Turning off computers

@nykel88 (999)
Philippines
February 9, 2010 7:15pm CST
Hi I'm just curious how one turns off or powers down their computers. I personally turns in off in a proper way like selecting the shut down button in windows area. My friend does really the opposite he turns the power off the computer while still running. I told him that some data would get lost or it will complicate your rebooting. He wouldn't listen and just continue doing his ways. How do you turn off your computers?
2 people like this
28 responses
• Canada
10 Feb 10
The only way I shutdown my computer is through the start button. Then I select the shutdown option, then shutdown. You should never turn off your computer by simply switching of the unit. As time goes by the computer will fragment pieces of information all over the system. You would also have to run the deframenter very often. Occasionally you might have to switch off the pc directly due to an occasional computer freeze, but that should be the only time you do it.
@nykel88 (999)
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
Thank you for the tip. I don't really know what is the use of the defragmenter. I will look into this. Yes it does rarely happen when your computer freezes because of too much programs running. Sometimes my computer freezes because I have too many browser being opened and plus my games. Lol.
• Malaysia
10 Feb 10
@nykel88 You should clean up the clutter on your computer first before you defrag as you will save a lot of time when defragging. Recommended: Cleaning: Ccleaner Defrag: Auslogics Disk Defrag (this is way faster than the windows Defragmenter)
• Canada
10 Feb 10
Thanks for the great advice. I never knew they had a stronger defragmenter that you can install onto you pc. I'm am really going to check it out and look more into it.
@tayd88 (205)
• Malaysia
16 Feb 10
hi nykel88, I shutdown my computer the way you did.I guess your friend have not met with any data lost or machine breakdown yet due to its negligence and ignorance.Its hard to advise someone who's stubborn,in fact just let him be.One day,when his computer got some breakdown or need some major repair,then only you tell him ,its his own fault for not listening to your advise. Human will always learn from their own mistakes especially if it involves ca$h to fix things.
@tayd88 (205)
• Malaysia
16 Feb 10
SHAME on him!Hope he learn the lessons now.
@nykel88 (999)
• Philippines
16 Feb 10
Actually tayd88 he did had he consequence. His computer now freezes and turns into blue when he starts programs that is not necessarily heavy like Microsoft word. He did had his computer check and they said that there was something wrong with memory card or RAM to be specific. He didn't say a word about the how he turned off the computer to the technicians. I was there and was just smiling. He knew he'd blew it. I told him so many times he didn't listen.
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
10 Feb 10
I do it the way you do too because that was what I was told to do when I first started using it years ago. It turns everything off in the correct order then I'm sure. Your friend will have problems soon if he keeps doing it so harshly surely?
@nykel88 (999)
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
Yes. He is been doing it 3 months already. I know it is still a bit of a fresh start. But I kinda notice now his computer is a bit laggy than the usual. He may have not notice. I told him but he would just laugh. Lol
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
I always shut down my computer properly. Yes by not doing so, would create problems. I lost my files before due to that, it when to the part that I cannot access the windows anymore and called an IT or computer technician to fix and reinstall my windows... Some, actually most of my files were gone... too bad I don't have back up. I have a habit of saving my files on desktop only-- so definitely, my files are not saved... From then on, I always properly shut down my computer. This is really a nice topic nykel88! At lease we are able to inform others that are not shutting their computers properly about the possible effects of short cut computer turning off... PS: It happened to my auntie as well... Shutting off the computer properly is just a few minutes, so why not make it a habit... It keeps us away from headache and possible expenses due to reinstallation or reformating.
• Philippines
14 Feb 10
Well that is what he will get from not listening to you nykel88... Yes I noticed also that you have lots of respondents... Well that is good. Well I hope your friend's computer will not crash... I don't know if the fun is also related to that too...
@nykel88 (999)
• Philippines
14 Feb 10
I appreciate your concern. Thank you for visiting my discussions. I haven't notice this would go so far. To all people who are replying my discussion I thank you for reading this and relating your ideas on shutting down the computer properly. As to my friend who has been still doing it I'll update you. His computer wouldn't start unless pressing the on the button twice again. His fan is already making a large noise but I don't know if its about the shutting down and oh yeah his screen now turns blue like 3 hours of use. He just told me that and I just smiled and told him. Did you get my message already?
@ghieptc (2522)
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
There are two types of turning off your computer or ways to shut down. One is press start then turn off my computer or short cut key like window logo then then press u 2x. It will shut down quickly. It is a warm boot. Second if you press reset button, it is called cold boot.Like your friend press the power on button, it's also okay because all the technician do it for quick shut down.To terminate the power easily so that if your computer got malfunction or you motherboard got a problem, it will not damage.
