Source: Power button
Advantages to shutting it down
Obviously, when your computer equipment is shut off it won't be drawing any power, which in turn saves on your electric bill. Note that even when the computer is off it still draws a very minimum amount of power, so “off” technically does not mean “zero watts”, but it's pretty close to that. If you don't use your computer frequently then shutting it off is probably a better way to go. Some people may use their computer an hour a day or less, and if this is you then you might as well shut it off when you're not using it.
Advantages to leaving it on
If you leave your computer on all the time then you don't have to wait for it to boot up when you want to use it, you just wiggle the mouse or press the space bar to wake it up. Also, whenever your computer is left on overnight, it will run automatic updates and maintenance in the wee hours of the morning when you're fast asleep. Another advantage is scheduling routine backups to occur during said off-hours so that backups don't occur during your work day (just remember to not schedule a backup time to occur during maintenance times).
So which option extends the life of a computer?
So many of my clients have asked me this over the years. Some technicians claim that shutting a computer down extends the life of the computer, and other technicians claim that too many shut-downs will damage a computer's parts. The truth of the matter is that it really doesn't matter. You can turn it on and off several times a day or leave it on 24/7 and either way it won't adversely affect the computer's lifespan. How do I know that it doesn't matter?
Computers don't last forever
One of the services I provide my clients is computer recycling. When computers die, they come to me; I can plainly see what they've expired from. Computers primarily they die from old age; either the hard drive dies from wear and tear or the motherboard or processor has simply worn out. Old computers are obsolete and usually cost more to fix than buying a new replacement.
I can tell you from experience that most store-bought computers die after about 5 to 7 years of regular use, despite whether you leave them on or shut them down. This is because store-bought computers are mass-manufactured on assembly lines with cheaper parts, even the brand on the case doesn't matter, because 99% of the parts in different brands come from the same Asian manufacturing facilities.
Custom-built computers tend to last longer. When I receive custom-built computers for recycling, they are usually 10 to 12 years old or better! On occasion, I've received custom-built computers that were almost 15 years old and still worked fine, but they were too obsolete to run any of today's software! Custom-built computers are built from the ground up using higher-quality, hand-picked parts that far exceed the quality of mass-produced assembly-line computers.
I can tell you from experience that most store-bought computers die after about 5 to 7 years of regular use, despite whether you leave them on or shut them down. This is because store-bought computers are mass-manufactured on assembly lines with cheaper parts, even the brand on the case doesn't matter, because 99% of the parts in different brands come from the same Asian manufacturing facilities.
Custom-built computers tend to last longer. When I receive custom-built computers for recycling, they are usually 10 to 12 years old or better! On occasion, I've received custom-built computers that were almost 15 years old and still worked fine, but they were too obsolete to run any of today's software! Custom-built computers are built from the ground up using higher-quality, hand-picked parts that far exceed the quality of mass-produced assembly-line computers.
Consider Windows power-saving modes
With power-saving modes, you can reduce power consumption when your computer is left on, but it will become usable more quickly when it's woken up instead of a “cold boot”. The computer can go into power-saving mode if it is left idle for a given length of time, or if you force it into a power-saving mode in the power options. When it enters power-saving mode, it stores a “snapshot” of your currently open programs and files for quicker retrieval. The available power-saving modes depend on what version of Windows you have and how thecomputer's power options are configured, for example...
- Stand By mode in Windows XP maintains a “readiness state”. The computer is still on, but it's paused; it wakes up from this state in a few seconds because a snapshot is stored in RAM. Your open programs and data are available instantly upon wake-up, however you do run the risk of losing whatever data you were working on if the power goes out in this mode. To wake the computer up, simply wiggle the mouse or press the space bar on the keyboard.
- Sleep mode is very similar to Stand By mode, because in newer Windows computers the computer doesn’t turn off completely and still uses power to store a snapshot in RAM. The monitor and hard disk are turned off, but as soon as you touch the mouse or press the space bar the computer wakes up. Sleep mode has more options and settings available than the old-fashioned Stand By mode but data can still be lost due to a power event.
- Hibernate mode remembers where you left off, but the computer is off; it takes longer to wake up from this state because a snapshot of your open programs and data is stored on your hard drive. This is a slower but safer method to quickly shut down the computer and to resume where you left off when you wake it up again. You might be able to wake up the computer with the mouse or space bar, but more often you have to quickly press the power button to wake up from Hibernate mode.
- Hybrid Sleep was designed for Windows 7 and newer desktop computers, it combines the benefits of both Sleep and Hibernate modes. Hybrid sleep saves a snapshot to RAM and on the hard drive, then it puts the computer into a low-power state. Hybrid sleep is typically turned on by default in desktop computers because they lack the battery-backup features of laptops and notebooks. You should be able to wake up the computer with the mouse or space bar, but if not, pressing the power button quickly should do it.
When you do shut down, do it properly!
Always shut down the computer properly via software! In versions up to Windows 7, click the Start button and then Shut Down. In Windows 8, mouse over to the lower right corner of the screen, click Settings, the Power button, then Shut Down. Shutting down properly ensures that all programs and files are closed and system settings have been saved, it alleviates start-up problems, and also forces Windows to install its pending updates before the computer turns off.
Don't ever unplug the computer or turn off its power strip while it's running because doing so can crash the hard drive! If the computer has frozen or locked up and you can't move the mouse to shut down properly, you can press and hold down the power button for at least 15 seconds and the computer should shut down and safely “park” the hard drive so that it won't get damaged from an improper shut-down.
Keeping all of this in mind, shutting your computer down or leaving it on boils down to personal preference. And overall, a more important concern is proper power protection, which will ensure that your computer will have a longer life.
Don't ever unplug the computer or turn off its power strip while it's running because doing so can crash the hard drive! If the computer has frozen or locked up and you can't move the mouse to shut down properly, you can press and hold down the power button for at least 15 seconds and the computer should shut down and safely “park” the hard drive so that it won't get damaged from an improper shut-down.
Keeping all of this in mind, shutting your computer down or leaving it on boils down to personal preference. And overall, a more important concern is proper power protection, which will ensure that your computer will have a longer life.
