Shut down computer or put into sleep?

[Smudge]

I am running Vista. I use my desktop throughout the day - sometimes for an hour and then I do not go back to it for a few hours. I have been shutting it down each time I walk away for more than an hour and then starting back up when I come back to use it. Is it better to use Sleep? How often should I be shutting down the computer or can I just keep on in Sleep mode? I would imagine that the same applies to my laptop? Thanks for any help

 

[diduknowthat]

I would just put it to sleep, this way you don't have to wait for the boot cycle. I haven't shut down my computer for like a month at college as I just put it to sleep everynight.

 

[aviation_man]

I agree. Sleep was made for you to leave it for an hour+ and then come back to it. It isn't exactly the best thing to keep turning on/off your computer repetitively like that, IMO.

 

[Bodaggit23]

I put mine to sleep.

It's debatable whether or not it's bad to shut it down all the time.

 

[Smudge]

So keeping it in sleep for days is not a bad thing?

 

[TFT]

If I'm coming back to it in an hour or so then "sleep".
If I'm finished for the day then it goes off and switched on the next day.

I'm paying the electric bill and that's more important to me than debating the longevity of the computer components.

 

[newguy]

ok if you want to work off and on i would let it sleep during the day. but some update like the automatic ones require a reboot so at the end of each day i would do a full shut down. this is just one mans opinion though. and i definately woudnt let my computer sleep for more than 24 hrs.