Article "Should I Turn Off My Computer"

[mwils51]

Why I recommend my customers leave their computer on. If the computer is turned off when does:

scheduled defrag ever run?
A/V definitions update?
Adode Reader update?
Flash update?
Windows update?
Printers update?
hdwr vendor  updates run?
Backups run?
other long list of tasks MS puts in task scheduler run?

I am a MSP provider, I keep my customers computers running well all the time by doing these and other maint task in the wee hours of the night. Many of my customers only have metered internet available to them like satellite. One of my selling points is I drive all these functions during their "bonus bytes" time which saves them on their daytime limited usage. And regardless, you don't want all the maintenance running while you are trying to use your computer.

Is your computer slow because it has been turned off for several days and everything is outdated and using your resources while you are trying to use your computer?

Seems like strange advice from a company concerned with making computers run with optimal performance.

BTW: You guys write great software!

[Boggin]

This may be okay for desktop machines but I wouldn't advise leaving a laptop on 24/7 where batteries are usually left in.

AV updates are auto and other updates usually need an UAC user input.

I've never received a prompt for an update for my printer even when it was supported.

Flash updates can be auto but Windows Update requires user interaction

I only use laptops and run an Analyse once a month on my HDD and only manually defrag if required, but where an user is using a SSD then the defrag schedule should be turned off as TRIM looks after those.

I think you should rethink the advice you are giving.

[mwils51]

This may be okay for desktop machines but I wouldn't advise leaving a laptop on 24/7 where batteries are usually left in.

I am not sure what your concern is. If you are concerned about wear on the battery, many laptops automatically cycle the battery if plugged in too long, but are you thinking the battery doesn't charge if the laptop is off? Because that is not true.

AV updates are auto and other updates usually need an UAC user input.

If the computer is on, there is a good chance AV is current when you start using it. If it is off, you can bet it is contending with your resources to update while you are using it. Many of the other products now have options for auto update. If those are selected, there is no need for a prompt.

I've never received a prompt for an update for my printer even when it was supported.

HP Update has never prompted you? You must not install it. ok

Flash updates can be auto but Windows Update requires user interaction

Windows update only requires user interaction for specific occasional updates, otherwise it applies updates automatically according to your settings with no user interaction needed at the scheduled time (usually 3am) or Windows 10 just does it's thing (non-business version) when it wants to.

I only use laptops and run an Analyse once a month on my HDD and only manually defrag if required, but where an user is using a SSD then the defrag schedule should be turned off as TRIM looks after those.

Who wants to sit and watch a defrag run and slow your computer down? Zero of my customers do, that is why I make sure maintenance is taken care of during off hours. I agree on the SSD, and some of the systems I support have them, most still don't

I think you should rethink the advice you are giving.

You haven't given me any reasons why I should do that. Look, I am not telling you specifically to not turn your computer off. Your computer is your computer. My main point is it is not nearly as black and white as the article states. It is not covering all the considerations. I have some of the computers I support set with the bios to automatically turn them on at a designated hour, I perform the maint. then I shut them down, but my experience is it is mostly only business grade desktops with that capability. Home computers generally do not have a bios power on schedule.

[Boggin]

I'm more concerned with a fire risk in leaving a laptop on overnight with the battery in, although I've done it for the Windows Updates after factory resetting my Win 7 laptop, but that is a rarity.

The reason HP has never prompted me is because I use an Epsom printer.

On a Win 7 machine you still have to allow the updates to download and install and most still require a reboot to complete.

I agree Win 10 drops in whatever and whenever it wants but the major ones still require a reboot and depending upon your settings, it doesn't auto restart but prompts you - at least it does for me.

I only defrag when the fragmentation is more than 2% but I could let it go longer.

I generally use the elevated cmd defrag /c and it goes through the lot just as the scheduled defrag does, but having more than one laptop, I'll be using another while that is going on although I appreciate most will only have the one machine.

I hope you also advise your clients to create regular system images, although after Redstone 3 update in Win 10, those of us who use Windows own system image will have to look for an alternative image creating program.

[mwils51]

"On a Win 7 machine you still have to allow the updates to download and install and most still require a reboot to complete."

Your options on Win 7 are:

• Never check for updates (not recommended)
• Install updates automatically (recommended)
• Download updates but let me choose whether to install them
• Never check for updates (not recommended)

If you have the recommended setting, it is automatic in the middle of the night. Then only updates requiring user approval like the MRT will ask for approval first.

For backups, I setup, run, monitor and check daily my customers StorageCraft ShadowProtect backups. Mostly I run them with forever incrementals. You have to know what you are doing to set them up properly, but it is backups that let me sleep at night. No better backup out there.

[Boggin]

I have my Win 7 updates set to Let me choose so that I can vet them as well as hiding the KB2952664 which is a Telemetry update that MS keep trying to sneak in.