Leave It Running Or Shut It Down At Night?

iMas70 · Nov 18, 2012, 06:33 PM

I've always leave my computers running. My last PC has been on for a few years without being shut down. Any problem leaving Macs running all the time?

mwhities · Nov 18, 2012, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iMas70

I've always leave my computers running. My last PC has been on for a few years without being shut down. Any problem leaving Macs running all the time?

I leave my 09 (sig) on 24/7 (running headless) and my Macbook only sleeps when I close the lid. So I never really shut it off.

So keep it on.

rolsskk · Nov 18, 2012, 07:20 PM

I've always left my Minis running (or sleeping when inactive for awhile), no problems there.

oldtime · Nov 18, 2012, 10:43 PM

Have only shut down my Mini for updates since purchasing it in July. No problems whatsoever.

Ifti · Nov 19, 2012, 03:44 AM

My mini also runs headless 24/7.
They use next to nothing when in sleep mode anyway (electricity wise).

Macman45 · Nov 19, 2012, 03:49 AM

My iMac runs 24 / 7 both my MBP and MBA are shut down after use. Unlike many, unless I have an alarm call set, my IP5 gets shut down too.

dasx · Nov 19, 2012, 04:51 AM

Always ON. Sleep mode ON too. Due to ML f-ck up with sleep mode I gotta use caffeinate though.

I usually do a reboot every 3/4 days too.

DocBru · Nov 19, 2012, 03:15 PM

Since 23 hours of the day my mac mini would be idleing I shut it down. With the SSD it comes up so fast, that it doesn't matter to me.

blanka · Nov 19, 2012, 03:21 PM

Did you calculate how much cash you wasted on the electricity bill?
Turn it off. Any Mac boots within your first coffee.

phoenixsan · Nov 19, 2012, 03:28 PM

to my knowledge when you have good ventilation, no voltage fluctuactions and no running intensive apps (read/writing to HDD, RAM intensive or processor intensive tasks)

BingClawsby · Nov 19, 2012, 03:37 PM

like a washing machine, electric stove, power tool, table lamp, tv, stereo, guitar amp, etc, etc, i turn it on when its being used and turned off when its not

northernbaldy · Nov 19, 2012, 03:58 PM

My macmini server runs 24/7 and it's totally fine
One good thing about the mini is its low power consumption

motrek · Nov 19, 2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iMas70

I've always leave my computers running. My last PC has been on for a few years without being shut down. Any problem leaving Macs running all the time?

To answer your question literally, no, there is no problem with leaving a Mini turned on indefinitely. In fact, the server version of the Mini is intended to be left on.

Personally though, I would just let the computer go to sleep when idle. It won't save that much on the electricity bill but the computer might as well be "off" when you're not using it. (And sleep mode is more or less the same as turning it off. Minimal power consumption.)

iMas70 · Nov 19, 2012, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blanka

Did you calculate how much cash you wasted on the electricity bill?
Turn it off. Any Mac boots within your first coffee.

I don't drink coffee so it will feel like forever!

It goes into sleep mode but I don't physically shut it down. I keep strange hours and like the computer ready at a move of the house. I know, I'm impatient but life is short!

Fishrrman · Nov 20, 2012, 11:56 AM

For going on 25 years, I've kept my desktop Macs connected to surge protectors, and shut them down at night or during periods of non-usage. I also turn the power strips off as well.

I've come to believe that it's "good maintenance" to boot from a cold shutdown. That guarantees that after rebooting you'll be on "a fresh start", fresh login, etc.

Just doing that much can clear up glitches and problems now and then (item in trash that won't empty, etc.).

I will leave my MacBookPro on sleep for a few days at a time, but try to restart that "from scratch" periodically, too.

GGJstudios · Nov 20, 2012, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iMas70

I've always leave my computers running. My last PC has been on for a few years without being shut down. Any problem leaving Macs running all the time?

No, there's no problem leaving them running. I have a Mac mini that serves as my Plex server, as well as other computing duties. It's on 24/7 for several months at a time. Zero problems.

iMac mini · Nov 20, 2012, 12:07 PM

I have a Mac Mini 2011 since January 2012, and I turn it off every night. Never had a problem.....

Mr. McMac · Nov 20, 2012, 12:10 PM

I almost never shut down any of my computers including my Mac Minis. I put them to sleep. It's what I've been doing for years with no issues

kappaknight · 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BingClawsby

like a washing machine, electric stove, power tool, table lamp, tv, stereo, guitar amp, etc, etc, i turn it on when its being used and turned off when its not

Do you unplug it too? It still draws power unless it's unplugged.

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by motrek

To answer your question literally, no, there is no problem with leaving a Mini turned on indefinitely. In fact, the server version of the Mini is intended to be left on.

Personally though, I would just let the computer go to sleep when idle. It won't save that much on the electricity bill but the computer might as well be "off" when you're not using it. (And sleep mode is more or less the same as turning it off. Minimal power consumption.)

The server is pretty much the same machine as the regular mini - the main difference is software, and that difference is only to add management of multiple users instead of just one.

You can leave most modern computers on all the time and let it sleep with no issues. It's less of a shock to them than booting up once a day.

xlii · Nov 20, 2012, 02:16 PM

I've always left my machines on 24/7. When they are not being used they go to sleep. There is no wrong or right answer here. Leave it running or turn it off... pick your personal preference.

I turn it off for only 2 reasons, I go away on vacation or thunderstorms (chance of power outage). In the case of chance of power outage I unplug my tv, computers, and disk drives from power.

