Leaving A PC On 24 Hours

[dazuk1972]

Is it true, if we leave a PC on twenty-four hours, it can damage the PC?

Many thanks.

Darren.

[ed klein]

Damage only from overheating or improper cooling.

Wears the computer out much, much faster, no need to keep it running 24/7
Even if you have a high speed internet connection. Leaving it running 24/7 is old school theory, by keeping the switching parts from wearing out, but electronics of today can handle switching on and off much better.

[soup]

From what I have been told it is actually better for your PC than switching it on & off. When I first started & also first started with Folding@Home, I used to switch on & off but for a while now I have been running 24/7 & hopefully 365 along with my CPU at 100%.

[Chewy]

the big downside of 7/24 is the amount of dust everything accumulates and the increased probability of a voltage surge doing damage

[LT. Columbo]

i've been running 2 pc's for about 2-3 years 24-7. all during a few power outages. no problemos.

[dazuk1972]

i've been running 2 pc's for about 2-3 years 24-7. all during a few power outages. no problemos.

Many thanks for your help. I asked because somebody on a TV programme mentioned it can cause damage but they don't seem to be PC experts. I only wanted to check with any expert here.

Many thanks.

Darren.

[LT. Columbo]

well i'm no expert either, but if the fans for example and anything spinning for 24-7 as opposed to once in a while that is more wear and tear right there, right? they are built well enough to take this though. how many kenworth's do you see shut off at a truck stop? you laugh when one isn't idling happily like it ought to be

[dazuk1972]

Damage only from overheating or improper cooling.

Wears the computer out much, much faster, no need to keep it running 24/7
Even if you have a high speed internet connection. Leaving it running 24/7 is old school theory, by keeping the switching parts from wearing out, but electronics of today can handle switching on and off much better.

Many thanks for the help.

I do clean the fan at the back encase. I use a Desktop at the moment. I know the bottom fan in a Laptop can be clogged-up with crap a lot.

Many thanks.

Darren.

[jmet]

I have 4 PC's that run 24 hours a day 7 days a week. (Except for when blowing them out with my air compressor).

They all run top notch!

[dazuk1972]

This is to everyone that replied.

I make sure my fan is clean and dust-free. I wondered about other things about my PC being on too long. There are times when I wonder about the bottom fan but it's not exposed like the back fan. The bottom fan is closed in.

Many thanks to you all that replied.

Darren.

[Dan]

Been running this beast 24/7 for 4 years now, just keep it cool and clean and it works perfect for me.

[Abuilder]

Most of the dead systems I have run across were dead from the result of overheating due to dust buildup in the CPU's heatsink/fan resulting in french-fried CPU. That or the bearings in the power supply fan go bad from constant running, resulting in the PS to overheat and sometime throwing a surge into the motherboard and drives frying the whole works.

[dazuk1972]

I have 4 PC's that run 24 hours a day 7 days a week. (Except for when blowing them out with my air compressor).

They all run top notch!

I must say, It's better to do this in the Autumn and Winter. I remember in the heatwaves my discs were hot when I took them out even when they were in the burners quick. It was like taking a pizza out of a microwave so-to-speak.

Many thanks.

Darren.

[toomanycats]

So jmet's computer is 4 years old, eh. It used to be that switching transistors took a beating from going on and off, after all you are pushing electricity thru plastic. Newer technology parts should theoretically be better at this but who really knows. I used to leave my computers on all the time but don't anymore (They died inexplicably). Your exposing yourself to more damage just by percentages, like Chewy said, voltage surges and dust, and Lt comments about Fan bearings is also true I had to replace the case fans and main CPU fan on my last computer after only 1 year). I have (in my novice days) blown equipment by using compressed air to blow out dust, I wouldn't recommend that. Vacuuming isn't a good idea either. My electronics teacher told me you could introduce electron flow from the moisture in the compressed air. If I were going to keep a unit on for that time I would make sure it was on a UPS for maximum protection. I leave mine on unless I know I won't be using it for a couple of hours, or if the weather predicts high winds or thunderstorms, to avoid voltage surge problems. Just my opinion.

[jmet]

Sorry I forgot to mention that I do turn them off during bad thunderstorms etc.

The special blower I have for my air house removes all moisture from the compressed air before blowing it out also.