Windows 7: Shut Down Computer???

During the night my virus scan, automatic backup, defrag run. I have the system set on Hybrid Sleep because with sleep mode they do not run. My computer stays on all of the time except for hybrid sleep. Do any of you turn yours off or is it OK just to leave it on 24/7?

It's OK to leave it on 24/7, just uses more energy. I hibernate my machine if I know I will be away for a long time, but normally, it goes into Hybrid.

There is no problem leaving the computer on. Once a week or so you should turn it off and boot up. It gives everything a chance to reset. I noticed, not so much with 7, but on my old Winows 98, the more I used it the more, memory I would lose. I had to turn it of and boot up again, to restore. There is a website, The Kim Komando Show - Free Tips, Downloads, Reviews, Software and Advice for Your Digital Lifestyle Kim Komando, that is very good. She gives daily tips and hints. If you check her archives, you will see that she, too is a proponent of turning off once in a while. She, also, feels there is no harm to leave it on for extended periods. Good luck

Hi all
unless you are doing a run for S.E.T.I or other collabaration project where your compute power can be used when you aren't at the screen PLEASE SHUT DOWN YOUR SYSTEM.

You should shut the system down - not so much for Computer reasons but for ecological and "Green" reasons -- saving you money as well. -- I don't mean of course shut it down every five minutes or so - but certainly at night / if you go away on holiday etc etc.

(Of course if you NEED a server to be on 24 hrs a day then of course you have to leave it running - but even here remember most servers can be run with the screen / monitor either switched off or disconnected so you should do that too).

1) You save energy - so your bills are cheaper.

2) we don't need to generate so much power -- again keeps the carbon footprint down and hence contributes to the fight against "global warming"

3) your components aren't used as much so they shoould last longer.

Most backup options have settings to shut down the computer automatically after the backup is done. The same is true of long running downloads (even from torrents if you use those).

So there is no reason to keep computers running just because you are "Backing up" or downloading large files.

If you need to SEED P2P sources then you can do these during the time you are at your machine.

Old expression -- still valid today "Waste not -- Want not".

My only concern is that in some countries - particularly the UK where corporate greed is really rife and there's no decent price control for energy supply companies such as there is in the USA (Public Utilities Commission) is that as we use LESS energy and the profits go down then the fat cat directors will still want to maintain their disgusting bonuses so the price will undoubtedly rise to make up the shortfall so the poor consumer can't win.

However it's still a good idea to turn off your machine(s) when you don't need them.

Cheers
jimbo

When you got to number 2, you lost me. There is no such thing as Global Warming.

Okay, let's not miss the point of the thread talking about politics and the environment.

Political/environmental discussions can turn ugly quickly, and breed disrespect for the other members.

Comeon Jonathan. Don't be a classroom monitor.

Hi all
Not wishing to turn this into a political debate -- but what is 100% true is that a running computer uses more energy than one that is switched off.

Now if you WANT more nuclear power stations, / Oil fired / Coal fired / Bio fuel generating stations with all the attendant problems of supply / pollution / waste disposal etc then by all means use as much power as you can.

It will be literally AGES and AGES yet before most countries have a significant amount of "Pollution" free green / reneweable energy sources so whatever your views on " Global Warming" (and I'm still a partial sceptic on this one BTW) I'm sure you don't want to add to more pollution and unnecessary waste of diminishing resources.

So it's still a good idea to keep unnecessary machines turned off whatever your views are on "Global Warming".

Cheers
jimbo.

Why wouldn't you want to shut a home PC down whenever possible? Environmental issues aside, it reduces your power bill. I guess there are people that never turn lights off either.

I don't mean 10 shutdowns per day, but who can point to evidence that 3 shutdowns per day reduces component longevity or negatively affects performance?

My PC runs 24/7 ... rebooting once weekly ... unless theres updates that require it.

It's busy doing something constantly however.


On the global warming subject: it is getting far out of hand. our pollution is not only causing global warming here but on Mars and several other planets

Something to consider