04/15/2025
SHUT IT DOWN!
Many people leave their computer on for months at a time. This might be normal to the average user, but there are a few reasons why you really shouldn’t.
3 Reasons to Shut Down Your Computer Daily
If your computer runs any version of Microsoft Windows, updates typically download automatically. However, most updates require computers to be shut down and rebooted. Microsoft runs critical updates periodically, if not weekly. Critical updates are often done to ensure your computer is operating at it’s best. Updates also include “fixes” on the Internet Windows may have encountered. If you don’t shutdown your computer for a long period of time, it will get behind on critical updates. In addition, your computer will have to catch up on months of updates, causing your computer run slow until it’s caught up. Frequent shut-downs are also necessary to avoid static charge and dust buildup. In combination, both of these can be quite destructive to your computer system.
Microsoft runs critical updates periodically, if not weekly. Critical updates are often done to ensure your computer is operating at it’s best. Updates also include “fixes” on the Internet Windows may have encountered. If you don’t shutdown your computer for a long period of time, it will get behind on critical updates. In addition, your computer will have to catch up on months of updates, causing your computer run slow until it’s caught up. Frequent shut-downs are also necessary to avoid static charge and dust buildup. In combination, both of these can be quite destructive to your computer system.
Fans running constantly in your machine act as a sort of vacuum cleaner for dust. The fan pulls the dust it in, allowing it to settle on all of the internal components. When the dust particles rub against each other and mix with electricity flowing through circuits, the end result is causes a charge dust particles. When charges build up on particular spots on your motherboard, it can cause some really bizarre errors that are hard to trace. Worse, if enough charge builds up in certain areas, electrostatic discharges (ESD), “sparks”, can occur and ruin certain components in your computer. Memory modules are probably the most sensitive components affected by ESD. If your motherboard is destroyed, your computer won’t work.
If you suspect your computer has dust built up internally, bring it into Norm’s Computers and we will clean it up for you. Good computer maintenance should always include the internal parts too.
Computers use electricity, especially if it’s plugged in 24/7. Some people believe if they put their computer in “Sleep Mode” it’s not using power. This is FALSE. A computer on Sleep Mode is still running. Hence, still using electricity. Why pay for it using electricity if you don’t have too.
Let us help you keep your computer running smoothly! Call us or stop by!
Norm’s Computers
26 Laurel St Suite 6
Pittston, Pa 18640
570.883.0300
