Why do people not shut down PC's?


Recommended Posts

In an age where energy bills are going up, climate change is in the news every day, why aren't more people just shutting down their PC's when they aren't in use? These "stand by" or "hibernation" modes do exist, but why not just shut down if you don't plan to use your PC for a good few hours? I've yet to see any legitimate reason for home owners to not shut down their PC's and yet every day I see people make comments that they don't shut their PC down. Why? 

 

I do shutdown my PC after I use it, unless I am going to eat and go right back after. My specs are such that the boot time is only about 30-40 seconds to get to a usable state. Win 8.1 Pro on my particular machine boots fast. I also am a clean freak when it comes to a tidy computer. I have almost no 3rd party software that starts up and i have disabled many services that are defaulted to automatic based on BlackViper's suggestions. http://www.blackviper.com/

In an age where energy bills are going up, climate change is in the news every day, why aren't more people just shutting down their PC's when they aren't in use? These "stand by" or "hibernation" modes do exist, but why not just shut down if you don't plan to use your PC for a good few hours? I've yet to see any legitimate reason for home owners to not shut down their PC's and yet every day I see people make comments that they don't shut their PC down. Why? 

I put my PC into sleep.

 

Unless Windows updates request a reboot.

 

I use sleep, as it saves on electricity and wear and tear on the components.

 

The amount of energy to reboot a PC would be a lot more energy than use of a staying on PC for a week.

 

Everyone should put their PC into sleep, saves energy and time.

 

 

 

I have a sleep button on the keyboard, so I hit that when I'm done working. It hibernates shortly after.

 

From an energy standpoint hibernate and shutdown are exactly the same on a modern computer. 

 

I may just re-map the sleep button to hibernate directly, there are very few times I wake the computer up after hitting the button.

Let's not forget that many maintenance tasks are typically scheduled to run overnight.  Windows Update checks for and installs new patches if available, system backups, full system virus scans, etc.  I sure as heck don't want these things to run when I'm using the computer but if I shut the system down when I'm done they will have to or they won't run at all.

Not only are most updates (via WU) published overnight (the case back to NT 4.x and ftp.microsoft.com), it's also when bandwidth is used least, making it the best time to grab those piggy downloads if you aren't torrenting.  On the subject of electricity use, that is also when power is cheapest (businesses that use large amounts of electricity are typically down in the "vulture period" (2200-0500 local time)), making it cheaper from a cost standpoint to run those tasks then also.

-AV runs scheduled scans at night

-Windows updates run at night so they don't bother me

-If I need my computer remotely I can get to it

-Computers don't really use much electricity now

-Powering it off just to help Go Green is a crap reason

My home PC is usually on for maybe 6 hrs or so a day during the week. Seems pointless to have it on doing essentially nothing for the other 18 hours.

 

I wouldn't leave a light on just because I'm too lazy to flick a switch. I wouldn't leave heating or air con on if I'm not at home. I wouldn't leave my car running while I run into the store because I'm too lazy to turn the ignition when I get back. Seems stupid therefore to leave my PC running for most of the day when I'm not there.

 

I found the "it uses so little power" comments interesting. That's true...until millions of people use that same approach. The total power "waste" becomes enormous. It might only cost you a few dollars a year in "extra power" but that'll equate to a lot of coal, gas, oil, uranium for no practical reason whatsoever.

 

Similarly "i can't wait" comments. Hilarious excuses. A decent PC even with mechanical drives will boot up in well under a minute. You must all be really popular with the girls if you can't wait a minute.

I thought SSD were not supposed to be "slept"?

 

I shut down because it may only be ?1 a year leaving it on, but that ?1 I'd rather spend on a large chocolate bar or drink...

 

Plus, I am simply not a wasteful person.  A PC being on doing nothing for me may as well be off.  SSD boots in under 20 seconds so I can wait that long while I turn the speakers on behind me.

 

This is the first time I am hearing this.  What makes you think SSDs should not be put to sleep?

It does things in my absence on my behalf.

