One of the most frustrating issues I am faced with is trying to help those that have computer problems that wish for me to connect and help them fix the problem, only to find the computer was turned off. Not only can I not connect to help you out, but your computer can no longer stay current with the latest antivirus definitions or windows updates, not to mention the disk defragging maintenance and other automated tasks that I would have typically set up to happen in the middle of the night.
Why do you have computer problems? Why is your computer operating very slowly? Probably because you have been turning off your computer, then, when you go to use your computer, you are turning it on, and probably, checking email, at which point your antivirus software has just re-detected the Internet connection and is busy downloading updated virus definitions. Unfortunately it might be a little too late if you are busy downloading email that may have a virus, one that your antivirus has not received the definitions for. Then when you are least expecting it, up pops a notice that a virus was detected... Your computer has most likely been set up to have the monitor turn off after a period of time, typically I set this to 45 minutes as well, the hard drive will spin down.
The hardest thing on a computer is when you turn it on. The sudden burst of power that happens as your power supply provides the correct amount of power to the mainboard, the fact that the components are cold, now heat up to optimum operating temperature in which is controlled by the cooling fans.
I like to call it the 'light bulb theory'... Think of a light bulb. If you leave that light on, it will last longer then if you were to turn it off and on because of the heating and cooling of the filament. Think of when that light bulb burns out, typically it will 'pop' when you go to turn on the light, right? So now place that theory in to what goes on with your computer and that should help with the reasoning why it is better to leave your computer on. I say this but then if you are not using your computer every day, then sure, maybe turning it off is okay but even then, you should be turning your computer on and allowing it to check for updates and to automatically get itself back up to date, before you decide to open your outlook express email and start downloading things to your computer. Of course if you were to use a web based email program such as gmail, hotmail, yahoo mail for example, then you are not really downloading anything to your computer (unless you save an attachment to your computer), so from a security point of view, web based email will always be safer then any 'pop' email account where the mail program connects to a server and then downloads all the messages to your computer. It is very important to understand these basic fundamentals to help with the ongoing security and maintenance of your computer system. A reminder that my TIPS page is full of these sorts of computer help issues.