I had my time machine drive die when I lost power during Sandy last month. At least it was my oldest drive. The enclosure I had it in was still good.

Chris Rogers · Nov 20, 2012, 02:23 PM

I configure mine to power on/off during specific times of day with the energy saver settings

Nov 18, 2012, 06:33 PM	#1
iMas70 macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2012	Leave It Running Or Shut It Down At Night? I've always leave my computers running. My last PC has been on for a few years without being shut down. Any problem leaving Macs running all the time? __________________ iPhone 5 (32GB), iPad 4 (32GB), Apple TV, 2.3 GHz i7 Mac Mini - 16 MB RAM! Apple... it's not just a brand... it's a lifestyle!
	0

Nov 19, 2012, 03:44 AM	#5
Ifti macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: UK	My mini also runs headless 24/7. They use next to nothing when in sleep mode anyway (electricity wise). __________________ See my YouTube Channel for reviews & tech tips! Mac Mini Server / 2.6GHz Quad i7 / 8GB RAM / Dual 1TB HDD MacBook Pro 13 / 2.9GHz Dual i7 / 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD AEBS / iPad2 / iPhone5 / Drobo 5D
	0

Nov 19, 2012, 03:49 AM	#6
Macman45 macrumors G4 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Somewhere Back In The Long Ago	My iMac runs 24 / 7 both my MBP and MBA are shut down after use. Unlike many, unless I have an alarm call set, my IP5 gets shut down too. __________________ Time And Tide Wait For No Man
	0

Nov 19, 2012, 04:51 AM	#7
dasx macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Barcelona	Always ON. Sleep mode ON too. Due to ML f-ck up with sleep mode I gotta use caffeinate though. I usually do a reboot every 3/4 days too. __________________ 2012 Mac Mini
	0

Nov 19, 2012, 03:28 PM	#10
phoenixsan macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2012	No problems..... to my knowledge when you have good ventilation, no voltage fluctuactions and no running intensive apps (read/writing to HDD, RAM intensive or processor intensive tasks) __________________ Mac Pro 2010 3.06 Westmere version, 12 Core 64 GB RAM, 4 TB , iPhone 5 (black)
	0

Nov 18, 2012, 07:20 PM	#3
rolsskk macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2008	I've always left my Minis running (or sleeping when inactive for awhile), no problems there.
	0

Nov 18, 2012, 10:43 PM	#4
oldtime macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2007	Have only shut down my Mini for updates since purchasing it in July. No problems whatsoever.
	0

Nov 19, 2012, 03:15 PM	#8
DocBru macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Germany	Since 23 hours of the day my mac mini would be idleing I shut it down. With the SSD it comes up so fast, that it doesn't matter to me.
	0

Nov 19, 2012, 03:21 PM	#9
blanka macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2012	Did you calculate how much cash you wasted on the electricity bill? Turn it off. Any Mac boots within your first coffee.
	1

Nov 19, 2012, 03:37 PM	#11
BingClawsby macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2010	like a washing machine, electric stove, power tool, table lamp, tv, stereo, guitar amp, etc, etc, i turn it on when its being used and turned off when its not
	3

Nov 19, 2012, 03:58 PM	#12
northernbaldy macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: the north, UK	My macmini server runs 24/7 and it's totally fine One good thing about the mini is its low power consumption __________________ 17" MacBook pro, MacMini Server, iPhone 5 64gb, AppleTV, iPad 32gb wifi, 11" MacBook Air
	2

Nov 20, 2012, 11:56 AM	#15
Fishrrman macrumors 68020 Join Date: Feb 2009	For going on 25 years, I've kept my desktop Macs connected to surge protectors, and shut them down at night or during periods of non-usage. I also turn the power strips off as well. I've come to believe that it's "good maintenance" to boot from a cold shutdown. That guarantees that after rebooting you'll be on "a fresh start", fresh login, etc. Just doing that much can clear up glitches and problems now and then (item in trash that won't empty, etc.). I will leave my MacBookPro on sleep for a few days at a time, but try to restart that "from scratch" periodically, too.
	2

Nov 20, 2012, 12:07 PM	#17
iMac mini macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2011	I have a Mac Mini 2011 since January 2012, and I turn it off every night. Never had a problem..... __________________ Mac mini Aluminium Unibody (2011) 2.3 GHz i5 8GB Ramjet Samsung Ram 500 GB HD Apple Wireless Keyboard Apple Magic Trackpad
	2

Nov 20, 2012, 12:10 PM	#18
Mr. McMac macrumors 68000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Long Island, New York	I almost never shut down any of my computers including my Mac Minis. I put them to sleep. It's what I've been doing for years with no issues __________________ 2009 24" iMac, 2011 & 2007 Mac Mini's, 4th generation iPod Shuffle Custom built Windows 7 gaming capable PC, Acer Aspire One 722 Netbook, Western Digital TV Play
	0

Nov 20, 2012, 02:16 PM	#20
xlii macrumors 68000 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millis, Massachusetts	I've always left my machines on 24/7. When they are not being used they go to sleep. There is no wrong or right answer here. Leave it running or turn it off... pick your personal preference. I turn it off for only 2 reasons, I go away on vacation or thunderstorms (chance of power outage). In the case of chance of power outage I unplug my tv, computers, and disk drives from power. I had my time machine drive die when I lost power during Sandy last month. At least it was my oldest drive. The enclosure I had it in was still good.
	0

Nov 20, 2012, 02:23 PM	#21
Chris Rogers macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: my house	I configure mine to power on/off during specific times of day with the energy saver settings __________________ I own Apple Stuff
	0

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