Turning off your computer
Monday, May 12, 2008 by Philly0381 | Discussion: Personal Computing
I mentioned this late one night in the IRC. Lets see what kind of response I get from the forums crowd.
When do you turn off your computer, everyday, only when an update requires a reboot (I guess that's turning off and then on your computer)?
Are then any good reasons for leaving your system on?
Other than using energy are there any good reasons for turning you system off?
Sorry, I'm talking a home computer, not associated with work or being a server.
Why am I asking, just curious. Way back when I started with computers in the work place we were told If we were going to be away from it for any length of time turn it off. We are talking long ago. 
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RPGFX
Reply #62 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:12 PM
Reply #62 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:12 PM
I guess I forgot to add, I do turn off the monitors when I'm not sitting at the desk. I have LCD's so I don't wanna burn an image on the screen. I made that mistake with my first ever LCD.
Mumblefratz
Reply #63 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:32 PM
Well it's been a number of years since I designed a PC but I am fairly certain that the processor core power stays on at all times unless you physically separate the plug from the wall. Also unless I'm totally confused the bios is basically processor boot code resident in ROM that the processor executes on powerup and therefore has no ability to do anything on it's own. There could possibly be hardware in the chipset that handles the power on request but I still believe the processor handles that directly.
As far as my attitudes about PC's they're fairly well known at least on the GC2 forum although from what I've heard this OTF is shared with 3 sites at least. Anyway I view a PC as a "personal computer" and basically want mine to sit there like a lump until I specifically ask it to do something. I hate task scheduler and so disable the service. Likewise with automatic updates and the like. I have very tight control on what I allow to execute on my machine. My normal operating services are limited to 17 which include 2 services for AV and firewall along with an open browser.
I basically am very disappointed with the state of the OS and software in general. As a hardware engineer I’ve seen processor speeds, memory and disk speeds improve by literally an order of 1000 yet in the same amount of time I’ve seen most of that hardware improvement be totally wasted by a corresponding decrease in the efficiencies of modern software. Yes we can do more now than we used to but nowhere near 1000 times more. At the absolute best our productivity is 10 times that of 20 years ago. Even that is a gross exaggeration, a more realistic estimate is double or triple. But even allowing for a 10 times net total productivity increase that means that while hardware efficiency has increased by a factor of 1000 that software efficiency has *decreased* by a factor of 100.
Certainly software today is more powerful than that of 20 years ago. There’s obviously no way you’re going to write millions of lines of code equivalent using assembly language but when I used to program (exclusively in assembly) we took pride in tight, clean, well documented code whereas today Microsoft refuses to perform any code optimization whatsoever. Garbage in garbage out.
Reply #63 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:32 PM
I'm not positive, but I am pretty sure the CPU is inactive when powered down, and has little to no activity even during standby. The bios is what handles the power on/off requests, otherwise you would have to flip the switch on the power supply if your OS locked up.
Well it's been a number of years since I designed a PC but I am fairly certain that the processor core power stays on at all times unless you physically separate the plug from the wall. Also unless I'm totally confused the bios is basically processor boot code resident in ROM that the processor executes on powerup and therefore has no ability to do anything on it's own. There could possibly be hardware in the chipset that handles the power on request but I still believe the processor handles that directly.
As far as my attitudes about PC's they're fairly well known at least on the GC2 forum although from what I've heard this OTF is shared with 3 sites at least. Anyway I view a PC as a "personal computer" and basically want mine to sit there like a lump until I specifically ask it to do something. I hate task scheduler and so disable the service. Likewise with automatic updates and the like. I have very tight control on what I allow to execute on my machine. My normal operating services are limited to 17 which include 2 services for AV and firewall along with an open browser.
I basically am very disappointed with the state of the OS and software in general. As a hardware engineer I’ve seen processor speeds, memory and disk speeds improve by literally an order of 1000 yet in the same amount of time I’ve seen most of that hardware improvement be totally wasted by a corresponding decrease in the efficiencies of modern software. Yes we can do more now than we used to but nowhere near 1000 times more. At the absolute best our productivity is 10 times that of 20 years ago. Even that is a gross exaggeration, a more realistic estimate is double or triple. But even allowing for a 10 times net total productivity increase that means that while hardware efficiency has increased by a factor of 1000 that software efficiency has *decreased* by a factor of 100.
Certainly software today is more powerful than that of 20 years ago. There’s obviously no way you’re going to write millions of lines of code equivalent using assembly language but when I used to program (exclusively in assembly) we took pride in tight, clean, well documented code whereas today Microsoft refuses to perform any code optimization whatsoever. Garbage in garbage out.
kryo
Reply #64 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:59 PM
While the front power button may be subject to 'soft' ATX power, the toggle on the PSU proper is still the real deal.
