When to Reboot XP

To make explaining all this easier and less confusing

The terms cold boot and hard boot usually indicate the PC is started from a power off state.

In contrast, warm boot or soft boot means to restart the OS w/o powering down the machine.

Reboot as I usually see it used calls for a warm boot.

Some values do not get cleared with a warm boot. Normally not an issue but for a really clean start, cold boot is what you want.

 

Dave - Johanna,

Yes, that is the thread I had in mind. I also said I aggreed with "Dave" about the powering on/off issue - meant Paul of this thread.

OK, since everyone now is on the same page concerning "cold "/ "warm" boots, Johanna's question still remains - what's so bad about rebooting? Her example is perfect, burning cd's is a notorious RAM user and if it's Roxio, getting the memory back afterwards is, shall we say, problematical.

Regards - Charles

 

burning cd's is a notorious RAM user

?????

I burned 7-8 CDs in a row using Win98SE & Nero when I had only 256 meg of RAM and never ran into a problem. And did not have to do a reboot.

I burned CDs when I only had 98SE & 128 meg of RAM and never had problems.

Why should XP have a problem ?

BillyBob

 

Newt wrote:

• "The terms cold boot and hard boot usually indicate the PC is started from a power off state.
  
  "In contrast, warm boot or soft boot means to restart the OS w/o powering down the machine.
  
  "Reboot as I usually see it used calls for a warm boot. "

Newt, you took the words right out of my mouth, and I'm surprised that no one mentioned warm boot/cold boot earlier.

I, too warm boot fairly frequently, but only when necessary, as after a software installation that calls for it. Many of XP's little idiosyncracies can be taken care of simply by logging off and back on. Johanna and I have the same amount of RAM (1GB), but I have never felt the need to reboot after a CD burning session ... I use both Nero and Roxio 6.

Although I use hibernation on my laptop all the time, I never use either it or standby on the desktop. My RAID 1 setup requires a check of the array lasting about 30 seconds, and my Adaptec SCSI card also requires a similar check. From POST to the start of XP loading requires just over a minute, and this happens on a cold boot, warm boot, or coming out of standby or hibernation.

My system is protected by multiple UPSs, and I shut the system down only when I expect to be away overnight or longer. I do, however, have my LCD monitor set to turn off after a minute when I expect to be away from the computer for more than an hour or so ... switchable from "Always On" to "Monitor Off" from a tray icon.

Printers and scanner are turned on only when I intend to use them.

In the final analysis, whether you run your system 24/7, or shut it down when you're not using it, all boils down to how you use your system and what you're comfortable with.

 

Yes,
Newts mention of cold boot/ warm boot is a term we use with the old PDP 1173 we STILL use at work. I like to use it as well when refering to PC's.
Our reference in relation to the PDP 11 is, warm boot- restarts the application running on top of the RSX OS (logging off/logging back on in PC speak is the closest analogy I guess?), and cold boot- restarts the RSX OS as well as the application running on top. (Start|Shutdown|Restart [Start|Turn Off Computer|Restart on XP] when refering to a PC) Hitting the power switch after "halting" the hard drive is simply a power down/power off with the said power switch.
Different terminology in different parts of the world I guess?

 

I also agree with the idea of "cold boot " and " warm boot " Much clearer.

Also doesn't the RESET SWITCH equal a warm boot ?

If the machine does indeed have a reset button, isn't it MUCH better to use than the power button in case of a lockup.

BillyBob

 

Reset Switch tested.

It appears as though the reset equals a bad shutdown of Windows.

I pushed the reset button. No fans stopped or lights went out. So I would say it is a bit better to use than the Power button.

Machine rebooted and RAN SCANDISK ( chkdsk ).

Normally I would only use the reset in case of a lockup where I could not get Start/Turn off PC/restart to work.

BillyBob

 

I find this hard to believe.

All the various comments etc. about how, when and why or why not to reboot ( cold or warm ) and no one has commented on the reset button.

Am I the only one that has one ?

Or am I the only one that has used it ?

Does it do the same as the below by Paul

BillyBob

 

Re the reset button ...

I used to use it all the time with Win9x, because of the frequent freezes and BSODs that weren't responsive to the three-finger salute (Ctrl + Alt + Del). It was the only way to achieve a warm reboot in those situations.

Since the move to XP Pro (on a new computer), I probably can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've used it in the past two years and, since the installation of SP-1, I don't think I've used it at all. In fact, until you brought it up, BB, I'd forgotten it even existed as, on this computer, it's quite small, and not easily seen (it's recessed slightly, and a penpoint or straightened paper clip is required to depress it).

What happens most with XP (for me, anyway) is that an error of some kind will force Windows Explorer to close, taking most background processes (represented by the icons in the systray) with it. XP repairs itself, so a reboot isn't necessary, but most of the normal background processes aren't immediately available. With Win9x I would have had to reboot to get everything back; with XP all I have to do is log off and log back on ... voilà! ... I'm back in business.

The long and short of the matter is that I don't find the reset button to be as important as it used to be.

 

When this machine acts up, I reboot, most times it will clear whatever problem was currently plauging it.

My first computer was an IBM aptiva. When I called them for support, many times the tech asked me to shut down/power off and do not restart for 15 or 20 seconds. When I inquired why I was told to let the hard drive spin down to a stop. I can only guess the reason for this.

So, remembering this, when the machine exhibits some odd behaviour, I will occasionaly shutdown/power off and wait 20 seconds before repowering. Does it help? I have no idea, just a shot in the dark.

