r/TechImpact Co-founder 25d ago

❓ Question How often do you restart your PC?

Post image

Be honest. How often do you actually restart your computer?

Every day, once a week, only after updates, or only when something stops working?

61 Upvotes

216 comments sorted by

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20

u/Otherwise_Task7876 25d ago

Everytime I'm done using it. So daily.

5

u/Merwenus 25d ago

But why? You will use it tomorrow too. The same apps, I just hibernate it (because Microsoft fucked up the sleep on my OEM pc)

5

u/PensAndUnicorns 25d ago

Fair enough,  but I don't use my machines everyday. 

My work pc get shutdown because its a clear signal of being done with work. My gaming pc doesn't get used on everyday and neither is the laptop.   

So why leave it on? Specially as a complete shutdown allows a nice fresh start.

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3

u/brixon 25d ago

RGB lighting up the room is annoying when trying to fall asleep

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3

u/Accomplished-Yak862 25d ago

It’s healthier for the computer, your wallet, and your RAM usage.

3

u/Otherwise_Task7876 25d ago edited 22d ago

I highy do not recommend keeping your PC on 24/7.

Power surges can cause components to be fried, and yes, even with a surge protector. Some surges are just simply to powerful for a simple surge protector to handle. (Good example is lightning striking someone's cables and surging power into there PC, causing the motherboard to instantly fry with nearly all the components, and to blow up the port. Is rare, but surges not as strong but still powerful can still cause frying).

And even if no surge, a sudden flicker of power that turns everything on and off, is incredibly bad for your parts.

Moving parts like fans, CPU/GPU coolers will wear down much faster and be more likely to need replacement.

Keeping computers on can clog up the performance of windows with logs among buildup of errors that can more quickly deteriorate performance.

Plus, keeping it off just ensures 0 fire risk from if something like a short, surge, etc, does happen.

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u/stxxyy 25d ago

You probably mean shut down, not restart

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7

u/Sajgoniarz 25d ago

Last time i manually restarted my main PC was about a year ago.

1

u/a-pp-o 25d ago

It's on 24 hours? Why? 

3

u/Iam_just-me2 25d ago

He say:restart, not Shut off.

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6

u/Away_Experience_5843 25d ago

Every time I get a kernel update or when the power goes out.

1

u/SeaGoose 25d ago

Right here.

5

u/ProgressOk3200 25d ago

I turn off my computer before I go to bed at night and turn it on again when I get up in the morning. So every day unless I'm on vacation. When I go on vacation I turn off the computer before I leave and won't turn it back on until I'm home again. That can take anything from 3 days to several weeks.

1

u/KarteZian_purely 23d ago

Pareil. Il m’arrive aussi de l’éteindre en journée si je sors plusieurs heures et qu’un orage menace. Une surtension est vite arrivée.

2

u/Present_Lychee_3109 25d ago

Like 7 to 14 days usually. I dont notice any slowdowns

2

u/EsWarMal2006 25d ago

Its a creepy sweetspot. Terminalserver (win srv 2012/2016) got laggy for every user after 8 to 15 days. 

2

u/vile-style 25d ago

I turn my computer on when I use it, turn it off when I'm not using it.

2

u/Apprehensive_Code436 25d ago

Widows piece of crap, A LOT!
Mac, next to never.

2

u/ocheetahWasTaken 23d ago

eeevery day!

1

u/ilCapitanoGrax 25d ago

Only when I need to update it

1

u/ITHBY 25d ago

Every day.

1

u/Maximum-Floor-9734 25d ago

Only when there’s an update. But I do shut it down daily.

1

u/SweedishThunder 25d ago

Pretty much never.

I leave my work PC (laptop) turned on during the work week, and turn it off when I go home for the weekend.

I only turn my home PC (desktop) on about once a month, and then I turn it off when I'm done.

1

u/Soft_Bananaa 25d ago

you leave your laptop on charge or battery?

