Leave on or turn off?

[a4hire]

I always turn off my computer if not using it. Do you leave other appliances on when you are not using them ? Do you leave the car running when you are not using it ? Do you leave the water running when you are not using it ?

Ankhor, it is not that hard to remove startup programs in XP .
http://www.ez-pc.org/?midx=408&didx=13

[WolfMoonHP]

And yet all that raw calculating power hasn`t been able to find me yet.
Oops,........ I spoke out loud?

I think they are searching for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence since they have given up trying to find it here...LOL
---
Will

[Ross Macintosh]

I leave mine on most of the time, but then I use it continuously. [A few years back I participated in a medical research project. They implanted a little experimental hormone monitoring/regulating device in the back of my neck. Since then I have never needed to sleep so I work at my computer almost 24 hours a day]. Anyways...

I have a friend who owns a sign fabricating business. I was last in the shop about three years ago. I was surprised to see a old pc covered in about an inch of sawdust, metal shavings, and dust --- and it was running. He explained it was the first IBM 386 computer he owned. (8 mhz processor?) As his business grew it ended up dedicated to running a controlled router (sort of like a big pen plotter but with a router head in place of the pen holder). Several years before I last saw it, he decided to just leave the old workhorse on 24/7 and see how long it would last. It refused to die! Even with all the grime (never ever cleaned off & in a workshop environment) and fans that probably failed long before, it kept on working. I imagine he must have needed to reboot it a few times over the years due to power outages but he claimed he never serviced it in any way.

I heard another story about an IT guy at a university who doing network diagnostics noticed that somewhere on his network was a server that wasn't accounted for. For a long time he tried to track it down thinking it was an illicit piece of equipment. Eventually it was discovered that during some renovations years before that server was accidentally entombed in an old closet with drywall. In that airtight closet the server continued to work year in, year out without any attention at all.

So...
Don't be afraid to leave your computer running. While you're at it why not go for a world's record and see how long it can stay on.

Regards, Ross

[GeoBen]

Ankhor,

check out http://www.windowsstartup.com/

there are two progs. One allows you to view and remove programs in your startup routine.
If you are uncertain as to whether you want them or not, just google the app name to find out what they are.
the second is a monitor that will alert you anytime an installation attempts to add something to the startup routine and allow you to accept or deny it.
one of the nicest lil apps i have. and.... they are free.

as to on/off... i leave desktops on. the three most likely hardware failures are:
on/off switch
fan
power supply.

the first is the hardest to replace and most likely to fail with constant turning on and off.
the fan will usually give you considerable advance notice before failing, giving you time to replace it BEfORE it fails.
I keep a backup power supply always.

geo.

[Availor]

I turn it off only when I go to sleep because the little vent noise bothers me, and that unless I have something that is being downloaded, like my favorite movie or something.
By the way, anyone has Prison Break the three last episodes? I missed them one and I don't find it on the internet! I don't have "YES" settelite tv which is the only one that shows this.

[handrawn]

Hi
I'm a brand new TalkGraphics member - first post.
Call me neurotic if you like but leaving something on when its not actually doing anything goes against my [better?] nature, so I agree with Bruce, if it's not doing anything I switch it off.
Will this shorten the life of my computer? - I have no idea, but mine is already short enough not to fret about it.

[Soquili]

Most PC hardware manufactured the past 7 years or more have switching power supplies that are never actually powered down as long as the power cord is connected to the machine and the outlet.

Most motherboards have power applied from the power supply at all times. The power switch only activates circuitry on the motherboard that wakes up the rest of the hardware.

With a good hardware firewall it would not harm your computer to have it powered on at all times. With the software firewalls currently available it wouldn't be very difficult for a machine to be hacked by script kiddies (real crackers aren't interested in your machine), if you have a dedicated IP address and a broadband (DSL, Cable, Satellite) connection.

I power my home machines down when not in use the 20 or so hours I am not there to use them or sleeping .

The network machines here at work are a different story, they are behind several hardware firewalls and private network addresses. They are on 24/7. When the people are not using them the machines are being updated with the latest antivirus definitions and any security updates or patches, active directory policy changes, etc., etc.

[WolfMoonHP]

Bill, my system at home has four PC's hooked up to a wireless broadband network, fixed IP address, etc. We also have a hardware firewall guarding us from evildoers...

The constant updating of antivirus definitions is one of the best reasons to leave the computers on. Also, things like defragging are regularly done when no one is sitting in front of the machine.

And, as I mentioned in an earlier post, my machines provide extra computing power for the SETI (Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) project through Berkeley University in California, so they are always doing something productive, whether a human is sitting in front of them or not.
---
Will

[BlueFlare]

Don't be afraid to leave your computer running.

Ross, I have never seen the results of any technical research that backs up your statement, it's all speculations.
On the other hand, it's seems obvious (to me at least) that you increase the risk of someone breaking into your computer, you will use more hydro and you increase the chance of your computer getting damaged by a nearby lightning strike.

While you're at it why not go for a world's record and see how long it can stay on.

I'm sorry, but that's like suggesting people to keep their car engine running during the cold winter months so that it stays warm inside their vehicle and doesn't have frozen windows.

[BlueFlare]

We also have a hardware firewall guarding us from evildoers... The constant updating of antivirus definitions is one of the best reasons to leave the computers on.

That’s a false sense of security. If someone wants to break into a simple home computer/server that’s connected to the internet, then they will.

Hackers aren’t the same as years ago. Most of the hackers don’t search for new weaknesses, they use existing weaknesses. All they need to know is what you’re running, which is in most cases really easy to discover, regardless hard- and software firewalls. That same information is then used to find weaknesses by going to sites like SecurityFocus to find what the vulnerabilities are. If one is NOT patched then they guys are in, it’s that simple.

The only reason why we don’t seem to be vulnerable when we use standard protection like hard- and software firewalls, advanced virus and spyware protection is simple because of one reason: most of us are not a high level target. So don’t let any high-tech tool fool you; we are still very vulnerable, however hackers are just not interested in us.

Always remember that false security can be even worse than no security at all in some cases.

Personally I believe that ‘knowing’ that someone is breaking in (like for example Honey Pot solutions) in combination with default defenses is more effective than only trying to defend yourself against any possible attack which is pretty much impossible.