Windows XP PC Maximum Runtime

[Biju]

How long a PC can run with Windows XP with out restart ? Is there any maximum
number of days a PC can run with out restarting it ? some birds told me
Windows cannot run more than n number of days and it has to be restarted in
order to run it continuously. I would like to validate the reliability of
this information.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

How long a PC can run with Windows XP with out restart ? Is there any
maximum
number of days a PC can run with out restarting it ? some birds told me
Windows cannot run more than n number of days and it has to be restarted
in
order to run it continuously. I would like to validate the reliability of
this information.

This is a myth. Machines based on the Windows NT engine (Windows NT, 2000,
XP, Vista) will run for weeks or even months. It depends on the quality of
the machine and on the type of applications and drivers that are loaded.
Some are well written and stable, others are not. My current PC is an IBM
Thinkpad and it's been running for 7 days. I expect it to continue running
until I have to reboot it because of some update.

 

[Alias]

This is a myth. Machines based on the Windows NT engine (Windows NT, 2000,
XP, Vista) will run for weeks or even months. It depends on the quality of
the machine and on the type of applications and drivers that are loaded.
Some are well written and stable, others are not. My current PC is an IBM
Thinkpad and it's been running for 7 days. I expect it to continue running
until I have to reboot it because of some update.

In short, one has to reboot once a month or more.

Alias

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

In short, one has to reboot once a month or more.

Alias

No, you don't unless it is for external reasons such as an update that
requires a reboot. It is common for Windows Servers to run for several
months, probably because they only run applications and drivers that meet
stringent quality rules. Although Windows workstations (e.g. Windows XP) are
built on the same Windows engine, they have to cope with a far greater
diversity of applications and drivers, which can have a detrimental effect
on their stability.

 

[Alias]

No, you don't unless it is for external reasons such as an update that
requires a reboot.

Which occur at least once a month.

It is common for Windows Servers to run for several
months, probably because they only run applications and drivers that meet
stringent quality rules. Although Windows workstations (e.g. Windows XP) are
built on the same Windows engine, they have to cope with a far greater
diversity of applications and drivers, which can have a detrimental effect
on their stability.

Every month there are updates that need a reboot to complete. I stand by
my statement. I assumed, since the OP used the term "PC" and not
"server" that we are discussing PCs, not servers.

Alias

 

[John K.Eason]

Every month there are updates that need a reboot to complete. I

stand by my statement. I assumed, since the OP used the term "PC"
and not "server" that we are discussing PCs, not servers.

The XP updates this month (July) did *not* require a reboot here...

Regards
John ([email protected]) Remove the obvious to reply...

 

[DL]

My sys has just been updated without the need for a restart

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Which occur at least once a month.


Every month there are updates that need a reboot to complete. I stand by
my statement. I assumed, since the OP used the term "PC" and not "server"
that we are discussing PCs, not servers.

Alias

The OP's statement was: "Windows cannot run more than n number of days". I
repeatedly said that the statement is a myth: Windows can run much longer
unless *external* reasons require a reboot. An update is an external reason.
Furthermore, you can take it or leave it.

 

[John John - MVP]

Which occur at least once a month.


Every month there are updates that need a reboot to complete. I stand by
my statement. I assumed, since the OP used the term "PC" and not
"server" that we are discussing PCs, not servers.

There is no rule written in stone that you *must* absolutely install
updates every month, if you want you can go for months or even years
without ever installing a hotfix. For example, some computers are
dedicated to run certain equipment or machinery don't need any updates
and they can run practically for ever without a reboot.

John

 

[John John - MVP]

Like Pegasus said, unless you do certain hardware or operating system
changes, or unless you have buggy drivers or applications, there is no
set n_days after which NT type operating systems require a reboot.
Windows 95 actually had a bug that required it to be rebooted after
forty some days but NT operating systems have never had any such bug.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/pnppwr/pnp/no_reboot.mspx#E2B
Circumstances that Require a Reboot

 

[Alias]

The XP updates this month (July) did *not* require a reboot here...

Regards
John ([email protected]) Remove the obvious to reply...

But you rebooted anyway, right ;-)

Alias

 

[Alias]

The OP's statement was: "Windows cannot run more than n number of days". I
repeatedly said that the statement is a myth: Windows can run much longer
unless *external* reasons require a reboot. An update is an external reason.
Furthermore, you can take it or leave it.

With that caveat, you're right.

Alias

 

[Alias]

There is no rule written in stone that you *must* absolutely install
updates every month, if you want you can go for months or even years
without ever installing a hotfix. For example, some computers are
dedicated to run certain equipment or machinery don't need any updates
and they can run practically for ever without a reboot.

John

I doubt that the OP is using his computer for that purpose.

Alias

 

[John John - MVP]

I doubt that the OP is using his computer for that purpose.

And several respondents have said that they have installed the latest
updates without needing to reboot their machines. So there you go,
there is no set number of days after which you must reboot an NT type
computer, which is what the OP wanted to know in the first place.

John

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

How long a PC can run with Windows XP with out restart ? Is there any maximum
number of days a PC can run with out restarting it ? some birds told me
Windows cannot run more than n number of days and it has to be restarted in
order to run it continuously. I would like to validate the reliability of
this information.

What the birds told you is incorrect. There is no fixed number of
days. How long you can run without rebooting depends on lots of
things, especially how it's configured, what applications you run, and
how much it gets used.

 

[Unknown]

Now you're quibbling. Reboot is not required till you update and then must
reboot to activate the updates.
If you don't update you can go for years without rebooting.

 

[Jose]

How long a PC can run with Windows XP with out restart ? Is there any maximum
number of days  a PC can run with out restarting it ? some birds told me
Windows cannot run more than n number of days and it has to be restarted in
order to run it continuously. I would like to validate the reliability of
this information.

If you install something that requires a reboot, do it.

If your system becomes unstable after n days and a reboot resolves the
issue, then it is likely some application or program running that
needs some attention you will not be able to provide unless you are
the author of the program.

Figure out what n days to the need for an instability reboot is and
schedule and plan your reboot x days prior to that and make that your
routine so you don't have an unscheduled downtime.

 

[HeyBub]

In short, one has to reboot once a month or more.

Alias

Nonsense. We have at least one XP machine (that acts as a file server) that
hasn't re-booted in over six months.

 

[Leythos]

How long a PC can run with Windows XP with out restart ? Is there any maximum
number of days a PC can run with out restarting it ? some birds told me
Windows cannot run more than n number of days and it has to be restarted in
order to run it continuously. I would like to validate the reliability of
this information.

I've seen XP computers run over a year without a reboot in industrial
settings with a quality UPS - they don't do updates unless the software
requires them.

My own XP computers are rebooted about once a month, only because I
sometimes apply critical updates.

The issue is not really with XP, it's with third party apps that are
poorly written and/or poorly tested.

 

[Leythos]

In short, one has to reboot once a month or more.

Your inexperience is showing again, more than a dozen machines with more
than 1 year up-time.....