Is it best to turn off your computer every night, or leave it on?
922057
Best to turn off for a number of reasons.\n\nSave electricity\nProlong life of components within the computer\nCertain items will need refreshing which is done during reboot\n\nI'm in charge of a PVC mixing plant, the control PC's that handle large amounts of information the automated operations are on most of the time because they are needed for production.  With time they slow down until a point comes where it is unbearably slow and the operator decides to reboot, which resolves the problem.\n\nMore chance for hackers to gain access if you are connected to net.\n\nWithin my company all non productive computers must be switched off since if left on and unattended they can be fire hazards\n\netc etc
1159386
turn off the computer
349803
I turn my computer on first thing in the morning\nIf I'm home I'm on and off all day till around 11:00pm sometimes later. computer is off while I sleep.\nAll week and weekend.
757621
yes.  \n\nturning off the monitor will not affect ANYTHING and you can always turn it back on.  \n\never played video games as a kid and had to pause for dinner, and turned off the tv? =)
62437
depends on how much you use your pc.. if you use your computer throughout the day, keep it on all day and turn it off at night.\n\nTry this-\nscreen saver on after 15 minutes of inactivity.\nstandby after 30 minutes of inactivity\nhard drive off after 45 minutes of inactivity
337548
Unless you have a surge protector and a backup system, it isn't recommended to leave your computer on. If lightning strikes, it can fry out the electronics in your computer.
899752
It should not be that much to run your computer. The main power users in a home are: 1. Refrigerator \n                                              2.Washer and dryer\n                                              3. Electric heaters \n                                              4. Electric ranges\n                                              5. Freezers\n                                              6. Air conditioners\n                                              7. Dish washers\nAnything with a heating or cooling element will be a big factor in you electric bill. Things like lights and computers do not use much energy so if you leave it on overnight, do not fret about it for that reason alone.
157563
It depends if you need it on all night. If you're doing some maintenance, from time to time, it's okay to leave your computer running all night? Why would you want to leave it running otherwise? Your computer isn't going to last forever. Leaving it running 24 hours a day, seven days a week is just a waste of energy and your computer, if you ask me.
211157
Its better leave your computer ON.\nWhen you turn ON your computer, the PC uses the double of power. If you leave it ON, you may use half of power, but try to leave it ON with some Energy Rescue Resources, like "Suspend System".\n\nJuan. Bs As, Argentina.
773501
Just leave it on overnight.
53391
A General rule of thumb is that if you have no good reason to leave your computer on don't.  You will lessen the chances of your computer being influtrated if it is not on 24/7.  However, you can leave it on if you wish but ensure that you have taken the proper precautions:\n1) Have an anti-virus program  (i suggest PC-Cillin by trend micro)\n\n2) Have a good Firewall program\n\n3) Have good proactive spyware program (i suggest Spy Sweeper by web root)
336812
Hold the power button until the computer turns off
193464
Leaving it on all the time makes the hardware last longer. Sure, it uses more power but it's cheaper than replacing your hard drive and fans every few years.\n\nAnd in response to the lightning thing... if your house gets hit by lightning, it won't matter if your computer is on or off, lightning will still fry it. Surge protectors won't help in that case either.  The only way you can protect your computer from a lightning strike nearby is to unplug it from all the cables.
158035
Unplug your computer.
574008
There are two schools of thought on this and you can ask 100 experts and get many varying opinions.  If you use your computer often throughout the day, I'd reccomend leaving it on all the time.  If you only use it for a short while once a day then I'd shut it off.  It is correct that you want to reboot every few days; older operating systems often had problems with programs holding memory even when they were no longer running, but this is much less of a problem on today's systems.  I have four computers, and two run all the time; the others I start up as needed.  Of the two that run all of the time, one has Windows XP Media Edition, so it records TV shows throughout the day.  It and the other one that run all of the time donate their computing power to World Community Grid to help find cures for AIDS and cancer when I'm not using them.
679911
depends on how you have your power button on the keyboard setup.\n\nsleep? hybernate? or shut down? or bring up the shut down menu?
1096939
There are two schools of thought on this subject and both are correct in their own reasoning.\n\nOne side says shut down your computer because you will wear out the bearings in your hard drive. Which if you are just an occasional user this would be good advice.\n\nThe other side says leave it on or let it hibernate because the repeated temperature fluctuations of turning on and off the computer will crack the solder joints on the board. Which if you are every day user would also be good advice.\n\nWhich way to go? That would be up to you.