I left my Windows PC running for a full week to see whether the convenience of “always on” beats the small pains people say it brings—and the results were more nuanced than you might expect. The experiment, performed on a Windows 10 desktop and summarized by How-To Geek, found Windows stayed remarkably stable across seven days, with only a handful of app hiccups and slight gaming stutters; still, the trade-offs—power, heat, update behavior, and security—are real and measurable. ps://www.howtogeek.com/i-didnt-shut-down-my-windows-pc-for-a-week-heres-how-it-went/)
Why do people consider leaving a PC running 24/7? The short answer is convenience: instant access to apps, background tasks that run without interruption, and the ability to remotely reach your machine for file transfers, media streaming, or running long jobs. The How‑To‑Geek test highlighted exactly this: skipping boot time, keeping Spotify or background services active, and enabli all strong practical reasons for keeping the machine powered.
That convenience comes with trade-offs. Over the week the tester reported no system‑wide crashes, only a couple of isolated app failures (a WinRAR crash on cancel), and slightly worse game asset-loading behavior—classic symptoms of long‑running systems where resource leaks and accumulated process state begin to matter. Microsoft documentation explains that long‑running processes can suffer memory leaks and that rebooting releases memory and kernel resources; PerfMon and other tools are the right way to detect and diagnose these problems.
ened in the week‑long test
To turn that into money, use this worked example based on a conservative US residential price of about 17¢ per kWh (national average ~2024–2025).
Practical rule: if you run a machine as a media server or NAS and expect frequent disk activity, keep the disks spun up; if disks are rarely touched, spin‑down policies can save energy—just be mindful of vendor specs.
Note: Microsoft has been improving hotpatching workflows (some security updates can apply without a restart for supported configurations) but the safe rule for most home users is that restarts are necessary at least periodically.
If you need remote access, use these mitigations:
If you want, you can adopt a simple checklist from this article tonight: set sleep timers, enable Wake‑on‑LAN, schedule a weekly restart, and lock down any remote access paths. Those steps will give you most of the convenience and very little of the downside.
Source: How-To Geek I didn't shut down my Windows PC for a week: Here's how it went
Background / Overview
Why do people consider leaving a PC running 24/7? The short answer is convenience: instant access to apps, background tasks that run without interruption, and the ability to remotely reach your machine for file transfers, media streaming, or running long jobs. The How‑To‑Geek test highlighted exactly this: skipping boot time, keeping Spotify or background services active, and enabli all strong practical reasons for keeping the machine powered.That convenience comes with trade-offs. Over the week the tester reported no system‑wide crashes, only a couple of isolated app failures (a WinRAR crash on cancel), and slightly worse game asset-loading behavior—classic symptoms of long‑running systems where resource leaks and accumulated process state begin to matter. Microsoft documentation explains that long‑running processes can suffer memory leaks and that rebooting releases memory and kernel resources; PerfMon and other tools are the right way to detect and diagnose these problems.
ened in the week‑long test
Key observations from the experiment
- The Windows 10 desktop stayed up and responsive for seven days with no es.
- One observable application fault: canceling an extraction in WinRAR caused the app to crash, but restarting the app recovered the session.
- Gaming sessions exhibited slighnd slower asset loads later in the week—consistent with resource fragmentation or cached resources filling memory over time.
- The author concluded that daily restane system for Windows—preventing small leaks from accumulating and ensuring updates are applied timely.
What this tells us about Windows stability
The takeaways line up with professional experience and platform documentation: modern Windows (10 and 11) is robust for long uptimes, but long‑running sessions expose lingering bugs (memory leaks, stuck handles, driver oddities) that can be fixed or mitigated by periodic restarts or targeted troubleshooting. Microsoft’s developer and support docs make this explicit: long‑running services and drivers can leak kernel and user memory and require careful diagnosis with PerfMon and driver debugging tools.The real costs: energy, heat, and noise
How much power does a desktop actually draw?
Claim: an always‑on idle desktop typically draws between roughly 40W and 100W depending on components and idle configuration. That range reflects integrated‑graphics office systems at the low end and mid‑range gaming rigs with discrete GPUs and active cooling at the high end. Energy calculators and industry guides put typical idle desktops in the ~20–100W band, with heavy workloads spiking well above that.To turn that into money, use this worked example based on a conservative US residential price of about 17¢ per kWh (national average ~2024–2025).
- If your PC draws 40 W constantly: 0.04 kW × 24 hours × 365 days = 350.4 kWh → ≈ $60 / year**.
- If your PC draws 100 W constantly: 0.10 kW × 24 × 365 = 876 kWh/year. At $0.17/kWh → ≈ $149 / year.
