Should I leave it on or turn it off?

Turn it off when not in use! You turn your TV, radio and other devices off so shut that computer down! There are always 2 sides to the issue and I believe the reasons to shut it off outweigh the reasons to leave it on, this includes leaving your system in "sleep" or "standby" mode. There are exceptions to the rule but these people know how to configure their systems and use backup power sources.

Another reason you should shut your system down is memory leakage. When you run a program it grabs a chunk of memory to use and it is suppose to free up the memory when you close it, but sometimes it doesn't release all the memory and it becomes unavailable for other programs to use. When this happens your resources may become low and your computer sluggish. Re-starting the unit will solve this problem. When you just place your system in "suspend" mode it won't refresh your memory.

When you get an error message or other computer problem, the first thing you need to ask yourself is, what have you changed or installed. If you turn your computer off everyday you only have to remember the last 24 hours but if you keep your system on and the error occurs after a reboot you have to remember everything that you did since the last time you rebooting your system which could be days, weeks or even months!

Your computer contains at least one fan if not more. These fans suck in air along with dust. Even if you have a very clean environment, the longer they run the dirtier they get inside.

TURN IT ON WHEN YOU USE IT AND TURN IT OFF WHEN YOU DON'T

updated 05/2006