Do you ALWAYS turn off the computer when a thunderstorm starts?

I've been a fool for about 10 years now. (Actually, my friends swear its been longer than 10 years.) It's got to get really bad before I shut mine down. I usually think about it until the power goes off. Then I go thru DTs until the power comes back on. I guess I've just been lucky, but I've never lost one to a thunderstorm.

i dont, i feel protected with my avr and surge protector

yup i do! this is because my hubby who is a computer geek has seen what lightening strikes can do to a computer! so to that end, we always turn off our tv and our computer. i know my parents used to unplug everything when i was little, but we dont go that far.

Its always recommended to turn off the sensitive electronic appliances in home while thunderstorms. Even if you have such systems like a surge or earth under your pc done , you must not take a chance, My PC hasnt been shut down since 2 years, its always on, As i have three systems, one of them is my pc which is always on!. But since two years there hasnt been any thunderstorm which may let me turn my PC off. Before i used to turn it off due to I never trusted the technology. Right now i only use my laptop more however my pc is always on as i already mentioned i never would take a chance! Turning it off for some time is safe and good for the PC health too.

I don't turn the computer off when there is a thunderstorm outside. My computer never lost its power when there was a thunderstorm, except one time that there was a large storm outside and everything lost their power in my house.

Thunder and lightning is dangerious for electric moving instruments.So desktop should be closed during thunderstorm.

Yes I leave mine on; even during the worst storms. There was one night I was on my computer when lightning struck, and my computer flashed on and off. Lucky nothing happen to it. I didn't want to risk something happening the next time it storms so I went out and bought surge protector.

i'm working in an electronics company with an outsourced job in Chicago. our work is mainly through computers and so say that i spend my whole day infront of a computer is an understatement. we have UPS and lightning protector but we still turn our computer off whenever a strong lightning came, we are not afraid of thunder since it won't do harm on our computer but lightning will really burn your outlets. no matter how good your surge protector is it is still best to take precaution than to compromise your computer and safety.

Considering how hard it is for us to replace a pc, I shut mine off all the time. I would rather be safe then sorry and just about the time I leave it on is when it'll get hit. **AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~

If it gets really bad...high winds etc then I do turn it off. But just a storm passing through I don't heed the experts.....I just keep on using it! LOL

Here's the deal. Your information is backed up which is excellent. If you have a decent UPS (uninterruptable power supply) and/or surge protector even better. Especially one that will protect not only your ac plug but your phone line (if dialup or dsl) or coax (for cable). Only then would i not be concerned with thunderstorms affecting my computer. Yet your average user does not have these things. Most have a generic powerstrip bought from Wal-Mart in hopes it will protect their system. It will not. i still get computers brought in that are damaged during thunderstorms. Usually it's the powersupply which is only a twenty dollar part. Not a big deal. Sometimes though the motherboard will be fried. Still not a very expensive FRU (field replaceable unit) usually costing no more than a hundred dollars. Not so long ago i got one in that was completely toast except for the hard drive (none of my diagnostic scans found problems but it could still have been damaged). Do i shutdown my computer during an intense thunderstorm? Only if i think the power could completely shut off. Only out of habit.

If it's really bad I try to turn off the computer. From time to time the lights will go out and that will cut everything off in the house. Sometimes it will flash and come back on but if then sometimes it might stay off. I don't have the guts like you to keep things on through a storm.

No I don't always. That is why I have a surge protector right? So I do not have to worry so much about the storms!

why do you have to turn off your computer when a thunderstorm starts since all i use is a laptop and i have a laptop but i removed the screen because the brightness did not want to go up so when i use it i use an external monitor.

I dont turn off my system during a storm. I am on a laptop and I just unplug the power supply from the laptop, and keep going. my high speed internet modem is on a UPS and it totally protected from any outside power spikes. so I just keep going until the batteries run out or I goto bed.

I can't say I have one straight answer. We typically don't. When the weather is extremely bad we have and will continue too I am sure. We do turn them off when we are gone from home for an extended time because we never know what the weather will be like while we are gone.

yes, i always try to turn off the computer when theres a thunder storm becuse i dont want to risk damaging it, but i hate having to turn it off to it sucks lol

I normally don't because I have surge protectors and home owners insurance. If the storm is really bad to where this is almost no time in between lightning strikes... then I might.

take it from someone that learned from experience.. TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER DURING LIGHTENING STORMS.. contrary to apparent popular belief thunder doesnt have any effect on surges to ur computer, lightening does. You could buy a surge protector but that doesnt do much to prevent damage to your computer, they only help when its a small surge.. problem is surges are almost never small! It is worth the investment though. Also be aware that if you get your electric turned off or if theres a power outage that you should immediately **UNPLUG** your computer because when the electric comes back on there will be a surge and that could damage your computer (no the electric company will not pay for replacement or repairs). The best case scenario of surge damage to your computer is paying $80 or so.. the worst (and more common) case is having to pay $hundreds-$thousands to fix or replace your computer. In most cases repairs would be less expensive but theres cases where the surge damages so much that its more feesable to just go out and buy a new computer. If you live in places where theres lots of lightening storms youll definately want to unplug and surge protect. Also keep in mind that surges can damage all electronics not only computers so u should probably unplug any electronics youd be upset at losing, replacing or fixing.

take it from someone that learned their lesson the hard way... TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER WHEN THERE'S LIGHTNING.... also if your electric gets shut off, or if theres a power outage **UNPLUG** your computers as when the electric goes back on it WILL surge. Surge protectors are NOT that effective a product in preventing your computer from surges although they ARE a worthwhile investment and will prevent computer damage in the cases of smaller surges... the problem there is surges usually only come in one form.... large and very capable of destroying your computer and other electronics.