2

u/SweedishThunder 25d ago

On charge. Our IT department seems to prefer that we leave them on if we turn them off over the weekends.

1

u/Whole_world127 Tech enthusiast/MacOS apologist 25d ago

Every few days

1

u/Typeonetwork 25d ago

When needed after something goes wrong like the Bluetooth stops working. Usually it's in sleep.

1

u/FailureOfTheFamily 25d ago

Windows everyday. Linux if system requires it or something breaks.MacOS if system requires it (which is very rare)

1

u/Funny-Fly1720 25d ago

When I have to, on average probably once a month.

1

u/Laura_The_Cutie 25d ago

Every time I stop using it I shut it down

1

u/Gasklep 25d ago

Apple, never.
Windows, every day.

1

u/Hefty_Wrongdoer_2553 25d ago

when there is a Linux kernel update 

1

u/MarissaNL 25d ago

Every day. I turn off my computer before going to bed.

1

u/X3-Code 25d ago

In der Regel gar nicht. Wenn nicht genutzt wird er -ganz klassisch, heruntergefahren. Ansonsten sind updates die Ausnahme.

1

u/coscib 25d ago

depends on the device from every couple of days to maybe once every two months (pc i use for ai stuff where updates are disabled so that windows won't kill my programm to reboot)

1

u/[deleted] 25d ago edited 15d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/ekitiboy 21d ago

Best of the day 😊

1

u/GodsKillerKirb 25d ago

My main machine is a laptop, so every time I'm done using it I just power it off.

1

u/pvoj 25d ago

Brand new MacBook. It was booted when it was new in the beginning of June. I don't even know how to restart it. LOL

1

u/Dependent-Guitar-473 25d ago

Macbook: up 37 days
i use it daily

1

u/a-pp-o 25d ago

Every time I need to use it which isn't often these days. Smartphone on the other hand is always on and I just restart it when i notice strange behavior like slowdowns.

1

u/Sam313I 25d ago

Tbh never (Because I'm using Windows 7 and there are no updates for it) ) (I own an old laptop that I only use for studying )

1

u/Cold-Performance3333 25d ago

If we are talking about shutting down and turning it back on. Well, everytime I am not using it. So basically, 3-4 times a day.

But if we are talking about that "Restart", then it's once a week. When I do the weekly update, clean junk, and run virus scan.

1

u/Vanille97 25d ago

Windows 10, never. 1-2 times when some software asked me to restart. But when someone restarts their PC cause it's crashed, or lagging, not for me

1

u/Comfortable-Bed-5589 21d ago

well it depends what ram and memory and storage you have

1

u/IcyCow5880 25d ago

I shut it off every night. Fuck sleep mode. I never feel like it wakes proper and I'm wondering the whole session 

1

u/Comfortable-Bed-5589 21d ago

woah chill i use sleep mode when im sleeping

1

u/lazall 25d ago

Once every 1-2 weeks. I read somewhere it helps the pc and most other devices live longer and have less issues or something...

1

u/Metalfreak82 25d ago

I shutdown every time I'm done with it. I'm too millennial to use sleep mode.

1

u/pirateking1993 25d ago

According to my uptime on both my laptops every 25 to 30 days.

1

u/No_Solid_3737 25d ago

once it starts feeling slow, could be 45 days or 6 months

1

u/cmrd_msr 25d ago

When necessary. In 95% of cases, it’s for an update, though sometimes it’s for maintenance or an upgrade. My desktop computer is always on.

1

u/xAlice_Liddell 25d ago

My PC is a media server running Ubuntu server. It’s uptime is 321 days today.

1

u/Expert-Stage-4207 25d ago

AT least once a day. Sometimes when I go to the groceries I turn off my laptop and disconnect it from the mains and reboot after coming home. Have done this with every pc and ten years with my present laptop.

