Sleep vs Shut Down

[JOKE]

Personally recommend using your PC for both FOLDING and downloading / uploading of internet content overnight if you can afford the electrical costs, else, seriously just shut down. This is better for your operating system in the long run, (you never know when a PC issue due to never shutting down could become a serious inconvenience), and boot times should never be something to worry about in regards to a home PC (laptops and other devices while on the go can be a different story). You just need to take the boot time into consideration and power up such that your system is ready when you need it. 

[ragedev]

I have sleep and wake timers so it sleeps at midnight and wakes at 9

[rashdanml]

I leave it on, but it goes to sleep within 30 minutes. Sleep mode takes up very little power for it to make a serious dent in my annual electricity bill. 

[Logun]

Just curious - does it cost a noticeable amount to leave it on? Does it wear anything out? Does it put it more at risk to hackers if it is always on?

[Guest]

I never leave it on for more than 12 hours.

[MogIsWinning]

Just don't do it unless it's ment to be on 24/7

[BonBon Scott]

I don't run my PC 24/7, mainly because I have no reason to have it on all the time. I turn it on to use it and thats it.

[FloRolf]

Pc is on 24/7, folding 24/7.

i rarely reboot, only when i have lots of updates waiting for a reboot

[DoubleY]

Most peoples computers probably use around 75watts at idle (even less if in hibernation). So unless you get charged a ridiculous amount of money for electricity, it pretty much costs nothing. 

Leaving your PC does put wear on the parts, but it's nothing you'll ever notice. The Hard Drive would be the only thing I would be considered about leaving on (you can set it to spin down after X amount of minutes)

I wouldn't even worry about hackers getting into your computer unless you're someone important (let's face it, Linus and Luke are the only semi-important people on this forum) 

[n0ah1897]

I typically leave my PC on 24/7 because I fold, but for some reason my PC won't come out of sleep mode lately. I've been having to shut it down and restart for the past couple of days now and it is getting really annoying.

[Drown]

Mine is always one and has been for about 7-8 months, and my previous computer ran non-stop for about 2 years until I sold it. I reboot from time to time, after updates and things like that, and of course I'll turn it off when I'm away for a few days. 

 

No problem with hardware, it's made to run.

[Shd0w2]

All duh miners be like

[NJM1112]

I shut it down when i go to school for eight hours a day. There is no reason to have it on then.

[FireFox]

I usually leave mine on for around 2-3 days straight, when I'm not using it I have it CPU and GPU folding

[Guest]

I put mine on sleep when I'm not using it, I restart about once a week or when I'm gone for more than 24 hours.

[JAKEBAB]

Only leave it on when im downloading something.

[lachyman]

Why should it be on 24/7 when it just eats power for well...NOTHING, and since I have an SSD it takes it a few seconds to get to the start screen anyway.

[othertomperson]

I normally turn it on when I wake up and shut it down when I go to bed and leave it running in between. Don't really use boinc during the day in summer either because my room just gets unbearably warm.

[Manny Calavera]

turn off at night

[Ssoele]

Only when I really have to, I don't like reopening all my programs...

 

[Blade of Grass]

I turn it off unless I am using it, it uses a lot of power and creates heat.

[Pacioli]

I live in Texas so anything in the house that makes heat is worth turning off when not using.  It also uses a little power.  So unless you want your room / house / whatever a little warmer and use a little more electric power for no reason you can leave it on.  

[SeanAngelo]

i only run my computer whenever i need it, i never leave it on for more than 3 hours without using it

[fojacko]

Never understood why people leave it on 24/7, i get it for mining and such but for general usage, are people that lazy that they feel that they are unable to wait a few minutes (presuming they're on a mechanical drive) for their computer to boot. When i had a mechanical drive, i'd just boot my computer, go downstairs to the toilet and grab something to eat & drink, come back up and it was booted.

[Whiskers]

I try to keep it up and running 24/7 constantly to contribute to Folding, but have been forced to restart it every so often for vital updates or because of some frustrating bugs I've seen occur. Oh, and power cuts.

 

It does generate a fair amount of ambient heat in my room, but it's not much of an issue really. It's usually at a comfortable level and means I don't need to have my radiator on pretty much ever.