Log off or shut down?

[Nathaniel]

Re: Log off or shut down?

Thanks folks for your very good advice. I presume when you leave the machine on the whole day, it goes into standby mode after some time? I use Windows Vista. I raised this subject as I did not wish to "damage" my computer by leaving it on the whole day.

[2Beers]

Re: Log off or shut down?

if you use the power settings in control panel and set them to never it wont go into standby just turn off your monitor if your not going to be using it for a while

[AndyMulhearn]

Re: Log off or shut down?

To be honest, I'd upgrade from Vista. It's the Microsoft version of a red-headed step child and should be avoided at all cost.

[AndyA]

Re: Log off or shut down?

To be honest, I'd upgrade from Vista. It's the Microsoft version of a red-headed step child and should be avoided at all cost.

I have to agree.

[antoeknee]

Re: Log off or shut down?

Vista not a good version of Windows. Leaving a computer on isn't really an issue apart for power consumption.

Use to have a PC at home that also worked as answer machine and fax. That was running Windows 2000 and wasn't turned off or restarted for bit more than 2 years.

Like others here once mines on it stays on till end of day or I go out. If you really need to then just lock the machine and use a password to get back in. Just turn off all the hibernate and standby stuff it's more trouble than its worth.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Log off or shut down?

Thanks again. I don't have any necessity to shut down or log off- no one that I distrust and what is on my computer are either some accountancy figures, letters or photographic stuff. Just as a matter of interest what sort of power consumption are we talking about if the computer is NOT shut down -unless I go out? In these days of energy conservation etc I often hear advice about not leaving anything on standby etc etc -even the TV!!!!!

[Redgrape]

Re: Log off or shut down?

I leave my iMac in sleep mode & only really turn it off while I'm away or after an update which needs a shutdown (those not many though). I was told at an apple store that it would do no harm leaving it switched on in this way but more likely to do damage switching it on & off! My last iMac was left on & had no problems with it & I had it for 7 years.

Sue

[Jock]

Re: Log off or shut down?

Most things - by "things" I mean electrical equipment, fail when they're powered up. This is, in the main, due to the surge current which can be much higher than normal.
How often does a lightbulb fail when it's left on? Normally it goes when you switch the light on - same goes for anything else electrical.
The down side of this of course is higher electricity bills.
I have a Windows machine I use as a CCTV and file server which is on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It's been running for about 8 years now apart from some general maintenance (when I take a vacuum cleaner to the fans and suck the dust off the motherboard).
At work, the policy is to turn machines off every evening - we find most failures are in the morning when machines are powered up.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Log off or shut down?

Thank you very much Jock. Makes quite a lot of sense to me. Will keep my computer switched on when I am at home and switch off at night or when I am going out. Mind at rest now.