Turn 'em off or leave 'em on
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
I don't know about the hardware perspective, but from a security perspective you can't compromise a computer when it's off.
Neil Van Eps "Staging servers are for compulsive bed-wetting types." - Chris Maunder
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
We turn our machines off to save on power. Good 200 or so computers being switched off every night saves.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Shog9 wrote:
And with that, Paul closed his browser, sipped his herbal tea, fixed the flower in his hair, and smiled brightly at the multitude of cute, furry animals flocking around the grassy hillside where he sat coding Ruby on his Mac...
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
Jerry Hammond wrote:
I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot.
That depends entirely on your power management settings. On a normal stationary computer, they are set to always spin. It's bloody annoying to have them spin down, as it forces the OS to wait for the disks to spin up again whenever you need disk access. Their arguments are moot anyway. I turn off the computer every day at home, and at work. To this date I have had zero hard drive crashes.
-- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
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I don't know about the hardware perspective, but from a security perspective you can't compromise a computer when it's off.
Neil Van Eps "Staging servers are for compulsive bed-wetting types." - Chris Maunder
Excellent point!
-- Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
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I don't know about the hardware perspective, but from a security perspective you can't compromise a computer when it's off.
Neil Van Eps "Staging servers are for compulsive bed-wetting types." - Chris Maunder
On the flip side of the same argument - you can't install security patches or update the virus def's when it's off either.
Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP Visual Developer - Visual Basic
2006, 2007 -
I don't know about the hardware perspective, but from a security perspective you can't compromise a computer when it's off.
Neil Van Eps "Staging servers are for compulsive bed-wetting types." - Chris Maunder
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Yeah, but your machines know what you are saying when you curse them, so they feel bad.
Brad Australian - unknown PHP Developer on "Job Prospect" Requirement: * Experience working with XML, XSL, XPath Comment: and other things starting with X.
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity
No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness. ~Sheik Abd-al-Kadir
I can't always be wrong ... or can I? -
I don't know about the hardware perspective, but from a security perspective you can't compromise a computer when it's off.
Neil Van Eps "Staging servers are for compulsive bed-wetting types." - Chris Maunder
Neil Van Eps wrote:
you can't compromise a computer when it's off
I wouldn't bet on that -- there are some really sick perverts out there.
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
we always leave them on because the IT staff will do maintenance on them during the night/evening.
Maximilien Lincourt Your Head A Splode - Strong Bad
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
If you don't need to use it, turn it off. Computer or otherwise. Unfortunately I need to leave my computer on overnight and at weekends because I never know when a support call will come in that requires me to log on to my office PC -- and remote desktop doesn't work when the machine is off. (I looked at Wake-on-LAN, but in practise it wasn't workable. I can't keep someone on hold for five minutes while my machine boots up if I need to give them an answer straight away.)
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
I don't know about the hardware perspective, but from a security perspective you can't compromise a computer when it's off.
Neil Van Eps "Staging servers are for compulsive bed-wetting types." - Chris Maunder
Neil Van Eps wrote:
from a security perspective you can't compromise a computer when it's off.
Yes, you can. You can remove the HDD - that compromises the security of the machine.
Upcoming events: * Edinburgh: Web Security Conference Day for Windows Developers (12th April) * Glasgow: Introduction to AJAX (2nd May), SQL Server, Mock Objects Never write for other people. Write for yourself, because you have a passion for it. -- Marc Clifton My website
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If you don't need to use it, turn it off. Computer or otherwise. Unfortunately I need to leave my computer on overnight and at weekends because I never know when a support call will come in that requires me to log on to my office PC -- and remote desktop doesn't work when the machine is off. (I looked at Wake-on-LAN, but in practise it wasn't workable. I can't keep someone on hold for five minutes while my machine boots up if I need to give them an answer straight away.)
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk -
We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
Well, in the old days I use to just leave them on. I changed that not too long ago and considered the energy savings to just have computer(s) sitting there, not used along with the heat generated. Yeah, in the winter you can think of them as expensive space heaters, but overall I think it is a hit on energy. Anyway, when I moved to Vista, I found that the power management system works really well (which it did not on earlier verions of Windows on my systems). Now, whenever I get up and plan to be gone more than a little while, I put the machines into sleep mode. When the day is over, I put them in Hibernate and then continue where I left off the next day. Works really slick!
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: OpenID - C# project! Latest Tech Blog Post: Want to test Joost (video on demand) - I have invites!
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
I always shutdown my home machines when I'm done using them, but never turn off my work machines since I need to be able to login from home. I do however turn off my work monitor when I leave.
Jerry Hammond wrote:
saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on.
I would have to agree with this, since the MTBF on a hard disk is a pretty standard measure of its life expectancy. /ravi
This is your brain on Celcius Home | Music | Articles | Freeware | Trips ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
Turn them off every time. The energy and environmental savings are substantial: $217 million (£123 million) is wasted every year in the UK alone powering PCs[^] PC energy waste to cost £8.6m over Christmas in the UK[^] Microsoft estimates each idle computer costs $55 to $70 per year[^] At night I walk past numerous offices all closed for the evening - no workers in sight. Many have the lights off but insist on leaving rows and rows of PCs switched on - all sat waiting at a login prompt (usually they leave the monitors on as well!!! grrr!!!). It really does grate with me! I can see no reason to leave PCs switched on. Its just lazy. Obviously as you all know, PCs can be configured to shutdown when idle automatically. Many modern BIOSs even have scheduling capabilities to switch the PC on automatically at given times (say in the morning before workers arrive). And wake on LAN facilities allow them to be switched on remotely by IT guys who want to install security fixes or updates throughout the night. To leave them on is indefensible and inexcusable. A complete waste of energy for the environment. A complete waste of money for the business. I've heard arguments that leaving PCs on extends their life. I have not seen evidence either way but but to me the point is irrelevant - most PCs are replaced because of obsoletion long before they are replaced due to failure. As support to the argument, I often hear a light bulb left on continuously never blows, only whilst being switched on or off. Whilst this is true (they blow because of the extreme change in temperature between on/off) the same cannot be said of computers. Whilst on, the temperature of components fluctuates wildly depending upon activity. Unlike lightbulbs, computers also have moving parts (spinning hard drive platters, fans, etc). In my mind the more moving parts are used the more they wear out. To make matters worse, moder
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I don't know about the hardware perspective, but from a security perspective you can't compromise a computer when it's off.
Neil Van Eps "Staging servers are for compulsive bed-wetting types." - Chris Maunder
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We're having a debate at my work about whether it is better to log off and leave the machines runnning at the end of the day or is it better to shut down the machine. One group says that it saves wear and tear on the HDD by leaving the machine on. I thought that the newer HDDs spin down when idle so this argument would be moot. Can any of you hardware geeks give me the skinny which it better? Thanks.
Learning is not a spectator sport. - D. Blocher
I used to leave my old (home) one on the whole time and really only shut it down when I had to reboot or go away for any length of time. Since my new one is soooooo much faster I switch it off because it takes less time to boot now, unless it's doing a big batch job through the night. When I worked in the office I usually used to shut it down at night unless I would leave an install running or something. Occasionally I would leave it on over a weekend in case I had to remote in to try soemthing out (well that wasn't actually my machine, it was another one I was allocated which was hooked up to a £70,000 system which couldn't be moved very easily to my house, although it was on a couple of occasions).
