Is it ok to turn off the computer every day?

Question

I was told by my father that I should not turn off my computer every day because it could mess up the computer. Is this true?

Answer 1

The only way it would mess it up is if you don't shut it down properly. Make sure you shut it down properly using the Start-Shutdown feature in Windows.

Answer 2

As long as you let it go through the shut-down cycle correctly, there shouldn't be any problem. I turn my computer off every evening and have never had any problems.

In fact, if you live in an area where the power grid is a little flakey sometimes, turning the computer off isn't a bad idea. Power spikes can cause a lot of computer problems.

Also, heat build-up can be an issue, especially if the fan isn't working up to par. Turning the computer off occasionally and allowing everything to cool down could prevent trouble.

Answer 3

Way back when, it was better to leave a computer up-and-running rather than turning it off every day. The argument was that the surge of power required to power it up was harsh to the power supply/system/components. People would say it's best to leave it on 24 hours a day, for this reason. Now-a-days, I wouldn't worry about it. Power supplies, components and systems are more robust today. Additionally, the life-cycle of a typical home desktop system is only a few years before one chooses to replace it. As long as you aren't sitting there powering it up and down every few seconds, I really don't see the harm.

On another note, your Father may have his computer "just right". He may not understand how to make things "back to the way they were" if you recycle the power. He may just be using this as an excuse to not have to figure out how to "fix" things once it's powered back on ;-)

Answer 4

Not only is is okay to turn off your computer every day, it's a good thing too.

First, it saves power. But putting it in standby mode would also save power, so that's not the only reason.

Secondly, it's good to shut it down so Windows can reboot. Windows isn't totally rock solid and needs to reboot periodically. You might notice that Windows is really slow sometimes or something doesn't work... and the first thing to try fixing the problem is to reboot.

And it won't hurt the computer to shut it down and turn it on again a lot. It's okay and actually a very good thing to do.

Answer 5

Only if you don't shut down properly. If you just turn it off then yes, it will mess up your system. However computers should actually be turned off regularly and should not be left running for long periods of time. Most home PCs were not built to be left on constantly and it could actually result in overheating and the whole system blowing. (either literally, like the recall on dell laptops or figuratively like your system just not working anymore)just remember to to it right

Answer 6

No the stress of power up and power down (not sleep or hibernate) puts alot of stress of the system parts.

Think of a PC as a diesel engine. First starting it puts alot of strain of the parts but the longer you let it run the smoother everything gets and the less stress the parts are under.

Sleep/Hibernate leave just enough power running through the system so that turning it on won't be a big power drain/strain on the system.

Answer 7

It is a good idea to turn off the pc when you are done. It takes a lot of electricity to run a pc. You will be doing yourself a favor by saving on electric bill.
As for when your father told you, I am wondering what kind of educational background he has to make that statement.

Answer 8

You should turn your computer off every night. It is bad for it to be left on all day and night.

Answer 9

No. Turning your box on and off won't mess it up, unless you hit the on/off switch with a Large Blunt Object every time.

Answer 10

I'd say it's your call really. I prefer to leave mine idling. Shutting a computer down everyday causes stress on the system. Everytime you start it up it has to start up fans and hard drives. I prefer just to let them run.

Now I know other people who shut them down daily and have had few problems. So I may just be a worry wart. But like I said, It's really up to you.