Turning off using the mains socket switch

[autolycus]

Hello - i wonder if someone could answer a simple (i hope) question?

I know it's inadvisable to switch a computer off by simply using the power socket, but what about other items that have an on/off switch? Is there a simple rule? I'm specifically thinking about an active subwoofer that has an on/off switch that is a bit awkward to get at, yet the manual advises it be switched off when not in use. This is to save power and prolong the life of the speaker. I can easily get to the socket switch, but was worried i might do more harm than good if the speaker is still 'on' when i switch it off at the wall.

Any advice appreciated, thanks.

 

[telectrix]

Can't see a problem. The reason computers don't like it is that theyt should be shut down correctly.

 

[Silly Sausage]

I turn my computer etc. off at the socket all the time, never done it any harm. or the hard drives before anyone brings that one up!
It just thinks the OS hasn't been shut down 'correctly'. Can't be arsed waiting doing it the right way.

 

[shanky887614]

I turn my computer etc. off at the socket all the time, never done it any harm. or the hard drives before anyone brings that one up!
It just thinks the OS hasn't been shut down 'correctly'. Can't be arsed waiting doing it the right way.

buy an ssd then. i get like 5 secs max shutdown time

 

[chrish_1977]

Old hard drives, when they were turned off without shutting down properly, the read/write head would drop and hit the disc. Possibly damaging either the head or the disc. That's why you should shut down rather than just turning off. Over time the hard drive will develop read write errors

 

[Silly Sausage]

Old hard drives, when they were turned off without shutting down properly, the read/write head would drop and hit the disc. Possibly damaging either the head or the disc. That's why you should shut down rather than just turning off. Over time the hard drive will develop read write errors

That's what I was thinking, but are you sure?
Aren't the heads on rigid arms, so there shouldn't be a problem?
Anyway, my large GBs of video have survived...so far!

 

[whitestu]

I sometimes deliberately switch mine off at the mains to punish it if its been naughty!

 

[Tuttle]

As I understand it, on very old hard drives the operating system had to send a command to the hard drive to park the heads before powering off, but modern drives auto park the heads themselves when the power goes off, and this has been the case for many years (at least 10 years I think)

 

[Tuttle]

Of course, even though switching off the power doesn't physically damage the drive, you can still suffer data corruption if you don't shutdown properly.

 

[autolycus]

Many thanks for all the replies - especially the one on topic ;-)

 

[dan86]

as long as the hard drive isn't reading/writing any data when you switch off, it'll be ok. just a PITA when you start it back up and it tells you you were naughty not to shutdown correctly and it must scan for errors!

it's the same with a USB drive. you don't need to 'eject' it as long as its not reading/writing any data

 

[Tuttle]

Many thanks for all the replies - especially the one on topic ;-)

Sorry, I agree with post #2 ... shouldn't be a problem ;-)

 

[Adam W]

Yeah it should be fine. With an amplifier it's best to turn the amplifier on last and off first, then you don't get 'pops' from turning the signal on and off which can damage the cones.