Quick question

[Donzo]

I have a new HP laptop that takes a LONG time to boot up. It has a "sleep" mode where you have to tap the on/off button to re-activate. This re-activation is fast - like it.
Is there any reason or potential problem requiring that I turn the laptop off at the end of the day?

I only use the laptop to write letters, go on line and take on trips.

[wabmester]

As long as you're plugged in, there's no compelling reason to shutdown.

[samclem]

It does draw a tiny bit of juice when it is plugged in, so you'll pay a little (and be contributing to some pollution, depending on how your electricity is made).

More importantly, the longer it is plugged in, the bigger the chance for a power spike to do it in. Surge suppressors arent perfect. If you are asleep, you'll be les likely to notice the coming lightning storm.

I power down my laptop and computers each night.

[wabmester]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem More importantly, the longer it is plugged in, the bigger the chance for a power spike to do it in. Surge suppressors arent perfect. If you are asleep, you'll be les likely to notice the coming lightning storm.

I've never tested this theory, but I believe laptops are pretty well isolated from power spikes since they use an external transformer. Hopefully an EE type can correct me if I'm wrong.

[Peaceful_Warrior]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem If you are asleep, you'll be les likely to notice the coming lightning storm.

Oh how I miss lightning storms. Born in the south, but been in CA for almost 25 years. Every time I hear the thunder or see the lightning, I feel a warmth in my heart.

Of course, I say that not having to live with power outages due to them...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Not a EE, but yeah, the transformer will smoke up nice and its extremely unlikely to pass an electrical spike through to the laptop.

A modern pentium m, core duo or core 2 duo laptop will consume less than ten watts in suspend mode. My core 2 duo desktop sips a paltry 2 watts in suspend; my pentium m and core 2 duo laptops flip between 1 and 5 in suspend...I imagine the 5 is when the 'check charge' kicks in for a second or two.

[Donzo]

Thanks for the info - I will leave my LT on -Wanted to be careful, I want to get as much use out of this unit as possible........don't want to end up at the local library , Hmm speaking of the library - - Where is JG.....maybe his car broke down too?

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cute 'n Fuzzy Bunny Not a EE, but yeah, the transformer will smoke up nice and its extremely unlikely to pass an electrical spike through to the laptop.

Unless, of course, the electrical transient or the transformer or the high-temperature Sony battery detect an AMD chip downstream, right?

Last summer I had trouble deciding whether I should buy AMD or Intel. As you pointed out at the time, AMD got suckered. Glad I chose the latter...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Unless, of course, the electrical transient or the transformer or the high-temperature Sony battery detect an AMD chip downstream, right?

Trick question. The AMD chip is already on fire most of the time.

And electrical transients are pretty nasty around the saliva dripping off of the standard equipment teeth incorporated in most AMD processors.