I haven't had a hard drive die mechanically on me in the 6 years that I've started leaving my systems running all the time.

That's been about my experience...leave 'em running 24/7...

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Of course, leaving your drive on non-stop for 24/7 will kill it too, especially if you don't have enough cooling.

Although leaving it spinning WITH cooling all the time is really the best solution. I haven't had a hard drive die mechanically on me in the 6 years that I've started leaving my systems running all the time. Anecdotal evidence, but it's enough to satisfy me.


Plus it's an excuse to run a Distributed Computing project like Folding@Home all the time. Now if everyone did THAT when they leave their computers on, hell yeah.


Edit: Forgot to mention that that's ~6 hard drives of different makes and capacities as well. Including a pair of the dreaded Deathstars. I got some of the few good ones, apparently.
This comment was edited on Nov 17, 14:10.

You know motherboards or something have a limited number of bootups before they stop working

Actually, that's very true for hard drives. The motors will give out after spinning up a few ten thousand times (for desktop drives; laptop drives are designed for several hundred thousand). Typical numbers are 15-30k for desktop drives and 100-300k for laptop drives.

And if you doubt me, then just set your drive to go to sleep after 1-2 mins of inactivity and then setup something to hit it every 3-4 minutes. Your drive will die inside a few months, as people have discovered the hard way.

Of course, leaving your drive on non-stop for 24/7 will kill it too, especially if you don't have enough cooling.

You'd think so. Except you know, if nothing else, just turning the thing off wouldn't hurt either.

Yes it would! You know motherboards or something have a limited number of bootups before they stop working... the risk is far too great.

Just remember, your next boot could be your last! Keep that PC on 24x7!

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"Oh how awful. Did he at least die peacefully? To shreds you say. Well, how's his wife holding up? To shreds you say."

Leaving computers on is the least of our concerns for global warming.

You'd think so. Except you know, if nothing else, just turning the thing off wouldn't hurt either.

Leaving computers on is the least of our concerns for global warming.

You two must live in the city.

I live in the mountains and it is very unnerving to see no snow. Each year for the last 5 years the winter season has been getting shorter.

Way to many people just leave thier computers on out of laziness.
A huge spike in hydro bills is what is needed to get people to get thier head out of thier ass and see the growing problem outside the computer room they live in.

Sure, I have nothing against Billy G tossing any unwanted cash my way.... still, as far as this article is concerned, it would be best if they just banned idiots like that from breeding and that would save a lot of emissions, too....

So, Microsoft should issue a software upgrade to every computer running Microsoft Windows worldwide. The upgrade would adjust the machine's energy-saving settings for maximum efficiency. Of course, this upgrade would have to allow critical systems to opt out. Nobody wants air traffic control computers to suddenly go into deep hibernation. But correcting for critical systems should be very simple for a company that churns out millions of lines of code every year.

Brilliant, force everyone's machine to into hybernate mode. Putting the monitor on standby after 30 mins and powering down the hard drive after 1 hour of idle time by default might be OK, but forced hibernate, no. They're better off having Bill Gates buy everyone fluorescent light bulbs.