 

For a real answer though, shutting down and power up electronics can be hard on them due to the heat they create. If you get your computer hot then shut it down, and keep repeating, it stresses the components more than remaining at a consistent temperature. Microsofts 360 was a good example of that, as when you shut down hot things and remove their cooling they actually get hotter before they cool. In addition to this, waiting 60-90 seconds to boot and login to just check your mail isn't fun, so those without SSDs opt for sleep/hibernate with a 5 sec-resume time.

I believe most laptops will stop charging the battery once its topped up and remain powered by the mains till enough power has drained from the battery.

Oh, so that's why my laptop keeps going to "not charging" and then once it hits 95% it recharges. Thanks!

 

For a real answer though, shutting down and power up electronics can be hard on them due to the heat they create. If you get your computer hot then shut it down, and keep repeating, it stresses the components more than remaining at a consistent temperature.

 

Yep, and 90% of all electronic component failures occur at one of two times: Powering on and powering off.

At work my PC is always left on, as most of the time I have things running overnight - OCR, image adjustments etc.

 

At home the only time I leave my PC on is if I am downloading or if I want to watch something that is on my PC on my phone while I am in bed.

I usually shut my home pc off at night, but not if I know I'm going to use it again shortly.

 

Home Microserver is usually off these-days, But I keep a Nas running but that's about it for home.

That said I have a load of servers running 24x7 in co-lo including a couple that really do spend a lot of their life idling away.

Seems I'm in the minority here. I shut my PC down when I've finished with it; I use it for maybe 1-2hrs a day on average so why have it sat there doing nothing for 22-23 hours running up my electricity bill? I have an SSD boot disk and a UEFI BIOS so from cold start I can be on the desktop in about 12 seconds. I used to leave the PC on 24/7 when I crunched for WCG but I stopped crunching a few years ago due to the cost and excessive heat in the summer.

The last time I regularly "shut down" my PC was when the case had a huge red throw switch on the side to turn it off. I think I had also just recently got a fancy "Sound Blaster" add on card that allowed my PC to produce real sound instead of those "PC Speaker" beeps.

You don't shut down a tablet, nor do you shut down a smartphone. So why still shut down a PC? Shut down has little meaning today than it once had.

 

Your PC doesn't run off batteries. If my tablet or smartphone was wired directly to the mains, I'd shut it down too.

My quickbooks computer is a laptop that runs with the lid closed that is accessed via RDP from all my other computers.. I always have it on so when a customer wakes me up in the morning I can go straight to my computer and not have the customer wait while I turn my computers on.

