What can happen to your computer if you leave it on constantly?

Question

For days or weeks at a time.

Answer 1

Nothing. I never turn mine off. Neither does my boyfriend.

If you have working fans and if it is in a well-ventilated area, it won't overheat.

If you have an "always on" internet connection, you'll want to make sure you have a firewall and virus protection, though.

Answer 2

Nothing should happen, aside from overheating... But if your computer is in good condition, it will not overheat... I've never turned off my computers. I have a desktop that is almost 7 years old now and I can't remember the last time I turned it off, and it is still running like brand new...

However, leaving your computer on constantly makes it easy for hackers to hack your securities... Whether you have an Anti Virus protection, firewall and other Internet defense, leaving your computer on for too long will allow a hacker to target it.

Have a great day.

Answer 3

This is generally not a very good idea.

Just imagine the overheating that would be going on in there. Seriously. Unless you are a systems engineer with computers modified so they can do that (which you probably are not and do not), you really should not do that.

Effects:

1.) Huge electricity bill
2.) It could damage the hardware, systems, memory, CPU, etc.
3.) Systems Engineers have this same problem-

They leave the computer on for long periods of time at a time. What's bad about this is that metal expands (duh) when hot, so all the hardware that makes up your computer and makes it awesome expands. Now, that's normal. BUT-when you leave it on for long, long periods of time, the computer gets really hot and is more likely to break when it is turned off. Yes, when the computer cools, hardware is damaged, although, when you keep it on for a normal period of time, damage is less likely to happen.

As they say, failures (in computers) happen MOST when you turn the system off. Of course, "they" also keep their computers on for weeks, almost years at a time.


BOTTOMLINE: Just don't do it.

Answer 4

there is nothing that will happen. it won't over heat or what others are trying to scare you with. it is apparent that you have a computer you bought as a system, so it has plenty of cooling going on in it. most people with DSL or cable, leave their systems run 24/7. i very rarely turn mine off. you are safe to leave it on. just make sure you have a good viral program and also a spyware program in your computer. if you don't and you do have spyware on your system, it will connect to the net when you don't know it is. you can get spybot search and destroy to check for spyware every few days. don't let other scare you into thinking it isn't safe to let your computer run..

Answer 5

To the computer itself, the only real wear and tear unit is the console fan/power supply/CPU fan, and the hard disk.

Depending on how you have video setup, you have issues
with screen burn in if you dont have a screen saver, or
power saving mode.

Some PC's support standby mode.

I worked at Microsoft for 18 years, 5 years with IBM before that.

Our machines were on 24x7. My own personal machines run 24x7.

Answer 6

You run up your power bill, but computers are designed to stay on for long periods at a time. I do this but every once in a while you should restart it as a little refresh to it.

Answer 7

itl only overheat if not properly cooled, otherwise its perfectly fine, some argue better for computer because not undergoing as much contraction/expansion

Answer 8

If it's not cooled well, the motherboard will give out.

Answer 9

Nothing.

Answer 10

it might freeze hen you will have to get it fixed