it on. If you want to save on the power bill, put the tv, vcr, tuner, dvd, etc on a surge suppressor and turn it off at night. By the way, the new LCD TVs take much more power than the old CRTs did.
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toolcrazy
Member
I use UPS's on all my computers and I will not live without them. We don't have lightning storms, but we do loose power regularly during the winter. And those few seconds between power failure and our whole house generator coming on, we can loose our work. As far as I'm concerned, they are worth every penny that I pay for them.
My computer goes into sleep mode after 2 hours. And it shuts down everything including the power supply. I realize it is still drawing power, but not much. Modern computers are much more energy efficient than even 3 years ago. But I do shut it down at night. Also, shutting a computer off and on actually uses more energy than leaving it on, especially when you are using it several times a day. And as said before, shutting it off and on is harder on the computer.
My server runs 24/7 gets rebooted only when I make a change. Linux is more stable for running all the time, better than windows.
PenMan1
Member
Without getting really technical here, there is a setting in the CMOS of every computer made since 1999 called "wake on..." which allows even servers TI "sleep" when there is no demand. Yet, when a LAN card, etc pings the machine, it wakes up. A very nice little trick for print servers, file servers, home automation, alarm systems, et. al.
And Sharon is exactly correct. LED and LCD both consume more power than cathode ray monitors. The "trade off" that makes then green is they produce far less heat outside the unit.
And Sharon is exactly correct. LED and LCD both consume more power than cathode ray monitors. The "trade off" that makes then green is they produce far less heat outside the unit.
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Lenny
Member
Mike, while you have gotten lots of good information from some very knowledgeable people, there is one thing I can add with some certainty, based on the fact that today is my 33rd wedding anniversary ..... regardless of facts, your wife is RIGHT! :biggrin:
Maybe
Only because they are usually bigger. We replaced our 32 inch CRT TV with a 46 inch LED and it uses more power. Per square inch it actually consumes a little less though.
Only because they are usually bigger. We replaced our 32 inch CRT TV with a 46 inch LED and it uses more power. Per square inch it actually consumes a little less though.
tbroye
Member
When I leave the room I just pull the plug. Not really it goes into hibernation at night or any time I am away for 4 hours. It goes into slumber after 30 min. We do shut them off once a week or when we leave for a few days.
juteck
Member
:good: Agreed! Keep the peace eace:
eace:Mike, while you have gotten lots of good information from some very knowledgeable people, there is one thing I can add with some certainty, based on the fact that today is my 33rd wedding anniversary ..... regardless of facts, your wife is RIGHT! :biggrin:
KenBrasier
Member
Mike, while you have gotten lots of good information from some very knowledgeable people, there is one thing I can add with some certainty, based on the fact that today is my 33rd wedding anniversary ..... regardless of facts, your wife is RIGHT! :biggrin:
LENNY NAILED IT!
CREID
Member
Mike, while you have gotten lots of good information from some very knowledgeable people, there is one thing I can add with some certainty, based on the fact that today is my 33rd wedding anniversary ..... regardless of facts, your wife is RIGHT! :biggrin:
Ok, I stand corrected, she's right, you're right, but you better forget about being right.
Curt
arw01
Member
Go buy yourself a kill-a-watt power meter and plug it into your outlet, and then the computer power strip to that and see what amount of power it uses in a couple of days.
Do the math. Where I live the computers cost between 8.00 and 11.00 a month to leave on 24x7. One of the lower cost one has the screen on 24x7 because someone likes the pretty fish!
Of 5 desktop machines, 4 are on 24x7. One because it serves iTunes (I refuse to put it on any of MY computers), one is a file server, one is the pretty fishes, and one just is damn flaky if it even reboots!
Do the math. Where I live the computers cost between 8.00 and 11.00 a month to leave on 24x7. One of the lower cost one has the screen on 24x7 because someone likes the pretty fish!
Of 5 desktop machines, 4 are on 24x7. One because it serves iTunes (I refuse to put it on any of MY computers), one is a file server, one is the pretty fishes, and one just is damn flaky if it even reboots!
workinforwood
Member
I never shut mine off, but if the wife says so, I guess that's the law.
Mark
Member
I have one that is on day and night. It only runs my personal budget and business finances. It never connects to the net. I have shut it down twice that I can think of, just to take it apart and clean out the dust and other crap that collects in the fans and vents. Other than that, it is always on.
It might have a game or two on it too...:rotfl:
It might have a game or two on it too...:rotfl:
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KenV
Member
Took the kids years to understand -
She may not always be right -- but she is never wrong.
She may not always be right -- but she is never wrong.
Fred
Member
I have left mine on for dozens of weeks on end, BUT I do ALWAYS turn off my monitor and the modem. Systems left on and connected to the Internet are susceptible to 'moles', 'web crawlers', etc. and you just might find yourself compromised the next time you use the system. I am sure many here have read of the many horror stories that folks have been accused of mailing e-mails that they have never seen before ...
designer
Member
Contact points of the components do not like to be heated and cooled down time after time either.