steves@tekgen.BV.TEK.COM (Steve Shellans) (07/14/88)
My question concerns devices such as PC's and laser printers that have both electronic _and mechanical_ components. To maximize their life expectancy, when should they be turned off? At the end of every day? For weekends only? Only when they will be out of use for a week or more? Never?? (As I understand it, the issue is as follows. Electronic components suffer most of their wear when they are powered-up. Therefore, the longest life can be realized by never turning them off. Exception -- damaging power surges. On the other hand, mechanical components, such as hard disk drives, wear out as a function of total hours of use.) I have asked some people around the company and have received _opinions_ in all of the above categories. I don't think that more _opinions_ will help decide this issue. However, if you have some facts/data, I think a lot of people would be interested in hearing from you on this matter. I know that I would. Steve Shellans Tektronix, Beaverton OR tektronix!tekgen!steves
smh@mhuxu.UUCP (S. M. Henning) (07/23/88)
In article <3226@tekgen.BV.TEK.COM>, steves@tekgen.BV.TEK.COM (Steve Shellans) writes: > To maximize their life expectancy, when should they be turned off? > At the end of every day? For weekends only? Only when they will > be out of use for a week or more? Never?? > > (As I understand it, the issue is as follows. Electronic components > suffer most of their wear when they are powered-up. Therefore, the > longest life can be realized by never turning them off. Exception -- > damaging power surges. On the other hand, mechanical components, such > as hard disk drives, wear out as a function of total hours of use.) The limiting factor in Penna is not component life but lightning strikes. Perhaps in Oregon, this is not a major factor most of the year, but here it is either lightning or ice/snow storms which cause gross power fluctuations which crash hard disks. The rule of the thumb I use is that if there is a chance I will not be able to get back to my equipment in case of a storm, I will shut everything down. The only component which has a finite life and doesn't like power up is the crt. The other components basically should be left on during periods of use and shut off during periods when not used like over night and weekends. Many people leave their hard disks on all the time but they risk crashes and eventually wear out the mechanical parts. **** Lang May Your Lum Reek **** Steve Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA UUCP: att!mhuxu!smh
SweetSurrender@cup.portal.com (07/24/88)
Tell me, if your computer is on, how do you turn a hard disk (internal) OFF??? I mean...you can park it...but it's still on. So, what should someone do to protect the hard disk? -SweetSurrender@cup.portal.com