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I have an old HP dv7-7210sp laptop and I want to use it as a server. Is it safe to have it turned on 24/7? The server will be used with Nextcloud to backup my data.

Should I remove the battery from the laptop or keep it as a backup power source?

Also, is it safe to run HDD 24/7 or should I enable APM so it spins down after some time of inactivity?

Can the laptop burn if I leave it running?

adazem009
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  • *Some* devices have a mode in the firmware to limit battery charge to some set amount so that they do not put stress on the battery and can be used in situations where they are *permanently* connected to AC. But that is generally on devices where the battery is not user replaceable or cheap to replace such as the Microsoft Surface Pro style devices. Apart from that kind of maintenance issue there is no real reason not to use it however you need. HDDs have mechanical wear and tear whichever way you use them, as do fans and other parts so it is a toss up as to which way is worse. – Mokubai Jun 09 '20 at 10:33

1 Answers1

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Is it safe to have it turned on 24/7?

Yes.

Should I remove the battery from the laptop or keep it as a backup power source?

I'd keep it. The laptop will run off power supply if it's connected. The excessive battery wear when laptop is running on AC is mostly a myth. With default settings the battery will charge to 100% and then laptop's circuitry will disable charging until charge level drops below 90% to conserve battery life. So you can safely keep the battery inserted and use it as a backup power source.

Lithium-polymer batteries should in general be stored at 60% charge if not used, but custom charge threshold setting is rarely present in consumer grade laptops. So you can either store the unused battery in perfect conditions or make use of it. The latter makes much more sense in my opinion. Keeping the battery inserted and charged to 90-100% won't be dangerous to the computer, it will just shorten battery life compared to storage at 60%. (Thanks to @davidgo for reminding me about this)

Also, is it safe to run HDD 24/7 or should I enable APM so it spins down after some time of inactivity?

It's not just safe, but recommended! HDDs are more likely to fail when spinning up than when running continuously. Spinning disks down is useful to conserve energy or reduce noise, but it will affect disks' longevity. For a server it's better to keep them spinning constantly.

Can the laptop burn if I leave it running?

Not if the cooling system is working properly. Even if it's not, thermal throttling will kick in and reduce performance to keep temperatures in safe range. A properly built computer should run 24/7 no problem.

gronostaj
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  • I think the laptop has a good cooling system. It hasn't been used for about 4 years so I tought the battery has died. But, after I charged it, it was working again. What if the HDD overheats? – adazem009 Jun 09 '20 at 10:05
  • HDD won't generate a lot of heat. It's actually more likely to be heated by other components under load, but not to dangerously high temperatures. – gronostaj Jun 09 '20 at 10:11
  • Ok. Also, is it better to remove the motherboard and use a custom cooling system or keep it in the laptop? – adazem009 Jun 09 '20 at 10:12
  • You should definitely keep the original cooling system. It will be fixed to the motherboard so you could remove them from original case. It could improve thermals slightly, but you'll have to find alternative means to keep the dust out and keep all components in place. Considering that the laptop should work just fine and be cooled sufficiently in the original case, I'd definitely avoid removing the motherboard. – gronostaj Jun 09 '20 at 10:18
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    If it's any help, I'm posting from a 2011 Lenovo Thinkpad Edge 15 (Intel Pentium P6100, prone to overheating, a Samsung SSD and a WD HDD on USB) running Windows Server 2019 approx. 17 hours per day, 7 days a week. I put it in hibernation when I go to bed, around midnight, and turn it back on when I wake up at 7am. It runs all day, otherwise, and when idling, CPU temp barely rises above 60°C. I've done this for going on six years, now, with various Windows Server iterations running, and it's still working. (fingers crossed emoji) –  Jun 09 '20 at 10:24
  • I believe dust buildup will be faster since fans are blowing 24/7, this can lead to vents getting blocked, heating up, initially slowing down and in extreme cases shutting down. – Diaa Sami Jun 09 '20 at 10:56
  • @gronostaj Hi, here's an update. The laptop was working perfectly for almost a year. It's still working without any issues, so I replaced it with a new computer I bought. I'll try to repair the laptop and use it for something different :) – adazem009 Feb 16 '21 at 18:18