Heat and noise
A machine left on 24/7 converts idle watts into heat. In winter that heat is a small benefit; in summer it’s an annoyance that forces higher AC usage. Fans will run to dissipate that heat, producing noise; you can minimize that with a quiet fan curve and good case airflow, but you cannot eliminate heat generation from electrical consumption. Energy & power calculators and machine analysis sites document these tradeoffs and show why idle power—even small numbers—becomes meaningful when multiplied over months.Reliability and hardware wear: HDDs vs SSDs
Hard disk drives (HDDs)
HDDs have moving parts; start/stop cycles and load/unload cycles are real metrics in vendor spec sheets and can contribute to mechanical wear. Modern desktop drives often rate hundreds of thousands of load/unload cycles, but frequent spin‑up/spin‑down behavior (caused by aggressive APM or repeated sleep/wake cycles) has historically been implicated in premature failures for some models. If you’re using spinning disks for storage and you alternate between powering down nightly and leaving the drive on, either strategy can be reasonable—but avoid pathological setups that trigger thousands of spin cycles per day. Manufacturer documentation and storage‑industry analysis explain the tradeoffs and provide the load/start‑stop specs you should check.Practical rule: if you run a machine as a media server or NAS and expect frequent disk activity, keep the disks spun up; if disks are rarely touched, spin‑down policies can save energy—just be mindful of vendor specs.
Solid state drives (SSDs)
SSDs lack moving parts, so they don’t suffer the same mechanical start/stop wear as HDDs. Their wear is tied to total NAND writes (TBW, Total Bytes Written) and to a lesser extent to power‑on hours and thermal stress. In practice, being powered on doesn’t dramatically shorten SSD life unless the drive is under heavy sustained write load. Monitoring SMART attributes (power‑on hours, total host writes, health percentage) gives a far better indication of an SSD’s remaining life than uptime alone. Guides and SSD health explain this clearly.Software behavior: updates, memory leaks, and background tasks
Windows Update and restart behavior
One common reason to restart is to apply updates. Many Windows updates—especially quality and feature updates—require a restart to finish installing and to bring fixes and security patches into effect. Microsoft provides controls (active hours, scheduled restarts, group policy) so you can manage when that restart happens; still, if you never restart, updates will pile up and either fail to take effect or force an inconvenient reboot later. For organizations, Microsoft even documents advanced options for scheduling and delaying restarts.Note: Microsoft has been improving hotpatching workflows (some security updates can apply without a restart for supported configurations) but the safe rule for most home users is that restarts are necessary at least periodically.
Memory leaks and long uptimes
Memory leaks occur when software allocates memory and fails to release it; over time this leads to reduced free RAM, paging, and system sluggishness. Long‑running processes and background services are the usual culprits. Microsoft’s diagnostic guidance recommends PerfMon to spot growing memory counters and points to both user‑mode and kernel‑mode leak paths. If you notice progressive slowdowns, investigate processes that steadily increase memory usage and reboot if needed to clear transient leaks.Security and remote‑access risks
Running a system 24/7 increases the window of attack: any service exposed to the network (RDP, SSH, web servers, remote desktop tools, misconfigured Wake‑on‑LAN with poor network controls) becomes reachable at any time. Attackers scan the Internet for open ports and vulnerable services; an always‑on machine with weak credentials or unpatched services is a direct target. Practical security analyses of remote access and privileged always‑on accounts highlight credential theft, lateral movement, and visibility challenges when permanent access is granted.If you need remote access, use these mitigations:
- Limit exposure: avoid exposing RDP or other management ports directly to the Internet.
- Use VPNs or remote management tools that broker access through secure, authenticated tunnels.
- Require MFA and strong passwords for any remote logins.
- Keep software updated and audit logs regularly.
These practices are standard recommendations from network security documentation.
How to get the best of both worlds: always‑available without the downsides
If your goal is the convenience of an always‑ready PC without the full cost of 24/7 operation, here are practical, implementable options.Quick checklist: minimal pain, maximal up‑time convenience
- Put the machine into Sleep when inactive (not full shutdown). Sleep preserves session state while drawing only a few watts. For remote wake, use Wake‑on‑LAN (WoL) so the machine can be woken from another device as needed. Detailed step‑by‑step guides for enabling WoL are available and involve BIOS/UEFI and NIC power settings.
- Schedule one nightly or weekly restart outside your active hours to apply updates and clear transient resource leaks. Use Windows’ Active Hours and Scheduled Restart options to prevent surprise reboots. Microsoft docs explain how to manage restarts and the policies for delaying auto‑restarts.