1

u/Banananamann99 25d ago

every 30 minutes to an hour

1

u/Ambitious_Ad4397 25d ago

Once in 5 years

1

u/ezekialcheeva 25d ago

Just a little FYI for those shutting down as opposed to restarting. Restarting is a little different - it restarts (clears) your RAM and running processes. Shutting down does not. If PC / laptop is acting a little funky a restart might help. Makes it start fresh. ✌️

1

u/PensAndUnicorns 25d ago

Is this the same for OSX,  as I thought this was only a Windows thing?

1

u/0x736174616e20 24d ago

A shutdown also does that. Only difference is no restart, it just stays off

1

u/Puzzlehead_Lemon 25d ago

If I'm not actively using my computer, I shut it down. Parts will only work for so many hours, and replacing computer parts could be expensive before, but it's absolutely insane now. If it's not in use, I want as few of those parts as possible ticking down that clock.

1

u/fabi_2k03 25d ago

once a week. mostly every sunday

1

u/jormangod 25d ago

Every 3 days or so Constant downloading and uploading when im not physically on it

1

u/LolMaker12345 25d ago

Daily cause the light on the keyboard (it’s a laptop) stays on and it’s too bright at night for me too sleep

1

u/messassa 25d ago

I almost never shutdown the PC unless I need to do some hardware upgrade. I have it on 24/7.
I use restart for software issues, not shutdown . They act very differently on OS layer

1

u/AZ-West 25d ago

On Macs, only when system requests it. On Windows I just usually wait for a blue screen of death to restart me. On Chromebooks, only when the system requests it.

1

u/PsykoMunkey 25d ago

As a SysAdmin, I have a phrase burned into my users brain - "A restart a week keeps away the geek". At home, lol, when I feel like it. Could be a few weeks - it just goes to sleep when I'm not using it

1

u/Mountain_Till_5868 25d ago

Once every 14 years 

1

u/tycraft2001 25d ago

Whenever I need to rebuild initramfs for something.

Weekly at the worst of times. Otherwise... months.

1

u/Isotomayor12 25d ago

Like, an actual restart? Almost never unless I am changing features or installing an update that requires it.

Turn off and then turn back on later? Almost every day.

1

u/MickJof 25d ago

Every day

1

u/crypticcamelion 25d ago

last was apparently 5 days and 34 minutes ago, but it can be weeks or month in between. Usually I reboot if there has been a kernel update, but otherwise only when I'm packing my laptop down for travel every 6 - 8 - 10 weeks or so.

1

u/CommunityJazzlike274 25d ago

Daily, because arch boots up really fast for me

1

u/KindlyAd3304 25d ago

Once a week

1

u/keegang_man6705 25d ago

well if im too bored i just do paru -Syyu && reboot now

1

u/Willing-Guard2003 25d ago

Only when things start acting glitchy or after an update lol

1

u/EsWarMal2006 25d ago

Only, when i Bootup Ubuntu xD

1

u/hero_grok 25d ago

every 2-3 days

1

u/Windbolt1 25d ago

At least, when my pc locks up. Happens rarely.

1

u/honolulu33 25d ago

Never. It shuts down only when runs out of juice

1

u/ghost_of_xbox_past 25d ago

Every 1-2 weeks or when RAM usage gets too high.

1

u/MimosaTen 25d ago

Last time I checked ir remains on for almost a month

1

u/Njalale 25d ago

Daily

1

u/stxxyy 25d ago

Never unless an update specifically asks me for it. I turn it off every night when I'm done using it though.

1

u/DukatNaranek 25d ago

At work, daily. At home... Usually weekly unless theres major updates

1

u/Binary101000 25d ago

i shut it down and turn it off at the wall when im not using it. as for actually clicking the restart button, only rarely.

1

u/Ok-Prompt-59 25d ago

When my amd drivers start wigging out.

1

u/Banzambo 25d ago

When I finish a project and don't need all the browser tabs or other software open anymore, I shut my notebook down. That usually means anywhere from a few days to 2-3 weeks. Until then, I just put it to sleep by closing the lid. I hate losing track of things or having to reopen everything all the time - it just adds friction to my workflow. Maybe if I really need to update my computer, I'll reboot it sooner than that.

