In the world of IT and business, there may be nothing quite as annoying as waiting for your computer to start up.
Even with the speed and power of modern OS it still seems like an unnecessary delay. After all who has the time to reopen all their previous folders, tabs and browsers every single new day at work.
There is far more important aimless scrolling (or if you're desperate, work) to be done and shutting everything down after a long day requires an impossible level of energy.
I mean we do it with our phones all the time, right? Leaving them on overnight to charge, not closing off tabs because we never know just when Facebook at 3:27 a.m might come in handy. So why should computers be any different? After all, aren’t phones these days just mini computers anyway?
The difference is, mobile devices such as phones are more or less designed to be left on. In fact, their entire existence is based on being able to remotely stay connected wherever you are.
It's no coincidence that one of the first questions someone like an internet provider asks when you call them is “have you tried turning it off and on again?”. This is because restarting your devices regularly actually helps with a lot of the behind the scenes processes. It also allows your computer to register new updates and fully refresh the system.
There are several benefits to restarting your computer.
One of the most crucial benefits is that it flushes the RAM. The RAM of your computer handles short-term tasks and data. Every browser tab or app you have open uses RAM therefore closing tabs or unnecessary windows instantly clears the respective RAM allotted. Restarting your computer flushes out any random or unimportant data bogging down your device.
Restarts are key to keeping your computer running smoothly because flushing the RAM removes all the unnecessary files piled onto your PCs memory, the computer can run a lot faster.
They also prevent memory leaks. When a programme is open, it is temporarily consuming your computer's RAM. Therefore, when that programme is closed, the RAM is no longer being consumed. However, outdated or overused programmes can be a little forgetful and greedy when it comes to returning the allotted memory, this results in memory leaks. However, restarting can help prevent these memory links from happening.
Restarting the computer is also crucial to fixing irritable computer bugs or glitches. Think back to the last time you fully shut down your computer and not just closed the lid or put the machine to sleep.
When a computer goes long periods of time without being restarted it is prone to a plethora of bugs and glitches.
Things such as unplugging headphones from the audio jack and your computer not reconnecting the in-built speakers, or certain error messages that make no sense can be linked directly to your computer needing a restart.
Unexpected system freeze-ups and slow performance are also common adversities that a computer running a 100-day crusade will face.
And surprisingly, it also saves time. Yep, you heard it here first, it actually saves time. Restarting is one of the quickest and most effective ways to fix an error with your machine. Troubleshooting can be a very deep rabbit hole, chances are your computer just needs a good old fashioned restart.
Now you may note that we have focused purely on a system restart, and not turning the system on and off again, and this is for a good reason.
If some kind of hardware driver or something similar plays up, the shutdown process doesn't actually clear it up but a restart does.
Therefore, for the best results, a daily restart of your computer will not only optimise performance but also fix any issues most of the time without fail.
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