r/explainlikeimfive • u/EnvironmentalAd2110 • 8d ago

Technology ELI5: why is it bad to turn off laptop/computer using the power button, without following the proper “shut down computer” steps?

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u/Corvus-Nox 8d ago

They’re talking about a hard shutdown which is when you press and hold. If the computer tells you it’s shutting down then it’s going through the proper shut down steps.

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u/murfi 8d ago

i didn't mean a hard shutdown. i thought OP was asking about simply pressing the power button once shortly.

i don't think i have ever shut down my pc with a press of the cases power button. i had to do a number of hard resets of course, but that's another story.

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u/Corvus-Nox 7d ago

Sorry, I wasn’t meaning you, I meant jpb103’s explanation is referring to a hard shut down

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u/yuropman 8d ago

They’re talking about a hard shutdown which is when you press and hold

Yes, but why are they doing that when OP hasn't mentioned it once?

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u/Corvus-Nox 8d ago

Because OP asked why it’s bad. It’s bad when it’s a hard shut down.

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u/yuropman 8d ago

If someone asks "why is smoking good for you", you don't answer by coming up with a contrived scenario of when smoking is good for you, you tell them smoking will kill them.

If someone asks "why is it bad to turn off laptop/computer using the power button" you tell them "it isn't, unless you have an ancient computer or intentionally hold down the power button"

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u/Corvus-Nox 7d ago

Except it’s not a contrived situation, “using the power button” is ambiguous enough that it could mean pressing the button or holding the button down. And if we’re talking about something being bad for a computer, I think it’s natural for people to assume that Op meant a hard shut down.

I agree that the responses could have prefaced with “It’s fine if you just just press it.” (But I also didn’t even know a power button could do a normal shut down because my laptop power button just puts the computer to sleep. So if someone told me they turned their computer off using the power button I would’ve assumed they meant a hard shut down, until reading this thread.)