Computers On 24/7

[Martin]

Regarding screen burn, it was a big problem with monochrome monitors manufactured during the 1970s-80s. Some color monitors are still susceptible to such a defect, but if yours is fairly recent (any time during the 90s), then there isn't need for much of a worry. But it's always good to do some preventative maintenance. A static screensaver is just as bad as leaving the monitor on a static menu.

My machine is pretty much on 24/7, except whenever I have to perform hardware upgrades, or clean out the fan and case internals (which I do at least once a week). PSUs are fairly easy for me to come by, and I still got 3 years of "guaranteed" life left on my hard drive (on average, mine usually last anywhere from 6-8 years depending on its usage, but one of the old ones in my machine is still running after nearly 11 years).

 

[Harper]

Anyway, i was wondering. How many of you leave your computers running 24 hours a day? How many of you shut your pc off when you go to bed or leave the house

My computers are only on when I need then to be on.

SUPERSONICB!+C# is the computer I tend to leave on when I am doing those long downloads. So i have been known to be left on (on average) 1 1/2 days straight. Any thing over that (currently) is considered longer than usual.
This computer i have set it up for my FTP, Teleport Pro, Bit Torrent and iMesh and any other exceptionally big downloads (files from about 600 Mb onwards)

PYZCHOB!+C# being my main computer. That is only left on when i need it. This would be on avarage 3 to 6 hours per day. This is normally when I get home to when I go to bed. If I do have this computer downloading via Download Excellerator, then I do have it set up for auto shut down.


One thing that I can not stand (considering that I am the person that looks after the electricity bills) is people that seem to love their screen savers. Screen Savers are fine in opinion as long as they do not screw over what you have working in the back ground. But if you know that are going to be away for any thing more than 30 minutes to an hour, then it just best of turn off your monitor.
I have both of my computer set to turn of monitor after 20 minutes.

My last 3 house mates had this bad habit of leaving their computer and CRT monitors on all the time. And most of the time, the computers where not doing any thing.
Okay, House Mate No. 1 (2002), was on some hacked dial up account and was know to tie up the only phone line for about 2 or 3 days straight so he could download the latest CS Mods. He does like the monitor to auto shut off, but he would get to activate it (let alone just turn the monitor off)
House Mate No. 2 (2003) played alot of EverQuest. However he was also a heavy clubber and a uni student. He would just leave is computer and CRT monitor on with no screen saver. He would be gone for about 3 days at a rave and a recovery party afterwards, and he would get the shits with me if I turned his monitor off. Now 90% of the part from this computer is SUPERSONICB!+C# and he gave it to me to cover bills when he left. I am AMAZED that the monitor did not have the Everquest Wallpaper (He never changed his wall paper) burnt into the BenQ 17" CRT considering it was left on for most of the the duration that he was here for.
(BTW, i do use this example as a sales pitch to get people to by BenQ CRTs)
As for Flatmate No. 3 (2002 to Now), he does love the sight of his Transformer Screen Saver on his CRT...... even when he is away at work.

And at the end of the day, I am the guy that is stuck collecting money from ever one else for the electricity bill.

I don't mind the computer being left on 24 / 7, but please turn off the CRT.

 

[Harper]

Screen savers have two purposes. One, they are used for security purposes. You can set a password for your screen saver and if you are away from your computer for a few minutes then the screen saver will kick in. If you move the mouse (to stop the screen saver) then you are prompted for a password.

DITTO. As I perfer to be only person in the house tha can touch my computer.
HOUSE MATE :- "What's the password for your computer"
ME :- "The password is there for a reason. You work out the rest."

However, from a Techie's point of view, it does shit me when I have the Corporate wanting you to fix the computer, and yet he will not give you the password. Or at least change it or disable it.

I do remember one time going over to this corporate's office, he was not there.
(via mobile phone)
ME :- "What's the password?"
CORP :- "Can not tell you that. I'll be back in about 45 minutes"
ME :- "I am billing you for that 45 minutes"
Hour and a half later at $80 + GST per hour.............

Two, they prevent screen burn. If an image is constant on your monitor then that image will eventually "burn"into your monitor and you will constantly see that "ghost" image at all times. A screen saver prevents a 'constant' image on your screen by placing moving images on your screen at a set idle time.

BenQ 17" V722 Monitor.
Last housemate never turned is computer off, and never believed in screen savers, and always had the same EVERQUEST Background pattern. For the 8 months that he was here, the computer was about 90% of time. 50% of the time he was infrom it of it. So that is about 4 month of computer idol time with the same girl from EverQuest in the background. NO BURN!!! NO GHOST IMAGE.
And I shit you not this.

How ever, I do believe that the monitor's over all life has been shorten because of the containt abuse.

I don't know if this applies to the new flat panel monitors. I don't know if they get screen burn or not.

Plasma Displays, Yes. As they can run very hot. Not sure on TFTs.

 

[Ares]

Hehe. Screen burn. Hmmm.

I'm glad to see i started such a popular topic.

 

[Harper]

A freind of mine when I was in collage was trying to set up NT Server on this old computer. It was a P100, with about 12Mb Ram.

8 hours later of the same set up screen, the following error message comes up
"Windows NT Server Requires Minium 16Mb Ram"

And in the process he burns his screen in.

 

[killians45]

Screen burn was very bad on older systems. Old EGA/CGA/Mono... the newer monitors with 'green' support don't really exhibit this. I guess once in a blue moon it may happen. The hardest would be other hardware failure, rather from depixel, RBG or intensity gun failure, and what not. Its always best to either screen save or power save the monitor, and it's just not due to screen burn (unless you have a DVI to tv or something, I THINK they have a habit of getting screen burn)

 

[hilowe]

I thought someone had told me that flat screens had problems with screenburn as well.

My two desktops don't get turned off. They do get rebooted occasionally. The old one has a 17" Compaq monitor that gets turned off when I'm not around, and my new one has a flat screen that I also turn off.

My wife is another story. She just walks away from the computers when she's done, so I had to turn the powersave features back on for my monitors. (Especially the old one, too big a power hog)

 

[dan]

the secreen burn is like sunburn. U stay out for too long the sunburns you and your nice and red. You put a umbrella over you you dont burn.
In the screeen burn point of veiw; you leave it on the screen burns into the monitor (sunburn). You put a screen saver over it, it doesnt burn (no sunburn)

 

[HardKore{Killa}]

i cant leave my computer on 24/7 because it kinda old and its got really loud fans which makes it noisy and everyone in my house complains that it to loud so when i get my new one which will be quieter i will leave that on 24/7

 

[FireFox]

You do that. =P