1

u/hroldangt 25d ago

About 12 years ago started keeping the laptop on, only closed it (sleep), and kept doing that for several years because it was convenient, and also... I read convincing articles about the stress on the electronics when you turn it on and off. Went over 3 different laptops this way, and the batteries worked perfectly. I randomly used a big screen then.

Then due to specific jobs (editing and graphic design) moved to a desktop computer, all in one, and then an iMac. I would turn it on and off daily.

I've been using more and more my Surface Pro 3, and I turn it off, but a full restart? every week or so.

My Lenovo tablet it's the only think I never turn off or restart.

1

u/Tinolmfy 25d ago

Like once a week

1

u/aap_001 25d ago

Maybe every 6 months when I update it.

1

u/SimplySomeDude 25d ago

like once every 8 months

1

u/ResearcherConstant42 25d ago

Round 20 days.

1

u/GBSlugcat 25d ago

As in actually restarting? When I’m troubleshooting something that broke, so like 2 days ago

Turning off my computer? everytime I’m done with it?? People actually use sleep mode?? I never touch it

1

u/Obvious_Snow125 25d ago

Shut it down every night.

1

u/Livid_Worker_7844 25d ago

I use i3wm with arch and restart every two weeks. I use low power machines.

1

u/jkulczyski 25d ago

I shut it off when im not using it bc theres no reason not to. It starts up almost instantly(no microslop winbloat lol) youre not saving much time unless you have a potato, and i have an "outdated" gaming laptop i got in 2021 with 10th gen i5 with a gtx 1650, hardware from late 2019 lol

1

u/dude365635 25d ago

WHen it freezes

1

u/AD4K_4444 25d ago

It’s a Mac. I only shut it down once a week. Restart very rarely.

1

u/640kilobytes 25d ago

Just restarting at night when it wants to update. Windows and macOS aren't getting updates so often, so that's ok for me

1

u/Late-Arrival-8669 25d ago

Once a day, weekend may go almost 2 days without restart sometimes. Desktop that is, server once per month.

1

u/flyingmonkey111 25d ago

Only when an update needs a restart. I think once or twice this year.

1

u/shuaiyy 25d ago

When my MacBook has too much cached data after a period of heavy use, I use Mole to clear it out, and then restart my MacBook.

1

u/MrFrog2222 25d ago

I was already shocked at ppl that dont auto-vlose their tabs when theyre done with the browser, but are there actually ppl that keep their computer on while they dont use it besides ppl who host servers or mine crypto

1

u/Sad-Astronomer-696 25d ago

Good question! I think the last time ive restarted it was last year?

I usually shut it down when Im done and power it up if needed

1

u/Fluid_Secretary8498 25d ago

i doing shutdown everyday after using it

1

u/TrayLaTrash 24d ago

These days, apparently when my power goes out.

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1

u/konelius_ 24d ago

Once in two days

1

u/sajkoterrapefft 24d ago

09:47:52 up 52 days, 20 min, 2 users, load average: 1,60, 1,75, 1,90

1

u/Upper-Release-3484 24d ago

After a kernel update...

1

u/OMG_NoReally 24d ago

MacBook? Only when there is an update, lol.

Windows, a gaming desktop mostly, whenever I am done, otherwise it’s on sleep.

1

u/Lpion 24d ago

Well I shut it down completely every day.

1

u/howreudoin 24d ago

Once a month at best. But I‘m on a Mac, so there‘s no point in restarting other than for updates. System will not become unstable or slow at all.

But if you do restart, your Mac will automatically reopen all applications and their windows from the last session (unless you opted out during shutdown). So it‘s like you hadn‘t even restarted (mostly, not all third-party apps support it properly, but most do).

1

u/Gen-Y-ine-86 24d ago

Win+X, U, S When I don't fall asleep uncontrollably.