I have also noted that in event viewer, if an error is present, rebooting the machine will clear the error message. I don't know if the error itself is cured, but the error does not appear to recur.

I don't ever remember this machine running for a straight 24 hours. I will sometimes leave it on overnight so that my drive image program scheduled tasks will be done. Like johanna, this machine will occasionaly be rebooted 10-15 times a day usually to cure a noted problem, and sometimes that works.

Martin

 

Thats better.

I can pretty much say the same as JSS3rd except for the size of the reset button. Mine is full size. But that is CASE STYLE related not the OS.

And I only brought up the subject because it is another way to restart ( reboot ) Windows. Or any OS as far as that goes.

But how we reboot may sometimes depend on the situation at hand.

If a software problem then a WARM reboot may work just fine.

If a Hardware problem it may requires a COLD boot.

I used the wrong video drivers once. A warm reboot did not fix. A COLD reboot allowed XP to redetect the card and set it up properly.

martinr121

I am glad that you mentioned that. It is important to wait at least the suggested amount of time before re-powering. Also I believe the wait also allows RAM to clear out along with making sure the HDS have stopped spinning.

BillyBob

 

Forget everything you ever thought you learned about windows 98.
Forget everything about stupid terminology about reboot/restart, versus shutdown.
What I said is simple.
Leave it on 24/7. Period.
No need to reboot/restart/shutdown to clear RAM, or any of that other Win9x silliness.
If your XP system is not stable enough to run 24/7 for at least a week, it needs work, or it needs better hardware.
I multitask the he|| out of my machine. Very often running a server, surfing, email, editing video in virtualdub, encoding video to SVCD, and burning with Nero all at the same time.
When I'm done, I close the program. Ram is dumped, just as it should be. (NOT like win9x!!!)
If you can't work it to a crawl, close a few programs and do it all over again without a restart, then something is wrong. Period!
Flaky drivers, flaky hardware, flaky RAM...something. Diagnose it, and fix it.
XP (as with most NT kernel OS's) is designed to go, and stay going, especially the Pro versons.
My uptime is just that. Up and running. No restart/shutdown/reset/reboot of any sort.
I get it running exactly the way I want it. Ghost it. Restart, and that's it. I leave it until I do something to MAKE it die, then ghost back, and go again. The only restart I have done involutarily was one of those stupid MS updates that I don't need, and that was my own fault.
If you're on the computer, actually doing something, for only a few hours per day, then shut it down when you're not using it.
If you're on it a lot, throughout the day, leave it on.
If you're serving anything via ftp, www, or irc, leave it 24/7 until it dies (or not).

Current uptime is now over 1007 hours (just shy of 42 days).

 

Reboot wrote:

• "What I said is simple. Leave it on 24/7. Period. "

That may be fine for you, or for anyone else running a server or other system that needs to be up 24/7, but I don't think it makes sense for the "average home user ", or for anyone who needs to leave his/her computer unattended for extended periods of time.

To repeat what I said in an earlier post: "In the final analysis, whether you run your system 24/7, or shut it down when you're not using it, it all boils down to how you use your system and what you're comfortable with. "

Addendum: I wrote and posted this before I saw the edited version of Reboot's post, which qualifies what he wrote earlier, so that he more or less agrees with my position.

 

I'll tell you that I am so paranoid with all the virus and worms going around, I won't leave this machine on unless I am sitting at the keyboard.

I have a ADSL connection that is always on and I'll be darned if I trust any of the AV programs or a firewall to protect this machine, at least, if I'm at the keyboard, maybe I'll notice something going on that I would not notice if I just walked away.

Maybe a false sense of security, but at least I feel more comforatble.

So, I think I'll shut down and go take a nap.

Great discussion.

Martin

 

Martin, get a router, turn off email checking, leave it on 24/7

 

Reboot: I have a wireless router/switch, supposedly penetration proof, I'm running Zone Alarm and Norton AV on startup, each with script blocker, Run Spybot with imunization, Use Adaware, PestPatrol religiously, use RegSeeker, EasyClean 2, Bazooka Spyware Scanner, 3SSS security suite, CWShredder and HiJack This.

I have downloaded and installed every MSFT security patch on the day it was published.

I do not use the preview pane in Outlook Express anymore, although I used to. I never open an email unless I know who sent it, I save all attachemts sent to me by known sources to disk and scan with Norton AV and Pest Patrol before opening.

In spite of this, two months ago I got infected by the Blaster Worm, was able to delete it, but it caused some damage that I'm still trying to recover from.

I will not, I repeat, will not leave my computer on when I'm not there to defend it.

Martin

 

LOL - Martin, I love the new entry you have for Experience.

I may get bit some day but I pretty much do the same as reboot - a good UPS to take care of power issues, a good router/firewall, up-to-date AV, and mine runs 7x24 unless I plan to be gone for a week or more. Sometimes even then.

 

I'm not swayed by these arguments.

 

I've said it at least twice before, and I'll say it again ... "it all boils down to how you use your system and what you're comfortable with. "

 

Well said Jim, and as I said earlier. If the machine is used 24/7 in a 24/7 business or as a Web server leave it on. If not, like 99.99% of home (and most business) users then shut it down.
I think this argument gets a bit like those audiophiles (and I nealy got sucked in many years ago) that swear by leaving their power amps on 24/7. What absolute ROT!