- Monitor memory and resource trends with PerfMon or Resource Monitor; if you see persistent growth in private bytes or nonpaged pool, track down the offending process. Microsoft provides step‑by‑step guidance for leak hunting.
- Limit network exposure: don’t leave RDP open to the Internet—use VPNs, restrict remote ports to specific IPs where possible, and enforce MFA on remote accounts. Security vendors and network‑security whitepapers recommend these controls.
- Tune power settings: if you absolutely need 24/7 uptime only intermittently (media server, long renders), configure schedules that keep the machine asleep most of the time and wake it for scheduled tasks or remote access via WoL.
Step‑by‑step for a typical home user who wants remote access and low cost
- In Windows, set the PC to go to Sleep after 15–30 minutes of inactivity; set longer screen‑off timers if you use the machine for background media streaming.
- Enable Wake‑on‑LAN in UEFI/BIOS and in the NIC properties inside Device Manager (allow the adapter to wake the PC, allow magic packet only). Test WoL locally before relying on remote access.
- Configure Windows Update Active Hours and set a weekly scheduled restart for a time you’re typically away. Microsoft docs show how to set group policy or local settings for update restarts.
- Use a VPN (or a secure remote tool) rather than exposing management ports directly to the Internet; require MFA and keep accounts patched and audited.
Strengths, risks, and final verdict
Notable strengths
- Practical convenience: instant resume, uninterrupted background tasks, easy media streaming—these are real daily productivity gains for the right user. The How‑To‑Geek week‑long run proves modern Windows can handle a continuous week with minimal system‑level failure.
- Mature sleep/hibernate capability: modern Windows offers sleep and hibernate as efficient alternatives that preserve convenience while saving power. How‑To‑Geek and other mainstream guides have long recommended sleep/hibernate over full shutdown for frequent users.
- Remote‑wakeup options: Wake‑on‑LAN provides the remote turn‑on behavior many users want without needing to burn power 24/7. Guides from reputable publications explain BIOS and OS steps to enable WoL.
Main risks and caveats
- Energy cost: the math shows nontrivial yearly costs if you run a power‑hungry desktop nonstop; your mileage varies with component choices and local electricity rates. Use the kWh math above to estimate your personal cost.
- Security exposure: always‑on systems with open remote services are higher‑risk targets for credential theft and lateral movement if poorly configured. Lock down remote access, require MFA, and avoid exposing RDP to the publim])
- Software aging: memory leaks and driver/resource bugs can accumulate—periodic reboots are a low‑cost, high‑leverage fix. Microsoft’s documentation and Windows community troubleshooting guides make this crystal clear.
- HDD mechanical wear: if you use spinning disks, be mindful of drive start/stop cycles; if your use case triggers many spin cycles, consider disabling aggressive APM or choosing enterprise/ NAS‑rated drives. Manufacturer guidance gives model‑specific recommendations.
Practical takeaways and recommended routine
- If your priority is instant access and you use your PC multiple times per day, use Sleep rather than leaving the system fully powered on 24/7; enable Wake‑on‑LAN for remote wake.
- Schedule one purposeful restart per week (or nightly quick restarts if you prefer) so Windows and drivers refresh and updates can complete. Microsoft’s update management docs show how to set this up safely.
- Monitor for leaks and runaway processes with Performance Monitor or Resource Monitor; reboot when you identify persistent growth in memory or kernel pools. Microsoft provides step‑by‑step guidance.
- Harden remote access: use VPNs, MFA, and strong password hygiene; never leave RDP open to the Internet without layers of protection. Security advisory sources explain the high‑risk nature of exposed management services.
- If storage is a concern, prefer SSDs for responsiveness (they’re less susceptible to start/stop mechanical wear) and check SMART attributes for TBW and power‑on hours rather than worrying about uptime alone.
Conclusion
The How‑To‑Geek week‑long trial confirms what many power users already know: modern Windows can run for long periods without catastrophic failure, and the convenience of instant availability is a tangible productivity win for many. But the experiment is also a good reminder that convenience is not free—power costs, heat and noise, occasional software aging, and security exposure are all part of the equation. The smart middle ground for most users is sleep plus scheduled restarts plus Wake‑on‑LAN when remote access is needed; this approach preserves the benefits of an “always ready” desktop while minimizing costs and risk.If you want, you can adopt a simple checklist from this article tonight: set sleep timers, enable Wake‑on‑LAN, schedule a weekly restart, and lock down any remote access paths. Those steps will give you most of the convenience and very little of the downside.
Source: How-To Geek I didn't shut down my Windows PC for a week: Here's how it went