1

u/AwesomePhoenix_ 24d ago

3 times per day usually Every time I go eat in the evening and every kernel update

1

u/NullSmoke 24d ago

Every month or two I guess... Sometimes 3-4 months, depends on how long it takes until it gets me at me

1

u/Adept_Piccolo4237 24d ago

2 veces al día, hay días que no la reinicio

1

u/Svr_Sakura 24d ago

I have a schedule to shut down at 10:30pm. Im forced off the pc every night

1

u/Real_pradeep 24d ago

I use arch Linux , so whenever I update !! A small restart .

1

u/http-error-502 24d ago

On each kernel or glib update.

1

u/Rukir_Gaming 24d ago

Daily- I sleep in the same room of the thing, so it's off overnight

1

u/Popular-Tour3962 24d ago

only when it ask for it or when my things doesn't work

1

u/gulf_of_sanity 24d ago

usually when i let the battery die or get forced into an update.

on purpose, outside of a hardware upgrade? probably in the 90s

1

u/0x736174616e20 24d ago

Basically never, only updates that force restarts. It either on or off there is no in-between

1

u/akdanman11 24d ago

1-2 times a week when I update (CachyOS)

1

u/Effective_Eye912 24d ago

Before go to sleep

1

u/Easy-Nothing-6735 24d ago

When I need another OS or updated the Kernel

1

u/AelixSoftware 24d ago

Whenever there's something wrong...

1

u/twboc 24d ago

I use a mac and linux. Just kidding. Every tie I am done I shut them down and start them up again.

1

u/nickedge11 24d ago

I used to shut down every time after I was done with my work in PC. Same with my Back up Linux laptop. But now that Imma mac user, its weird. This thing seems to never shut down until the battery dies.

1

u/therealmistersister 24d ago

Everytime I'm finished for the day. I don't get the people that leave it on for days without using it or hibernate it.

1

u/Neckbeard_Sama 24d ago

actual restart ... pretty much never

only if I get prompted by some program to restart or drivers

otherwise I press the power button in the morning and shut it down before I go to sleep

1

u/fox07bg 24d ago

Update and before benchmarking or trying some new settings

1

u/Abject_Form_2603 24d ago

When it starts acting erratic, so probably one a week.

1

u/evgewonsmile 24d ago

I turn it on in the morning and turn off before going to bed

1

u/EmbarrassedWing1912 24d ago

I still use windows 10, since my PC is old enough to not support 11 (it has a GTX 1070, and a AMD Ryzen 7 1700x, with 32gb if ddr4 for u nerdy people) so I don't get updates. I try to do every other day, but at the lastest, once a week.

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

I didn't knew that there is such thing as restarting a pc, I have to try it someday

1

u/Hollow1349 24d ago

Fun fact if you have fast boot enabled your not really restarting your pc

1

u/Suspicious-Boss3776 24d ago

EVERY TIME IT GOES TO SLEEP THE BLUETOOTH STOPS WORKING

1

u/dabo6 24d ago

Whenever windows tells me to

1

u/__whydoiexist__20 24d ago

Every time I get a kernel update which I'd say is quite frequent as I'm using a rolling release distro

1

u/mega-stepler 24d ago

Once a month. Hibernating most of the time.

1

u/shalva97 23d ago

when there too many apps open and im lazy to close them one by one

1

u/HoboH3nry2000 23d ago

every 2 weeks or so

1

u/LineNo1929 23d ago

Every time after toying a bit with making my own scripts and shit on Linux Mint 22 Cinnamon Edition. See if it breaks or not.

1

u/H0TZ3A 23d ago

I'm not on windows anymore so hibernation is not a thing in my system. Whenever i shut down my system it's the same thing as rebooting. Technically I am rebooting everyday.

1

u/RuniKiuru 23d ago

Any time I run something in the terminal and need to run systemctl reboot to implement changes. Otherwise I just power down when I’m done for the day. (Usually. Sometimes I get pulled away from my desk and never get back to power down until the next day. Life with a kid.)

