On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 14:19:41 -0500, you wrote: >I am running XP-Pro w/ auto-update enabled on an Intel WN845 MB. > >After years of dutifully turning off my computer after each use about a year >ago I started leaving it on all the time. My recollection is that I heard or >read that stopping and restarting the mechanical devices was harder on them >than leaving them running. > >I recently purchased a battery backup and the manufacturer encourages use of >the hibernation feature in Windows. I tried it out and found it turns off the >drives and forces a restart when "coming out". This leads me back to the turn >off or not question. > >I would be grateful for any thoughts List member might have. > >TIA, > >Harry Hi Harry
Well do you or don't you the $64K question. Looking at it logically if it's off then you use no power. turn it on and then think about Apollo 13 (see the film) and all manner of problems start to emerge like - how much power can the power supply actually supply at initiation - enough now but how about when it has done it 1000 times and the capacitors are a bit weak???? Then think about who told you to use Hibernation - the battery backup folk. If it's in hibernation the batteries will last longer so it looks good for them - or does it. Most emergency power supplies use a software program to automatically save all your work and close the computer down if the main power fails. Now unless you have a dreadful power company where you are why do you want to leave the computer running in hibernation on batteries? Me - I just leave it on and let it go into stand-by when I'm not around and if I know I'm not going to use it for the next 12 hours or so it goes off but then my server is running 24/7 and if there is a power failure - tough shit - I have to turn it on again..... I would suggest that if you are going to leave it on then set the power settings to switch off the screen at about 30 mins and the drives at 45 mins and go to stand-by after 1 hour. But then you are not me. It must be easier on the equipment if it's not stopped and started like a jack-in-the-box. A car driven long distances is a better bet than a taxi even though they have done similar mileage. Computers are noisy so it might make sense to switch off. Back up power supplies are for just that - when you are working and the end of the world hits you can safely save all you work in progress and shut the computer down so all who come in the next millennium can see what we were doing. My opinion! Sir Hugh of Bognor Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it! Hugh Gundersen [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.bognor-bill.co.uk Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK ------------------------------------------------- Vyisder Asmeni Orsisarsis Asderisorsis. B.Cozderiz Vunarz PERORZ ------------------------------------------------- -- ---------------------------------------- ALL messages to the list MUST include a descriptive subject. To Change your email Address for this list, send the following message: CHANGE WIN-HOME your_old_address your_new_address to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Note carefully that both old and new addresses are required.
