Solved IS it safe to keep a computer running for 16 hours?

[Japjeev]

i have a desktop and basically when i go to school i leave the computer on for 10 hours and 6 hours just to game. since i use it for a server for my music and i stream music from it to my phone. So will it somehow decrease the life of my pc if i do this? Or its okay?

I assembled my PC around 5 months ago and its going strong and i dont want it to die

 

[DreemWarrior]

i have a desktop and basically when i go to school i leave the computer on for 10 hours and 6 hours just to game. since i use it for a server for my music and i stream music from it to my phone. So will it somehow decrease the life of my pc if i do this? Or its okay?

I assembled my PC around 5 months ago and its going strong and i dont want it to die

As long as you have adequate cooling, you should be fine. I have had systems run without shutdown(other than restarts) for months on end. Hard drives have a finite number of spin up/downs anyhow, so the less you do, the longer it should last. (In theory anyhow)

 

[Imperfect1]

Logically speaking, the more you use your system, the faster you'll decrease it's life --- but everything is relative. . . Many people successfully keep their systems on all of the time --- turning their systems off only when they need to re-boot for a specific reason. Some even go so far as to say that turning your system on and off is more taxing than leaving it on.

 

[Mike Connor]

You can run it for years under normal circumstances. There is no problem at all letting it run for a few hours or days. As long as it is setup and running properly.

At one time quite a few people were very reluctant to turn their machines OFF! This is because switching on and switching off are the most critical times for a lot of hardware. I had a server running at one customer's premises which ran for 14 years without a break.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Japjeev]

okay guys thanks does anyone know a good app for streaming music onto andoird phones via a PC?

 

[Mike Connor]

I don't use these myself, so I can't recommend them, I am just pointing them out. My next door neighbour's son uses some of them and he seems quite happy with them:

stream Android Freeware. Download free stream apps for Android Phones.

stream freeware downloads for Windows Mobile Phone.

You will maybe get more specific information here;

Multimedia Streaming From PC To Android Device? - Android Forums

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[gregrocker]

The Win7 Power Options work very smoothly at default, so you can walk away from your computer, it goes to sleep after 45 minutes, easily awakened by mouse or hitting Enter, then if you're away for 90 minutes (your choice) it saves whatever is on your desktop to the HD and shuts down - but is much quicker to startup up from Hibernation.

It relieves you of worrying about shutting down your computer, does it for you depending on how long you're away so you can easily change your mind about coming back. I previously always shut down but find this much easier - and quicker startups.

Just remember to periodically Shut Down or Restart to refresh your System.

 

[DocBrown]

I have an old Windows 98-SE eMachines 400mhz computer running 24/7 for 13 years now, except for re-boots & installing a new PSU after 10yrs.

 

[gregrocker]

I have an old Windows 98-SE eMachines 400mhz computer running 24/7 for 13 years now, except for re-boots & installing a new PSU after 10yrs.

eMachines are solid stock rigs.

Best Buy had a quality house brand called VPR Matrix Pentium 4 which ran 24/7 XP>Vista>7 here for ten years with only a PSU change, now doing 8 hours office duty daily.

But Power Options IMO didn't provide really smooth and trouble-free transitions for the masses until Win7.

 

[Zepher]

Mine runs 24/7 and only shut down if I upgrade/replace parts.
I have to reboot every couple of days now due to some funky issue with the graphics driver causing the screens to alternately go black when a game loads, game will eventually load up but it's a pain waiting. It also affects the locking and unlocking of the PC. A reboot fixes the issue for a day or two.

 

[Fayla]

There's this nice long running debate going around about this. Leave the computer on all the time and incur a little/some hardware fatigue, or turn it off when you ain't using it. Turning it off and on all the time (cold booting) can wear hard drives out.

I personally always leave my computer on and now with the more advanced power saving option built into Window's 7, that little fatigue chance is decreased to near nil. Either way, hardware will run towards failure, just depends on how fast you lead it there.

 

[Vincenzo]

Back when I was building computers, I found that the component that failed the most in computers that were left on constantly was the cooling fans, either on the cpu, the video card, the chipset or the power supply. So make sure you have quality fans.

And when fans fail, components will then fail due to overheating unless you've got programs, either in the bios or software, or preferably both, that will monitor temps and shutdown the system. Some, such as Speedfan, will also monitor the speed of the fans and give alerts when they fall below preset values.

And be sure to blow the dust out of the fans and the computer at least every 6 months.

 

[DreemWarrior]

Either way, hardware will run towards failure, just depends on how fast you lead it there.

Well said Newt.

 

[byterbit]

I've had client machines on for 3 or 4 years. The old idea was that surges from turning on/off hurt system IC's. Dont know if this is true, then or now.

 

[Layback Bear]

I really don't know how much wear and tear leaving a computer on does. I do know their is no wear and tear on one that is off. It only takes 60 to 90 sec. to boot so I really don't understand a computer running for hours, days when not in use. While your computer is booting do something; kick the dog, get a cup of coffee, kiss your mon when you get back your computer is running cool with cleaned out ram ect.