How long is it safe for an "average" PC to keep running?

How long is it safe for an average PC to keep running?

Without any impressive cooling.

Since I had my new build, this is the first time that I have had it running for more than 24 hours. Right now its running for almost 4 days (exactly 4 days in about 5 hours).

Im constantly monitoring temps via HW Monitor, so far they are okay.

Temperature logs for the past 4 days in Celsius. (Min-Max)
CPU = 39-52
Video Card = 37-70
HDD = 31-33

The above-mentioned components seem okay with those temps; however, its the other components without temp monitoring I am most worried about like my PSU, Motherboard, and RAMS.

Well the PSU has its own fan but the mobo and rams do not.

My case is well ventilated, i think.

Front = 2x 90mm intake fans
Side = 1x 120mm intake fan
Rear = 2x 90mm exhaust fans

Will I have any problems with the system going non stop for 4 days? Perhaps not now, but I've read of some horror stories about PCs that are working fine while they are turned on for a couple of days, but then the problems would occur after they have been turned off.

 

You should be fine. I myself is using my PC for almost two weeks without shutting down, and it's fine.

 

I have a computer that runs for months non stop. It's fine, temps don't go above normal idle unless its doing something. PSU stays cold to the touch and hard drives read below 30c. You have nothing to worry about as long as it's set up right and keeps doing it's job.

 

Until it becomes unstable through age.
2 to 7+ years depending on clocked state and components (like PSU).
You may have to replace the odd fan and hard drive.

 

Absolutely nothing to worry about as long as your system is stable and you take the time to keep it dust free.

Currently my oldest machine has been running straight 24\7 for seven years, all original equipment and fans; down time is maybe 10 minutes a month for cleaning maintenance and restarts if required for updates.

Some people will argue it’s better to shutdown, others will argue it’s better to leave it on, neither is right or wrong, it’s a personal opinion and depends on how you use your rig. Power consumption is something to consider.

 

Hell I'd be worried more about Windows rather than the harwdare itself...

 

I don't think it really matters, if all power saving options are enabled it should use as little energy as possible.

I'm sure the Guru3D servers never shut down, my own PC's go into standby but never power off completely...

 

My sig rig has been switched on for nearly all of its life, 3 years Don't worry about it unless you have crazy voltages or heat problems!

 

Or problems with storms & sand storms which we had today.

For some reason it made many drivers drive even slower after work. :bang:

 

WOW! Those are crazy! I mean, I never thought PCs could last for YEARS without shutting down! :eek3:

Thanks so much for all you info guys, it super helped! I'm gonna share this to my peers :banana:

:approval:

:rock:

 

My friend use PC like that, never turn it off... It works for 9 years now, nothing really changed except few PSU's. He reboot it once in a week or so.

On hardware side, everything should work fine (bare in mind that quality of component get down compared to 10 years ago etc. but prices also), on software side, with clever use, one OS could last same amount of time.

 

Yeah I rarely shutdown my rig. Only if its not doing anything or I leave for the weekend or something. Other than that, its on most of the time.

 

I leave my work laptop running for 2-3 months at time without a reboot its a old gateway FX NB with a 8800gts and a C2D cpu hits about 60C and gpu even though not utilized often hits 65c max and still runs fine. (btw It is in a non-AC area as I work as an auto tech in a non-AC shop temps. in the shop lately have been around 100F ambient.)

 

It might not be 4 days but this my temps over the last 16-18 hours on my file/game server.



Core temps are bugged i think.

 

$ uptime
3:34AM up 1411 days

One of them at least.

 

Nice temps. Must be cold over there in Australia, or at least your room is.

My room is in the basement, no airconditioning but ambient temps during the day time is relaxingly cool. Though I have noticed that my room has begun to feel like an oven because my PC is heating it up lol

 

My room is 30c so my pc 5-10c hotter

 

I run my computer 24/7 365, reboot it from time to time when there's updates. Never had a computer die on me yet. I think my dad still has my old P4C 2.6Ghz running as a downloading computer 24/7, and I built that rig back in 2003.

 

Turn it off when your not using it should last even longer.

 

^ not really, doesn’t make a difference.