There are few certainties in life: death, taxes and turning your computer on and off if there is a problem. This advice is usually the first tip you get from friends, family and technical support.
If your computer restarts, it may run smoothly. It clears the memory, and stops all tasks that the RAM eats. Even if you have closed an app, it can still tap on your memory. A recharge can also solve edge and hardware problems. If your computer is still running slowly, this one trick can definitely help.
How often do you need to recharge your computer? Let’s look at how recharging can affect your system and when exactly you need to do it.
Restart your computer
We recommend that you turn off your computer at least once a week. A reboot process returns everything to the boot state, from your computer’s CPU to its memory.
Many people will turn off their computer by holding down the power button. This way can cause additional problems. Tap or click here to see how to restart your PC or Mac properly.
Recharging your computer involves two steps: shut down your computer and then restart it. If your computer restarts / restarts, it will lose power during the process and restart automatically.
Your computer itself will sometimes ask you to restart it, usually after you download an update. Newer machines require less reloading, but a major software patch usually requires one.
PRIVACY WARNING: Skip updates? You are endangering your computer!
Reduce wear and tear
Your computer is full of moving parts. The CPU, mainly the brain, has a fan. High-end graphics cards also require a cooling system. Although solid state disks are becoming more popular, most computers still use hard disks, which consist of turntables.
All of these components expire over time and the longer your computer runs, the shorter their lifespan will be.
It’s easy to use the habit of turning it on to avoid having to go through the startup process, but it will help you get more life out of your machine. If you walk away for a few hours or do not feel like shutting things down completely, you can shut down your computer for an afternoon nap.
Sleep it off
The sleep mode puts your computer in a low power state. The fans will stop rotating and the hard drive will stop functioning so that things will be quiet.
In sleep mode, your computer’s current state remains in memory. When you wake up your machine, you will have open programs, documents, music, etc. Be where you left it. Tap or click here to see how your iPhone and Apple Watch can help you improve your sleeping habits.
To put your computer to sleep:
- Open power options:
- Tap Windows 10 Start > Institutions > System > Power and sleep > Additional power settings.
- Swipe for Windows 8.1 / Windows RT 8.1 from the edge of the screen, tap Search (or if you are using a mouse, point to the top right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down and click Search), perform Power options in the search box and type Power options.
- Tap for Windows 7 Start > Control panel > System and security > Power options.
- Do one of the following:
- If you are using a computer, tablet or laptop, select Choose what the on / off buttons do. Select when you press the on / off button Sleep > Save changes.
- If you are only using a laptop, select Choose which closes the lid. Choose when I close the lid Sleep > Save changes.
- When you are ready to put your computer to sleep, press the power button on your desktop, tablet, or laptop, or close the lid of your laptop.
On most computers you can work again by pressing the on / off button of your computer. However, not all computers are the same. You can wake it up by pressing any key on the keyboard, clicking a mouse button or opening the lid on a laptop. Read the manual that comes with your computer, or go to the manufacturer’s website.
It takes less time to wake up a computer than to turn it on after a shutdown, but sleep mode still consumes power. Removing errors, memory leeches, non-functioning network connections, and more is a reload.
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