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  • Want to add that powering off that way can cause data not to be written to the hard drive.
    – Keltari
    Commented Aug 24, 2011 at 1:49
  • Since there is a (slight) chance of HDD damage, the answer should be "maybe," rather than "no."
    – goblinbox
    Commented Aug 24, 2011 at 2:05
  • 3
    With the classic, proper, manly power switches, 'definately likely'. With modern soft switches, its still the motherboard that does the switching off, which would avoid any really bad power surges. There can be data loss, but physical damage, such as fried chips, or magic smoke escaping is unlikely, IMO
    – Journeyman Geek
    Commented Aug 24, 2011 at 2:11
  • 1
    "Manly" power switches? :D
    – Isxek
    Commented Aug 24, 2011 at 8:59
  • freegeekvancouver wrote a great article on that - modern switches only handle a 5v voltage to signal to the motherboard to tell the PSU to shut down (mostly). Oldschool "manly" powerswitches handled 110 or 240V. ;p
    – Journeyman Geek
    Commented Aug 24, 2011 at 9:23