Poll: Do you use a UPS?

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MaxDSP

Lifer
May 15, 2001
10,056
0
71
Yes, 500VA APC Personal UPS...saved my hide quite a few times in the past 1.5 years I've been using it.
 
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imported_SeanRinVA

Member
Oct 29, 2004
33
0
0
Not only do I have a UPS on each of my systems at home, but I also have one on the home theatre equipment as well - that one is mostly for surges and brown-outs that can kill those electronics.
 
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CalvinHobbs

Senior member
Jan 28, 2005
984
0
0
Change the battery and your ups will like new
Originally posted by: ScottSwingleComputers
I used to have one, but now whenever the power goes out it makes some insane beeping and everything turns off anyways. I'm sure its the battery, but I don't think there is a way to replace it. Gotta get a new one...
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Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,448
9,953
136
Originally posted by: Demonicon
Originally posted by: calvinHobbs
yeps since 2000 i'm using ups...those saying they don't need it don't realise how foolish a statement this is...power cutouts or surges can do a lot of damage to your hardware and software..just because you've not been affected so far doesn't mean you'll never be affected...you've been warned
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I think most people use surge protectors, I daresay even those that use UPS. If lightning strikes a UPS is pretty much as useless as a surge protector (why are people using their computers during lightning storms? re:an earlier post). I only lose power a couple times a year at the most, the chances of me losing hardware because of this is pretty much nil, so it certainly doesn't justify the added expense in my mind.

Now, certainly those that use UPS do have that added piece of mind. Of course if you are working on critical files you don't want to lose them in the event of a power failure. Which is really the purpose of a UPS in the first place.
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Myself, when I'm working on critical files I do very frequent backups. I think if I get a UPS it will be because I want to protect my hardware or possibly the integrity of my software (principally, the OS, I suppose). I don't know how significant these considerations are.
 
Googer

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
I have two APC Smart UPS 1000xl's (True Sine Wave) but don't use them anymore because the battery is dead in both of them. But I will when I get them working again.

There should be a place in the poll that says I have them but don't use them at this time.
 
Googer

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: Kogan
I used to until the battery in mine died (it was about 2 years old). Now I just use it as a surge protector. I used to have power flashes at least twice a week where the power would go off for 2-30 seconds, but this hasn't happened since hurricane Ivan (in Pensacola, FL), so they must have fixed something when they were replacing all of the power lines :)
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Do you have ? (florida power and light)FPL or Progress Energy? Here in Tampa TECO has been very reliable and almost never goes out (maybe once a year max).
 
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BadThad

Lifer
Feb 22, 2000
12,100
49
91
YES, surge suppressors are of little value. It's one of the best investments you can make for your PC IMO.
 
Hurricane Andrew

Hurricane Andrew

Golden Member
Nov 28, 2004
1,613
0
76
Yes, but only because I got one for like $10 after rebate a couple of years ago at Staples. Now though, I wouldn't run my main box without one. It's just an extra layer of safety, and really not that expensive.
 
Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,448
9,953
136
Originally posted by: Hurricane Andrew
Yes, but only because I got one for like $10 after rebate a couple of years ago at Staples. Now though, I wouldn't run my main box without one. It's just an extra layer of safety, and really not that expensive.
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I'll keep my eyes open for a good deal and get one (or two) then. IOW, if I can get one or two for less than $15 each after rebate. For the time being, I'm computing dangerously.
 
Kremerica

Kremerica

Senior member
Jan 6, 2004
632
0
76
I have a 1100VA from APC.

I never knew how much the power flucuated before I got it, but now I hear it click on and off whenever the power changes like if a light or t.v. gets turned on
 
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imported_Mitchell

Member
Nov 4, 2004
155
0
0
" What are the cnances of power failure during BIOS flash, like a million to one? "

It only takes once.

Odds are huge on winning the lattery, but people win them.
 
Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,448
9,953
136
Originally posted by: Mitchell
" What are the cnances of power failure during BIOS flash, like a million to one? "

It only takes once.

Odds are huge on winning the lattery, but people win them.
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And what are you risking? Maybe a motherboard if you get burned. It's not like your house burned down. AFA winning the lottery goes, well, not only are the odds against you in terms of money you are wasting the time it takes to participate. It seems to me that the main value in playing the lottery is that you are buying the right to dream about what you would do with many millions of dollars. That's worth something. :D

 
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imported_JohnC

Member
Dec 20, 2004
29
0
0
In the apartment I'm in, the power's generally good but there are times when it'll dip low enough for a second. Enough to reboot the computer or turn it off.

It's annoying to come back home to a computer that's shut off, or worse yet be in the lab trying to grab my homework off it, only to find it's off and can't be accessed.

So about this - is there anything that's relatively cheap and can protect against these "mini-outages"?
 
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Gerbil333

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2002
3,072
0
76
Yes, and it saved me from being interrupted during my gaming last night when the lights flickered off for a moment :D
 
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