Should I leave computer on 24/7?

[TuyHoa6869]

Can I leave my computer on 24/7 instead of turning it off every night?  I have it in sleep mode and the PC and monitor power down automatically after 30 minutes, and only I need to click the mouse to bring it back to life when I want to use it.  It seems that if I turn it off completely and then turn it back on every time,  it takes time and would be hard on the computer.  On and off, on and off, on and off, doesn't seem like a good idea to me. 

[Dragon-Fur · Accepted solution]

@TuyHoa6869

Commentary

Windows 10 provides Automatic Updates to your Operating System -- some Updates, in fact, many Windows Updates -- require that the computer at least be Restarted.

In general, assuming the Operating System is healthy, your hardware is working as expected, your Drivers are updated and functional, and that you are running decent security software, using shutdown on the system is a safe way to manage the computer.

Leaving the computer "on" all the time can eventually slow down performance, too.

When the computer is "off", it is less likely to suffer damage from power spikes, it is less susceptable to intrusions of various types (viruses, hackers), and the hardware may even last longer.

Exclusions to this general statement include Enterprise systems (example: data servers) that are built to be run 24/7 in a controlled environment.

You can certainly leave on the computer -- in so much that you must still Restart it on occasion to allow Updates, Drivers, and programs to be installed.

Leaving the computer "on" is a personal choice.

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