How Long Can You Run a Laptop?

If I'm on my Dad's laptop for a certain amount of time, my Grandma gets after me saying that I'm going to "use it up". She says I should just get on, only do important stuff that I NEED to do and then get off. She says a while ago she read that you should only be on for half an hour, then get off and let it rest.

 

Longest I've ever kept my laptop on was 2 weeks straight before it started to lag. Wonder if that helps?

 

Im not sure what you mean, but you could leave your laptop on for a very long time and nothing could happen.

 

Dude, I never turn my laptop off! I've had the thing for almost 5 years and it's been in for a faulty hard-drive twice but I only restart it when there's an update or something that requires it. Otherwise, I just hibernate the thing when I'm taking it with me. So I'll say a substantially long time...

 

yea i never turn mine off either. my old one lasted 5 years being on virtually constantly. its always doing something, be it downloading a movie or leaving a skype video call on (im in a long distance relationship).

most laptop components are tested for a MTBF (mean time before failure) that is far greater than what it would experience in its normal lifespan. so unless you intend to keep a laptop for 10 years or something, you dont have to worry about it

 

I think that your grandma is using that as an excuse to keep you from using your dad's laptop. There is no such thing as "using it up." You might "screw it up," but that's a completely different thing than using it up.

 

yea, shes probably making an excuse to stop you from staying on the computer. but then again some older people do really think that laptops/computers are like mechanical things and they'll get "tired" or "confused" if you use them for too long etc.

 

Years. As long as there's no electricity interruption, nothing is obstructing heat transfer, you don't bother to restart to install updates (bad idea), etc, it should keep on going.

Now, when you folks say you kept it on for ex. two weeks, do you mean it was actually on physically or in terms of a continuous session (hibernation)?

 

The only thing you could do is wear down the battery if you were using it unplugged.

Why do you think your grandma would knowing anything about it anyway. She's from a different generation.

 

LOL this is just as stupid as when my parents told me not to eat fruits when i was sick

 

i have a dell lapto[p been on 24/7 for 6 years now , HP 8510 has been on 24/7 for 2 years

 

this is a bit off topic, but there is some clinical evidence that certain fruits can cause congestion, so not a good idea to eat them when you're having a cold.

remember reading it in one of the allergy and immunology journals

 

Are you using them as web servers? just wondered...


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Little electrons need to get rest from running around the CPU you know! Some of them might even get lost!

Anyways, I turn my 8510p off at night, I have no reason to keep it on, but if I did, there is no reason in turning it off either. I kept my old compaq on all the time. Died in July 08, but that was due to another reason.

 

i just dont like turning my notebook off, because sometimes in the middle of the night i need to make a reference if i get a call (this is what happens when you're practically living in 3 different time zones), and most of the time i just keep skype running, ppl can leave messages for me on msn, stuff im downloading can continue..

sounds silly i know lol. but when its idle it cools down anyway, lcd turns off.

my inspiron 8600 was practically on for 5 years straight. with breaks when i transport it or go travelling

 

I use my laptop on my bed to relax at night since I'm always exhausted, so every night I hibernate my notebook and put it away in the back pack, thats what I do 6nights a week, on sundays, I use Shut Down and let it boot up completely the next day. No real reason, just no reason to keep it on, and the Shut down every Sunday thing is something I've just done all my life, my old Sony is 9yrs old and still works

 

Rule number 1 regarding technology:

If your Grandma says it, it isn't true! Trust your little brother or sister over your grandpa / parents.

 

My thinkpad has been on for like...forever! I can't seem to remember the last time I shut it down.
My HP, if no school, is also on 24/7
Technically, as long as you take good care of it, your laptop will run forever.

 

your grandma wants you out of the house so SHE can get on it and check her myspace

 

You can run a laptop until it dies... duh

 

well, if you using it, instead of, leaving it idle (and not using it), then i dont see why you should get off, just because you're afraid of wearing it out.

the computer is expected to last 5-8 years. just turn off your screen when you're not using it. the inside computer can turn on, non-stop no problem, although the fan might wear out if you so happen to run max speed. your battery will probably the first part that goes south, irrelevant, wheter you use it or not.

it can goes much further, but i suggest replacing your computer at least every 5 years is a good idea.

 

what is the average lifetime of laptop used normally.....

 

Dang... I just noticed I never turn off my laptop..

 

I would say at least 5 years unless there is a user error (such as drop, spill etc.)...


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Yeah your grandmother is wrong...
Use it as often and as much as you want. If anything, it'll be outdated long before it dies out (unless you physically destroy it by accident).

 

My 1520 has been powered on almost constantly since I got it in October 2007 ... the longest amount of time it has been off was a week straight when I was camping.

The longest it has been going in a row without being powered off was probably 3 weeks straight.

 

I'm worried about the battery wearing down on my 6920G. I had a Zepto and the battery life was 2 hours to begin with, it's now about an hour and 10 minutes.

That said the battery life hasn't really dropped much in the 9 months I've had it. Maybe gone down 5 or so minute,s haven't noticed it but looking at the times I'm getting lately I may well be missing a few.

 

Your grandmother is doubly wrong. The final consumption for electronics like computers is time. So by using it, it is not being consumed. However, when it is "resting," in actually it is being used up.

 

I think this might be a troll.

 

Haha, I think she misunderstood. It is recommended to take a break every 30 minutes of computer use, but to give yourself some rest, not to the computer

 

conversely, is it bad to run the computer for short periods of time, but frequently? i always shut mine down when im down. so i probably do 2 or 3 start ups a day...

 

why not put it to sleep instead of shut down? seems easier. plus no long startup time.