Most new machines support S3 standby, where only the motherboard and memory are powered (at least enough to maintain the memory's contents). This contrasts with the older S1 mode where the CPU and other components remain powered, making that mode pretty useless. More on ACPI states here. I generally use S3 standby myself, due to the dump/reload times with hibernation.
Reply #64 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:59 PM
I also have an extra line cord with a physical switch just so that I can "really" turn off the power. However my criteria is closer to a few minutes.
While the front power button may be subject to 'soft' ATX power, the toggle on the PSU proper is still the real deal.
I'm not positive, but I am pretty sure the CPU is inactive when powered down, and has little to no activity even during standby. The bios is what handles the power on/off requests, otherwise you would have to flip the switch on the power supply if your OS locked up.
Well it's been a number of years since I designed a PC but I am fairly certain that the processor core power stays on at all times unless you physically separate the plug from the wall.
Well it's been a number of years since I designed a PC but I am fairly certain that the processor core power stays on at all times unless you physically separate the plug from the wall.
Most new machines support S3 standby, where only the motherboard and memory are powered (at least enough to maintain the memory's contents). This contrasts with the older S1 mode where the CPU and other components remain powered, making that mode pretty useless. More on ACPI states here. I generally use S3 standby myself, due to the dump/reload times with hibernation.
Gideon MacLeish
Reply #65 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 8:34 PM
Reply #65 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 8:34 PM
Back "in the day" turning it off was a safeguard for the system. If the HD wasn't parked in the right spot, you could create irreperable damage. And by leaving it on, there was, of course, the risk of a power outage which could cause very, very bad things by not shutting down properly (This, btw, was part of the reason for those annoying "it is now safe to turn off your computer" screens).
I personally leave mine on FT, with no problems. But then, I have a UPS in addition to the surge protector.
I personally leave mine on FT, with no problems. But then, I have a UPS in addition to the surge protector.
Jafo
Reply #66 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 9:04 PM
Reply #66 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 9:04 PM
I personally leave mine on FT, with no problems. But then, I have a UPS in addition to the surge protector.
Ditto....UPS is the way to go...
loondenhur
Reply #67 Wednesday, May 14, 2008 12:53 AM
Reply #67 Wednesday, May 14, 2008 12:53 AM
With my old computer, it was on if I was home. Now, with my new computer, it's on only when I am home and awake. Why did they decide that the power buttons on the monitor and the computer need to be be made with laser blue lights that could illuminate a city block? Sure it's a studio apt. but if I leave it on I don't need to use any lights at night, at all! It is ridiculous. They are so bright I can't even see the time projected on my ceiling by my alarm clock (also blue, but much less intense).
Fuzzy Logic
Reply #68 Wednesday, May 14, 2008 2:52 AM
Reply #68 Wednesday, May 14, 2008 2:52 AM
What is clear is that 99% of people have a blissful ignorance as to how their pc functions...
ArileenDesign
Reply #69 Wednesday, May 14, 2008 3:11 AM
Reply #69 Wednesday, May 14, 2008 3:11 AM
Hum, well mines are always on
I reboot them to try out Bootskins or after updates
If not, they stay on and working.
Two reasons to this:
_I don't sleep so much and live in front of my PC
_When i sleep, i just put my screens off, Antivirus analyse , Defragmentation, Spyware analyse are running during my sweet dreams
I reboot them to try out Bootskins or after updates
If not, they stay on and working.
Two reasons to this:
_I don't sleep so much and live in front of my PC
_When i sleep, i just put my screens off, Antivirus analyse , Defragmentation, Spyware analyse are running during my sweet dreams
SIR NASTY OF TANG
Reply #70 Wednesday, May 14, 2008 6:11 AM
Please explain
Nasty
Reply #70 Wednesday, May 14, 2008 6:11 AM
What is clear is that 99% of people have a blissful ignorance as to how their pc functions...
Please explain
Nasty
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Reply #61 Tuesday, May 13, 2008 7:09 PM
1. I am out of town for a few days.
No point in leaving the PC on if I'm not around at all.
2. When moving
Gotta disconnect it to haul.
3. Doing serious desk cleaning
Every year or so I disassemble my work area to clean everything out
4. When there's a thunderstorm
Even with a surge protector, better safe than sorry.
5. When applying an update
Gotta reboot.
Aside from that, the machine is always on. Less stress on the electronics from the power-up/power-down crap. I keep the room at a decent temp to so heat isn't an issue.
Well, I was gonna type it, but you said it perfectly...