[clue-tech] Running a laptop 24/7 --- possible problems

[Greg Knaddison]

On 6/4/06, bof <bof at pcisys.net> wrote:
> I am wondering what problems this might cause for the laptop. Anyone
> else leaving their laptop on all the time care to share problems that
> they have or can anticipate?

I've left several laptops running 24x7x365.25 for several years and
even running Folding at HOME which maxes out the CPU.  They didn't have
problems related to that.  I had one machine that had problems related
to my wife spilling wine on it, but never just unexplainable "hardware
failure".

I've read in at least one somewhat reliable location (Folding at Home
forums) that overnight power cycling which causes the metals in the
processor to expand contract at different rates is more taxing on a
processor life than just leaving it running.

I wouldn't worry about it.  If your machine feels hot (or the desk
underneath it does) maybe get a spacer.  The biggeset reason I had to
turn machines off at night was the fan noise annoying me.

Greg