[LINK] Leave on, or turn off?

[Kim Holburn]

On 2006/Nov/30, at 12:36 PM, Howard Lowndes wrote:
> Stewart Fist wrote:
>> Has anyone got a reference to a real bit of reliable research  
>> which says
>> whether it is better to turn a computer off at night, or leave it  
>> on 24/7
>> (disregarding energy consumption) ?
>> I guess the question resolves into
>> a) the electronics, and
>> b) hard-disk-bearing wear.
>> I've got plenty of so-called 'expert' opinion (mostly in favour of  
>> leaving
>> computers on), but this seems essentially to be anecdotal only.
>
> Anecdotally, my experience is that those machines which give more  
> trouble are those which are subjected to thermal shock mostly be  
> being regularly tuned off and on, which usually causes memory  
> modules or PCI card connection to become random.

Modern systems can go into sleep mode and also spin down the disk  
when it's not in use so that's the equivalent of turning it off maybe  
lots of times a day.

I have looked after many systems, systems that were turned off and on  
daily and systems that were left running continuously.  The only time  
I had problems with thermal shock were systems that were left running  
for years and then powered down, say because of a power cut.  Then  
they wouldn't come back up.  Systems that were often turned on and  
off seemed to be reasonably reliable.

> Economically you need to offset the cost of the occasional service  
> to rectify such faults against the cost or 24/7 operation.
>
> My money says, leave it on, but turn the CRT off - I've seen them  
> catch fire.

CRT?  What's that? ;-)

>> Someone, at some time (ie US government departments or the army)  
>> must have
>> done a systematic test, surely!

Energy star rating?  Wasn't that a Clinton era thing?

--
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
Ph/F: +61 2 62577881 M: +61 417820641
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Democracy imposed from without is the severest form of tyranny.
                           -- Lloyd Biggle, Jr. Analog, Apr 1961