Drive on and off or always on !!!

[mauritron]

The 2 x 500Gb Maxtor drives I have on a system (via USB) switch themselves off if not used for a while.
At the end of the day I switch off the PC and then the drives
My question - which is best - to switch off the system and drives at the end of the day or leave them on all the time 24/7

 

[acewarlock]

Turning things on and off gives a surge to the computer and does more harm then leaving it on all the time. I have computer that have been running over 5 years without beening turned off except power fails.


This is a Signature and not part of the answer, it appears on every reply.

This is an Analogy so don't take it personally as some have.

Why change the engine if all you need is to change the spark plugs.

 

[RICHINMINN]

Do your Maxtor drives simply "spin down" and go into an "idle" mode, or do they physically power down (shut off)? If they go into an idle mode, they are still drawing current (though, obviously, not as much as if they were spinning merrily along).

I am an advocate of turning things off if they're not needed. I turn my systems on in the morning, and then off at night. If I've got some long-running process going, I'll leave a system up over night, but turn off the monitor (especially if it's a CRT).

Due to the increased miniaturization of current computer components (primarily CPU and RAM), they generate more heat, with less ability to dissipate it. Heat is one of a PC's major threats to its well-being. If I don't have to leave a system on for an extended period of time, I don't.

In contrast to Acewarlock's experience, I've got PCs that I've turned on and off on a nearly-daily basis that have been running for 10+ years. But I build all my own PCs, and don't skimp on components, unlike most commercially-built PCs. When a manufacturer is trying build a PC as cheaply as possible, the first thing they skimp on is the power supply. That's the last thing that I'll skimp on. And the most commonly-replaced component of commercial PCs is the power supply. (I've been building and repairing PCs for 20+ years. Modems used to be the most commonly-replaced component of PCs, but many system manufacturers no longer include a modem as a standard component.) Another item that I include with every system that I custom-build for a customer is a heavy-duty surge suppressor. No, not a six-outlet power strip with 200-300 joules of surge suppression, but a 10- to 12-outlet surge suppressor with 3000-4000 joules of surge suppression, a clamping voltage as low as possible (and nothing over 330 volts), along with suppression on cable and telephone line inputs. I have had only one power supply failure on the hundreds of PCs that I've built, and that's because its owner moved the surge suppressor to his TV/Stereo setup. A power transformer blew a block away, and the surge that fried his PC's power supply didn't touch his TV/Stereo. (Admittedly, he had more money tied up in his TV/Stereo system than he did in his PC. But he should have just gotten a second surge suppressor.)

Be aware, though, that a surge suppressor "wears out". The metal oxide varistors (MOVs) that provide the surge supression ability sacrifice themselves for your equipment. A single large surge will burn out the surge suppressor, but will most likely leave the attached equipment intact. Over a period of years, the accumulation of the day-in/day-out small surges will weaken the MOVs to the point where they may no longer offer adequate protection. Some of the newer surge suppressors offer an indicator (visual or audible) that your MOVs have reached this point.

Rich (in Minn)

 

[wahnula]

My experience as a professional musician got me into the bad habit of leaving everything powered up 24/7, as there is nothing worse than having the inspiration disappear after you've powered up 8 or 10 devices. Now I leave all but the power amp on, all 16 PCs in my home and office on 24/7, the only device I turn off between uses is my home backup drive, since it only gets used for about 20 minutes a week, to save the drive and also avoid those blasted "accidents" that seem to befall backup drives...

Someone posed the exact same question here a while ago, the consensus was powering down saves money, but not necessarily gear. I also have processes that only run when the PC is idle, plus in my hectic life I don't like to wait for my home machine to boot before I can use it.

On my work machines, I demand everyone to log off (not shut down) at day's end, including myself. This ensures no open files during the nightly backups, the latest synchronization, and saves energy as there is no possibility of the machines being needed overnight.

I think common sense comes into play also, of course CRTs should be power-schemed to shut down on their own after 20 minutes or so of inactivity, but they wake right up. It's a battle between frugality and efficiency.

It also seems many PC problems occur at startup, so leaving them running prevents the power surge acewarlock describes. Not sure if there's science to back it up, but it makes sense that a moving part, like a hard drive, will endure greater stress from a cold start than if it were left warm & running between uses.

Be aware, though, that a surge suppressor "wears out"

This is something people just don't "get", but it is true. I'm not sure if there's a test to make sure it is good but 5 years is my rule of thumb. Great advice RICHINMINN.



Tony

"Buy what you like, or you'll be forced to like what you buy"...me

 

[acewarlock]

I also have my PC's do there virus scan's at about 10PM and do the MS Updates at around 4 AM, this gives them both plenty of time to do there thing and not do it during the day when I'm trying to work.


This is a Signature and not part of the answer, it appears on every reply.

This is an Analogy so don't take it personally as some have.

Why change the engine if all you need is to change the spark plugs.