@nykel88 (999)
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
Yes I get your point but my friend's computer doesn't have any problem, he just likes to shut down the computer in his own way which is automatic off. That will surely damage his files.
@ghieptc (2522)
• Philippines
11 Feb 10
I think if you turn off your computer automatically or immediately is like block out. Your data will be corrupted or some bytes will be lost.Your Hardisk maybe damage if frequently shut down in his way.You may encounter bad sector on the hardisk if turning off in his way.
@RobtheRock (2433)
• United States
10 Feb 10
Most of the time my computer stays on. I have it on Standby. Like you, if I turn it off, I use the windows area. The only time I cut it off manually, is when it freezes.
@nykel88 (999)
• Philippines
20 Feb 10
That is good. We shouldn't turn it off abruptly. This would complicate your hardware in your computer. Good thing you knew this.
@illfavors (590)
• United States
10 Feb 10
We never turn off our computers. We just hibernate ours. If we do turn them off, we shut them down properly.
• United States
19 Feb 10
I press the power button, but that's because my power button is setup in the control panel to power the computer down the proper way I have my significant others computer setup the same way. On computers that I don't know, I use the Start, Shutdown menu. Doing a hard power off all the time will definitely destroy data. I know this. I have lost important stuff because I couldn't be bothered to wait for the computer to power down, and I just held the off button until it turned off...Well came back a few hours later and all the stuff I had been working on was either gone or corrupt. It is best to do it the proper way if you don't know the computer and you don't know how the power button is setup. Again like I said I have my power button and my significant others power button setup to properly shut the computer down. I don't want to catch any flak from anyone saying it's the wrong way to do it.
• United States
10 Feb 10
The only time I turn off the PC is I have to move the computer, then I do a power shut down. I leave it on and only restart it.
• United States
10 Feb 10
I do it the way you do, mainly because I was told I could mess up my computer doing it the other, and quite frankly I can not afford to have to buy a new one.
@nykel88 (999)
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
Good. Yeah it is better safe than sorry right? I don't know why my friend doesn't see it that way. lol
@Haribol (80)
• India
23 Feb 10
I turn off my computer by turnoff option in start panel.But if i am busy then i directly switch off my pc while it is running.You are right some data will be lost if we switch off pc directly when its running.
@atv818 (1980)
• United Arab Emirates
14 Feb 10
I shut it down first before pulling the plug. Turning it off without shut down can damage the system in the long run. That happened to me a long time ago when I knew little about computers. Learned my lesson the hard way.
14 Feb 10
I do it the way most of you do, that is using the shutdown button from the start menu. Otherwise may cause errors in the system, disks and who knows in other hardwares? I cannot afford to buy another pc for a stupid reason of saving or secods in turning off a computer.
• United States
14 Feb 10
I make a shutdown shortcut and put on Rocketdock so I can turn off easily.
@hotsatya (240)
• India
10 Feb 10
i shut down my computer properly.
@benny128 (3615)
10 Feb 10
if you just turn the plug off you can cause problems with your hard drive, by turning the pc off properly or pushing the power button on the machine itself not on the wall socket the pc automatically parks the hard drive thus stopping the possibility of causing damage to your hard drive. I know hard drives are not expensive and relatively easy to change but better doing it the right way than having to replace a drive at some point.
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
I shut it down the proper way, I'm just afraid that if I don't shut it down properly then something will happen to it... And that is what they teach us from the first time that our family bought our first computer so that's how I have been doing it ever since..
@quickstar (268)
• India
10 Feb 10
Turning your pc power directly will surely deter the life of motherboard. your friend will find the problem sooner or later. hard disk also suffers. we should always shut it down properly. it hardly takes time to long life your pc
• Indonesia
10 Feb 10
Sometimes, when i feel angry with my computer, i shut it down directly by pushing and holding the power button. My computer works slowly sometimes, so when i'm in hurry i never do the right way to shut down my computer. Sometimes i turn off my computer by turning off the power supply. I know that is not a good action for my computer, but fortunately, my computer is always in good healthy, its never broken, only get slow sometimes when i open many applications.
@janairah (67)
• Philippines
10 Feb 10
alt+f4 that the way i do.i have experience that i turn my computer off just pressing the switch button then when i turn it on my ram was affected and it wont work.so i need to buy a new ram.from that day i turn it off in the correct way i learned a lesson