ThinkPad Always On in Advanced Mini Dock> IS IT OK?

I regret not buying a desktop, but anyways I used my ThinkPad T61 like one almost never shutting it down. I keep it in a Advanced Mini Dock and have it plugged in to a external hard drive to record TV shows from Express Card TV tuner.

Was the ThinkPad designed to be left always on? Or will I end up damaging the computer or putting it under extreme stress? Thanks

I plan on extending the warranty to!!!

 

Its a business machine. It's designed to sit in the dock under full use every day for three or four years (typical corporate refresh cycle).

I think it'll be just fine. Ensure it has adequate ventilation of course.

 

It should be perfectly fine, the dock is designed with the machine in mind. If your worried then you could download a tempature monitering device and make sure that your system isn't running too hot.

The only thing you chould really wear out would be the battery from the constant heat, so if your not going to use it much then I would disconnect it and leave it 10 inches away from the machine. Just plug it in once a week to keep it at a decent charge so it doesn't get below 0. (30-50% SOC will provide the longest life - if you plan on needing the battery again).

 

Unless your computer sits around encoding videos and running benchmarks 24/7, the you're only dealing with idle temperatures, which aren't very high. You have nothing to work about. Although you may want to consider turning off your external when you're not using it.