Re: [TCLUG:1345] Turn off my computer?

[Christopher Reid Palmer <jaymz@acm.cs.umn.edu>]

On Wed, 23 Sep 1998, Ben Luey wrote:

> I'm trying to decide if I should leave my computer running all the time,
> or turn it off at night. How bad is it for the hard drive to be spinnig 24
> hours a day, 7 days a week? I typically have my computer on for 8 hours a
> day, and turn it off when I'm asleep, turn it on 16 hours a day. 

Well, most 'cron' jobs are scheduled for late at night. For example, my
NeXT woke me up at 4 am on the first night I got it, because the disk
chewing is so loud. One of many lessons Unix has taught me. :)

You can reschedule all your 'cron' jobs for during the day, but then they
will interfere with your regular work.

As far as the HDD, it *is* going to die. It's just a matter of when. There
is lots of superstition about this, but my feeling is that spinning down
and spinning up all the time is worse for it that just leaving it on
(continual powerups and -downs probably aren't good for the power supply,
either).

> Any recommendations - I basically want what is best for the computer,
> although I have some concern for power consumption.

An idling CPU uses very little power. Turn the monitor off, and you can
rightfully feel you're not wasting too much.

During storms, though, turn your computer off. Power spikes are the worst
thing for your computer. Save up for a UPS, like me.

Bottom line: I leave my computers on all the time, except during storms.

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