Leaving the Mac Pro on 24/7

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Level 1

77 points

Leaving the Mac Pro on 24/7

This question is in reference to the Mac Pro, but of course would also apply to all Macs. I have always been a believer in shutting down the Mac before I leave work for the day, and the same with my home Macs. I'd like to get some sort of consensus on this issue from the forum. I once had a bad experience with a Mac G5 after leaving it on overnight. When I arrived the next morning the fans were operating at full speed, apparently a Kernal Panic situation. I have no idea how long the fans had been running, but I can certainly imagine an extended period would cause rather sever damage. If it were a weekend I'd be checking in at work each day, not the ideal situation. Any and all replies will be appreciated.

Gary

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), 3-1TB HDs, 2-2TB HDs, NEC PA271W

Posted on Apr 27, 2015 9:11 AM

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Answer 1

BobHarris

Level 9

53,117 points

Apr 27, 2015 12:02 PM in response to Garnick

A PowerMac G5 which I left on 24/7 (it was a server) every once in a while would go nuts. I do not know if it was the hardware or the software, but that was in the Panther, Tiger, Leopard days. Eventually that system died.

The iMac replacement with Snow Leopard (10.6) has been very good.

My laptops (are put to sleep from time to time, but are mostly up all the time). No real problems.

Your mileage may vary.

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Answer 2

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,008 points

Apr 27, 2015 12:21 PM in response to Garnick

I see no reason whatsoever to leave a computer on when it's not in use (that is, you're not coming back to it for at least an hour). It's just another electronic device that needs no more babying than any other. When we're done watching TV, when we're done vacuuming, using the lights in a room, listening to the stereo, etc., we turn them off.

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