Should a laptop be switched off when not in use?

1. 92

   innerspinposted 11 years ago

   Should a laptop be switched off when not in use?
   
   My laptop is two and a half years old. It's just started having an intermittent problem with rainbow stripes appearing on screen. They go away when I change the screen angle. My husband now says (after two and a half years) I should be switching it off when not in use, rather than let it go into hibernation mode. Is that right? I didn't think leaving it on was a problem. Note, it is switched off overnight.

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2. 61

   LindaSmith1posted 11 years ago

   Absolutely. Laptops overheat, can cause fires. I read a story where a man had gone to take a nap, while visiting family. He left the laptop on the bed which caught fire. His parents lost their home, and he lost his life.
   
   During the day/evening while awake, if I want to take a break, I will shut mine down in hibernate mode. That way when I sign on, my sites that were open, are still open.
   
   When I am done, I log completely off, shut down and unplug. Power surges can kill laptops to even when off if they are still  plugged into and outlet.

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   1. 92

      innerspinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, sounds like what I'm doing. Overnight it's switched off and unplugged, the power cable is also switched off at the socket.

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3. 64

   Oneitposted 11 years ago

   Hi Innerspin,
   
   Sounds like you have a problem with the laptop, not because it has been left on though. Most likely it is an issue with a faulty batch of laptops that used cheap solder to attach the graphics chips. What happens is they get hot one day, not from being left on but from running an intensive program, or maybe having inadequate ventilation, like having it on the bed or your lap. Then the solder melts and the connection is no longer solid. My laptop has been running almost non stop for the last 18 months, it hardly ever gets a break and it's fine. Mine lives on a flat desk though so always has perfect ventilation.

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      innerspinposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, My laptop never seems to overheat, though it does get carried around at times. I'm always careful where it's left to rest. Will keep an eye on the intermittent problem.

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4. 72

   kkndeposted 11 years ago

   I think from time to time, your laptop needs a restart. From my experience, it is recomended a restart from time to time. Also, from my experience from hybernation the computers can have very strange behaviors, with no explanation, so re-start again recomended.

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