I understand most points here about keeping the computer on. I fail to understand those folks who use boot time as an excuse. My computer boots in seconds. Are we now living in a world where people can't wait a few seconds for something? That is pretty disturbing when you think about it. There is no reason that the average/gamer user can't wait a few seconds.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • AI is indeed eliminating jobs, and Oracle just proved it by Hamid Ganji There’s no question that AI has become the hottest trend in workplaces, and every company is trying to adopt AI-driven solutions across its operations. While some industry leaders repeatedly say AI won’t lead to massive layoffs, recent data suggest that AI is actually one of the main reasons some companies are reducing their workforce. According to Oracle’s annual regulatory filing, the company has laid off about 21,000 employees, or 13% of its workforce, amid increasing AI adoption. “The adoption and deployment of AI technologies across our operations have resulted, and may continue to result, in reductions to our workforce,” Oracle said in the filing. The software giant now has approximately 141,000 full-time employees, a notable decrease from 162,000 during the same period last year. Restructuring expenses, including severance payments, cost Oracle $1.84 billion in fiscal 2026. Additionally, around 49,000 Oracle employees were based in the U.S., while approximately 92,000 were employed internationally. Like many other companies, Oracle has fully embraced AI and concentrated much of its efforts on the technology. The company is also a key participant in the United States’ $500 billion Stargate Project, which aims to build multiple AI data centers across the country. When it comes to AI adoption and its impact on the workforce, opinions remain divided. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, whose company has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI boom, recently said in an interview that attributing job cuts to AI is a “lazy” narrative. “The narrative that connects AI to job loss, for many of the CEOs that are doing it – it is just too lazy. AI has just arrived, how is it possible they're already losing jobs?” Huang said. However, statistics and recent reports tell a different story. According to Layoffs.fyi, 196 tech companies have laid off about 119,800 employees so far this year. Reducing staff and replacing roles with AI agents could become one of the most significant trends in the job market in the years ahead.
    • Zoom Workplace 7.1.0.41345 by Razvan Serea Zoom Workplace for Windows is a reliable video conferencing tool that makes it easy to connect and collaborate. With features like messaging, file sharing, and app integrations, it’s designed to streamline teamwork. You’ll get high-quality audio and video, strong security with end-to-end encryption, and an intuitive interface—all of which help remote teams and businesses stay productive and connected. Zoom Workplace key features: High-Definition Video & Audio: Provides clear, reliable communication for virtual meetings. End-to-End Encryption: Ensures secure communication with strong data protection. Multi-Factor Authentication: Adds an extra layer of security for user accounts. Integration with Productivity Apps: Supports seamless integration with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and more. File Sharing: Easily share files during meetings for efficient collaboration. Real-Time Messaging: Enables team chat for ongoing communication. Collaborative Whiteboarding: Allows teams to brainstorm and collaborate visually. Webinar Support: Host large webinars with interactive features. Administrative Controls: Manage user permissions, meeting settings, and security features. Cloud Storage: Automatically stores meetings and files in the cloud for easy access. Cross-Platform Support: Available on Windows, macOS, and mobile devices. Meeting features: Virtual Backgrounds: Customize your background for meetings to maintain privacy or enhance professionalism. Touch Up My Appearance: Automatically smoothens skin tone for a more polished video appearance. Breakout Rooms: Divide meetings into smaller sessions for group discussions or workshops. Live Transcription: Automatically generate real-time captions during meetings for accessibility. Zoom Apps: Integrate third-party applications directly into Zoom for enhanced functionality. Meeting Reactions: Participants can use emojis for quick, non-verbal feedback during meetings. Polling: Conduct live polls during meetings to gather instant feedback from participants. Attention Tracking: Monitors participant attention during meetings to ensure engagement. Closed Captioning: Enable manual or automatic captions for a more inclusive experience. Webinar Replay: Record and share webinars with analytics for audience engagement. Download: Zoom 64-bit | 145.0 MB (Free, paid upgrade available) Links: Zoom Website | Zoom ARM64 | Zoom Installers | Release Notes Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • UK funds £60M AI labs to challenge US tech dominance with open-source models by Paul Hill The UK government has awarded £60 million to Oxford University and University College London to help keep the country in the AI race by focusing on open-source, low-hardware alternatives. This is in stark contrast to the expensive, closed-source, and high-hardware-requirement models being created in the United States and elsewhere. The money will be shared among two new academic research labs over six years to help them redesign the fundamental mathematics and architectures of AI to help the UK reduce its reliance on a handful of US tech firms. Commenting on the development, AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said: Initially, the government planned to fund just one lab with a £40 million investment, but with this update, two labs will now get access to a larger pool of funds. The labs are expected to invest in the top AI researchers at every career stage, with £2 million per lab being set aside for hiring at least ten doctoral students. The government hopes that this will grow the UK’s talent in the field of AI. The labs are also expected to work closely with the leaders in British AI research, such as the Alan Turing Institute and UKRI’s AI research hubs. This will allow the various teams to collaborate and create new solutions faster than they could alone. This development is pretty interesting for a number of reasons, chiefly that it could create a long-term challenge for US tech firms if these labs successfully scale these open-source architectures that bypass the proprietary ecosystems. It could also give British businesses and public sector organizations access to AI features without paying high licensing fees to foreign providers or needing to invest in specialized server infrastructure.
    • If I were them, I'm gonna hold out until the prices of these semiconductor parts normalize. $1,049 for a ~5 year old hardware is DoA, more so for gamers. On a deeper note, if Steam Machine is priced like this, we are soo effed up for the next gen Xbox console and PS6. With great AAA titles releasing at the end of the year, this just creates more demand...and more tears for me. Lol.
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      nates earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Almohandis earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Rookie
      dorf went up a rank
      Rookie
    • First Post
      mike_rumble earned a badge
      First Post
    • Dedicated
      tuben earned a badge
      Dedicated
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      464
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      183
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      97
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      89
    5. 5
      neufuse
      70
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!