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Dear Computer Lady,
Is it better to just leave a computer on all the time? Some people believe it is
better to leave it on 24 -
I really like reading the tips you provide.
Keep it up. Alice
Dear Alice,
This question is one that has no right or wrong answer, in fact I have seen fierce debates about it on hardware newsgroups. All I can do is give you the facts and let you decide.
If you leave your computer on all the time, you might possibly shorten the life of your computer by just plain wearing it out. However, the computer will probably become old and outdated before you wear out anything other than the cooling fans which are easily replaced.
If you leave your monitor on all the time, you will shorten the life of the monitor, in fact, if left on 24/7 the monitor will lose some of its brightness in as little as a year. You can, however turn the monitor off and leave the computer running.
If you turn your computer on and off each time you use it, your computer warms up and then cools down each time. Each time it warms up, the circuit boards inside the machine expand with the heat, and then contracts when the machine is shut off. Many people believe that the constant expanding and contracting can cause breaks in the microscopic traces on the board that carry signals to and from the processor and memory. These breaks would cause the computer to behave erratically.
I don't know if I have ever seen a computer that wore out from running constantly, but it would be hard to tell for sure.
I have seen computers that have cracks in the traces. You can tell because the computer doesn't work properly when it is cold, but after it has warmed up for 5 or 10 minutes, everything works fine. Often these are new boards that were possibly bent before they were inside the computer case.
What I usually tell people is to turn the computer on the first time they use it during the day and leave it on (as long as they are home) until they use it for the last time that day.
Elizabeth