At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend told me not
to do this and just leave it on. Secondly, I'm signed up for automatiic
updates - does the computer need to be on to do these or will it wait until
connected and then perform the updates? Thanks for your assistance.

Hi

I leave my PCs on 24/7 and have no problem with them. It's sometimes better
not to keep on turning them on/off every day. Depends on what time the Auto
Updates are set for?

--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

"Daniel James" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:658A4450-D0FC-4A3E-A4EB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend told me
> not
> to do this and just leave it on. Secondly, I'm signed up for automatiic
> updates - does the computer need to be on to do these or will it wait
> until
> connected and then perform the updates? Thanks for your assistance.

There are several schools of thought on this.

If the computer is a network server or a web server it is better to leave it
on continuously on the basis that it may be required at any time. There is
however, no need to keep a monitor on continuously. It was reckoned that a
CRT monitor drew more power than a computer. (I haven't seen figures to
substantiate that.) That is not now such a compulsive argument with flat
screens which draw much less power. However, it is still a good argument on
environmental if not economic grounds.

With a home or small office computer there may be no need to have a computer
running continuously. However, if it has a fax modem and it is expected
that faxes may be received at any time (for instance from other time zones)
there is a business case to the contrary. My comments above regarding
monitors still apply.

Another reason for not turning off the computer when not wanted is that
turning the computer on and off stresses the components. This may have been
true some years back but I'm not so sure this is a problem now. Again I
have not seen a case for this but it may be more of a theoretical rather
than a practical possibility.

Reasons given for turning the computer off when not wanted are economical
and environmental but I don't want to step into that arena!

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Daniel James" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:658A4450-D0FC-4A3E-A4EB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend told me
> not
> to do this and just leave it on. Secondly, I'm signed up for automatiic
> updates - does the computer need to be on to do these or will it wait
> until
> connected and then perform the updates? Thanks for your assistance.

Daniel James wrote:

> At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend
> told me not to do this and just leave it on.


This question is asked periodically and usually garners all sorts of fervent
responses, on both sides of the question. Some people never turn off their
computers, claiming turning them off can cause the hardware to fail sooner.
Others turn them on and off multiple times each day, to save electricity.

My view is that it doesn't matter very much either way, and you should do
what works best for you. Personally I power on once a day, when I get up in
the morning, and power off once a day, when I go to bed at night.


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

A1. Shutting down at the end of the day is up to you. On most modern
machines, the wear-and-tear of doing so is negligible.

<Devil's Advocate> Have you considered the expense of the additional
electricity you'll be using by leaving the machine running 24/7, let alone
the environmental consequences of doing so?

A2. If the machine isn't running and connected to the internet when AU is
next scheduled to check for updates, AU will do so when you start the
machine and connect to the internet.

Description of the Automatic Updates feature in Windows:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294871

How to configure and use Automatic Updates in WinXP:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306525

How to schedule automatic updates in WinXP, Win2K and Win2K03
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=327838
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org

Daniel James wrote:
> At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend told me
> not to do this and just leave it on. Secondly, I'm signed up for
> automatiic updates - does the computer need to be on to do these or will
> it wait until connected and then perform the updates? Thanks for your
> assistance.

Thanks for your assistance.

"Will Denny" wrote:

> Hi
>
> I leave my PCs on 24/7 and have no problem with them. It's sometimes better
> not to keep on turning them on/off every day. Depends on what time the Auto
> Updates are set for?
>
> --
>
>
> Will Denny
> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
> Please reply to the News Groups
>
> "Daniel James" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:658A4450-D0FC-4A3E-A4EB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend told me
> > not
> > to do this and just leave it on. Secondly, I'm signed up for automatiic
> > updates - does the computer need to be on to do these or will it wait
> > until
> > connected and then perform the updates? Thanks for your assistance.
>
>
>

Thanks for your assistance.

"Bill Ridgeway" wrote:

> There are several schools of thought on this.
>
> If the computer is a network server or a web server it is better to leave it
> on continuously on the basis that it may be required at any time. There is
> however, no need to keep a monitor on continuously. It was reckoned that a
> CRT monitor drew more power than a computer. (I haven't seen figures to
> substantiate that.) That is not now such a compulsive argument with flat
> screens which draw much less power. However, it is still a good argument on
> environmental if not economic grounds.
>
> With a home or small office computer there may be no need to have a computer
> running continuously. However, if it has a fax modem and it is expected
> that faxes may be received at any time (for instance from other time zones)
> there is a business case to the contrary. My comments above regarding
> monitors still apply.
>
> Another reason for not turning off the computer when not wanted is that
> turning the computer on and off stresses the components. This may have been
> true some years back but I'm not so sure this is a problem now. Again I
> have not seen a case for this but it may be more of a theoretical rather
> than a practical possibility.
>
> Reasons given for turning the computer off when not wanted are economical
> and environmental but I don't want to step into that arena!
>
> Regards.
>
> Bill Ridgeway
> Computer Solutions
>
> "Daniel James" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:658A4450-D0FC-4A3E-A4EB-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend told me
> > not
> > to do this and just leave it on. Secondly, I'm signed up for automatiic
> > updates - does the computer need to be on to do these or will it wait
> > until
> > connected and then perform the updates? Thanks for your assistance.
>
>
>

Thanks for your assistance.

"PA Bear" wrote:

> A1. Shutting down at the end of the day is up to you. On most modern
> machines, the wear-and-tear of doing so is negligible.
>
> <Devil's Advocate> Have you considered the expense of the additional
> electricity you'll be using by leaving the machine running 24/7, let alone
> the environmental consequences of doing so?
>
> A2. If the machine isn't running and connected to the internet when AU is
> next scheduled to check for updates, AU will do so when you start the
> machine and connect to the internet.
>
> Description of the Automatic Updates feature in Windows:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294871
>
> How to configure and use Automatic Updates in WinXP:
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=306525
>
> How to schedule automatic updates in WinXP, Win2K and Win2K03
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=327838
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE, Shell/User, Security), Aumha.org VSOP, DTS-L.org
>
> Daniel James wrote:
> > At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend told me
> > not to do this and just leave it on. Secondly, I'm signed up for
> > automatiic updates - does the computer need to be on to do these or will
> > it wait until connected and then perform the updates? Thanks for your
> > assistance.
>
>

Thanks for your assistance.

"Ken Blake" wrote:

> Daniel James wrote:
>
> > At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend
> > told me not to do this and just leave it on.
>
>
> This question is asked periodically and usually garners all sorts of fervent
> responses, on both sides of the question. Some people never turn off their
> computers, claiming turning them off can cause the hardware to fail sooner.
> Others turn them on and off multiple times each day, to save electricity.
>
> My view is that it doesn't matter very much either way, and you should do
> what works best for you. Personally I power on once a day, when I get up in
> the morning, and power off once a day, when I go to bed at night.
>
>
> --
> Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
> Please reply to the newsgroup
>
>
>

Thanks for your assistance.

"Ken Blake" wrote:

> Daniel James wrote:
>
> > At the end of each day I used to shut down my computer. A friend
> > told me not to do this and just leave it on.
>
>
> This question is asked periodically and usually garners all sorts of fervent
> responses, on both sides of the question. Some people never turn off their
> computers, claiming turning them off can cause the hardware to fail sooner.
> Others turn them on and off multiple times each day, to save electricity.
>
> My view is that it doesn't matter very much either way, and you should do
> what works best for you. Personally I power on once a day, when I get up in
> the morning, and power off once a day, when I go to bed at night.
>
>
> --
> Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
> Please reply to the newsgroup
>
>
>