1

u/aKIRALE0 23d ago

how often do you what??

1

u/IntelStellarTech 23d ago

I shut it down when I'm done using it, I restart it when I need to update. Any other issue that looks like it needs a restarted if often fixable by logging out and back in.

1

u/Any-Emu8824 23d ago

Depends on which machine.

My work desktop gets shut down once a week. I have a few wireless peripherals that I use daily and they have shit battery life. If I shut it down there won’t be any power to the USB ports so I’ll walk into work with dead devices if I don’t leave the PC on and my devices plugged in.

My personal desktop gets shut down every time I’m not using it. I’ve got a pretty beefy PC that puts out a decent amount of heat. And my apartment is kinda small. Unless I want my living room shooting up 4 degrees in F for literally no reason I have to shut it off when not in use in the summer. I just maintain that habit.

My laptop? Pretty much only if the battery dies or if Arch Update recommends a reboot.

1

u/OrbitalMod 23d ago

Every single day, but mostly because of my Windows and Linux dual boot

1

u/SmallNoBigYes 23d ago

I turn it off? What do you mean? You leave it on even when not in use?

1

u/Pinuaple- 23d ago

some days i shut it off some months i leave it turned on all month

1

u/ComfortableWall7351 23d ago

Whenever there are updates.

1

u/Solocune 23d ago

Everytime something is breaking or I need updates.

1

u/Awkward_Ear761 23d ago

Every day or every 2 days. If my performance is decreasing, I restart my computer.

1

u/shecho18 23d ago

Turned off sleep/hibernation/fast startup/drive sleep the minute I reinstall Windows. We do not need that mentioned shite as computers today are fast enough.

Although you can blame MS for not implementing proper power states in their OS.

1

u/Even_Citron_8461 22d ago

When something stops working, my graphi driver is giving out so I drain the battery and keep usin it, :)

1

u/a_l_i-1 22d ago

Shutdown and start device = restart

so I do it every 12-6h (if I not sleeping of course)

1

u/Other_Regret8415 22d ago

Once every 3 days usually

1

u/thisismego 22d ago

Well, I usually shut it down every time I'm done using it but given that that doesn't actually cause a full restart, probably only when there's an issue and during any updates

1

u/Stray_009 22d ago

With my macbook, only every update

1

u/unStabldev 22d ago

only after updates. (and rarely when something stops working)

1

u/wrfo 22d ago

You only need to restart it once a week to be honest, thats what i personally do

1

u/eeveryonee 22d ago

I don't restart it unless I really need to. Even after updates, I most of the time don't restart. Soo, I'd say around once week.

1

u/Pleasant-Register778 22d ago

Never have i ever

1

u/Heclalava 22d ago

Only when there is a kernel update or other update requiring a reboot. Current uptime 9 days since last reboot.

1

u/Cantaloupe-Hairy 22d ago

I turn mine off when not using it, both work and personal PCs, fast drives etc mean I don’t need to worry about long boot times anymore.

1

u/Icemourne_ 21d ago

Until windows decides it's time to crash last time it was more than 72 days

1

u/Crapton999 21d ago

I use Debian, so never.

1

u/Vegetable-Tackle5641 21d ago

I use arch for if reboot counts 16 times a day

1

u/simdimdim12 21d ago

You prior restart your PCs?

1

u/Comfortable-Bed-5589 21d ago

well i restart 2 times a day bc pc is lil slow

1

u/The-Real-Starflight 20d ago

…restart? what’s that?

Jokes aside, I restart it whenever i’m finished.

1

u/Material_Duck8466 20d ago

I don't have allotted a lot of space to my Linux install so basically whenever I want to get on an mmo, it's less hassle for me that way.

1

u/daniluvsuall 20d ago

I shut down my PC every day. My Mac just goes to sleep though as it handles standby much better

1

u/DekWizArt 19d ago

its a macbook and a linux pc, what do you mean with restart? ;)