Will it do any harm...?

Hello guys,

I have been wondering if it will do any harm if I leave my PC plugged in all the time?

Your advice please.

As a rule, no it wont... you might want to check your power plan and customize the turn off times for your monitor and drives though...

I'm still going shut it down, I just won't turn it off that the mains.

Do you mean plugged into the power outlet? If your area is subjet to power surges or lighting strikes be sure you have a good surge protector.

Ken

ken9122 said:

Do you mean plugged into the power outlet? If your area is subjet to power surges or lighting strikes be sure you have a good surge protector.

Ken

Even if it is a very good surge protector, it will not protect against a lightning strike.
Power surges, Yes. Lightning strikes, No.

Its always better to shutdown once your work is finished if you won't be using the computer for some time.

there are arguments for and against ,
1: that switching on and off daily wears out hardware ie power supply being forced to wind up daily using fans etc
2:that leaving it on can wear out the moving components inside .
Personally i leave mine on as long as i can although occasionally reboot is required for different installs and updates.
If leaving it on for long periods, one should make sure the computer is in a well ventilated space to prevent the cooling fans being overused causing more premature wear. and general heat damage!

The UK doesn't usually have thunderstorms very often if any at all. Power surges is when the trip goes off anyway.

My old Emachines which lasted almost 5 years which I still turned off and on every day and on at the mains all the time. It only failed the once (bad MB).

Although I leave my server on 24/7 ( it only uses about 75watts) I shut down the other 5 systems when not in use. It's it just a matter of personal preference. But to answer your original question, if your area has a history of power surges or brown-outs use a good surge proctor or UPS.

Ken