Cleaning the inside of a computer 3

[tsurikov]

Hi O Experts,

Can any of you suggest a good way to clean the inside of a computer? I've got a 4-year old PC that has some dust buildup on the inside, and I'd like to clean it up. I was thinking of using a vacuum cleaner and one of those "canned air" canisters... is that reasonable?

Thanks!
--Michael

 

[traycee]

Open up your PC. Take it outside. And blow the dust out with canned air. I wouldn't recommend a vacuum cleaner.

 

[edfair]

I've used a 1965 model Westinghouse pulling what seems like 28" of vacuum, a DirtDevil hand vac, a Dustbuster, and a DataVac PC, all without problems. I've also used canned air and compressed air.

I'm a proponent of vacuum. It doesn't stir up the dust to get into floppies or CDs to block sensors.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[orypecos]

http://forums.pcworld.co.nz/archive/index.php/t-29005.html

http://www.techspot.com/vb/archive/index/t-12746.html

and

http://www.pctechtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18508

talk about static electricity, but doesn't seem to have a concensus.

http://vbulletin.newtek.com/archive/index.php/t-3889.html

says
"Shop vacs move so much air that the plastic nozzle often develops a pretty strong static charge, so don't get the nozzle too close to anything in the case"

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/board

says
"Just remember to use anti static device etc when sticking the vacum cleaner in the computer... you know, just be careful"
but it doesn't mention a 'anti static device' is

 

[garebo]

I am a firm believer in any reasonable use of vacuum, as edfair said, it doesnt stir dust up and it doesnt blow air into power supplies, heatsinks, floppies, cd readers. I know a person who shorted out their power supply with a dust bunny so it does happen. I opened up the power supply and i found the fried dust bunny on top of the shorted out parts, so it happened all right.
I use a small computer vac with batteries, along with a small brush with a long handle and a slightly damp cloth. You can figure out the rest. To me, thats the way to go.
Unplug computer from the wall, make sure you are grounded, put a small tissue or something inside each fan so that the fans dont turn by pressure of vac or any other reason, like you blowing dust, as it can build up static electrical charges! I use a smaller brush, or a q-tip to clean off the blades of the fans, then use computer vac or other vac.
I brush all over, then vac, then use a slightly damp cloth. Take tissue out of fans and let all dry. Baby wipes are good too.
Dont forget to take front of case off and clean gook in there too.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[orypecos]

http://www.morclean.com/vac/specialist-vacuum-cleaners.html

has
"All models are fully earth bonded and have an Anti-Static (Conductive) vacuum hose and air supply hose. Every vacuum cleaner is individually tested and provided with its own test certificate for earth path continuity"
I think if I had a computer business I would think of getting one of these, or at least a vacuum with a similiar 'anti static hose'.
If I was doing defense dept' stuff or sending satilites to Mars,then I would DEFinity get one.
Otherwise I think that I would go with the suggestions already posted.

 

[Frank4d]

Use a vacuum cleaner first for the very large chunks of dust. Then use canned air to blow out the smaller stuff.

The last time I cleaned out a 5 year-old PC I took it to the gas station and blasted the dust out with 50 PSI air from the tire air machine. It cleaned extremely well (and only cost 50 cents)... but I don't recommend it because the tire air compressor had water moisture which I had to dry out before I could apply power to my PC.

 

[mainegeek]

I rigged up an old grit blasting unit. It has a plexi glass door with rubber gloves in it and a flouresent light. Air hose from my compresser w/colesence filter and my shop-vac attached to suck up everything that gets floating around inside.I bonded the whole unit with a #8
solid copper wire for added saftey. The whole thing started off as a joke but it has worked amazingly well.
Makes one hell of a racket with everything running but it beats going outside in the cold with a can of air.

 

[garebo]

Wow, maingeek, you are crazier than i am, lol.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[micker377]

One thing I didn't see mentioned - make sure you don't vacuum up any jumper "blocks"!

 

[tsurikov]

Thanks for all the great tips, everyone! I decided to combine all the tricks... took all the components out... dusted what I could with a damp lint-free cloth... then took vacuum in one hand, compressed-air can in the other, and went to work on the non-wipeable parts.

Looks like the patient survived and is doing well

Cheers,
--Michael

 

[paparazi]

tsurikov


Vacuum!!!!! Nerrrrrrrrrr! compressor!!! much, much better

Seriously a compressor with a "blow off" jet (like a pistol grip, with a small jet in the end) does a far better job than any vacuum could ever do.

Just take your tower down to your local garage workshop and ask kindly if you can use a blow off jet.

you can clean better in 30 seconds with a blow of jet than you could 5 minutes with a vacuum nozel.

We actually have a small 50litre compressor, hose and blow off jet in our workshop, all PC's get a thorough clean regardless of repair type, it's just basic maintenance routine and something I would recommend every PC user carries out at least once a year.
Martin



We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[ImpetusEra]

If your going to use a vacumm take the whole thing apart and go over each component and watch for any jumpers it sucks off. Compressed air should be fine though. Best would be to take it apart and clean with compressed air and brush over each piece with a static free brush to get the smaller more stuck on particles off. I've yet to have anything die from static.

 

[felixc]

Make sure to jam the fans before blowing them off. Letting them whirl at such speeds can scrap the bearings and the coils.
Other than that I am um using an electric air blower, outside. Wworks great!

 

[amdathlonxp1984]

Do it Mexican style man, Use the leaf blower LOL, i have used that many times and it has worked fine.

 

[Sympology]

Throw it in a bath, leave to soak for 5 minutes and then rinse with plenty of warm water. Leave to dry for3 days and hey presto, shiney pc.
Think I'm making it up? We did it on an ancient 486 and it worked fine, even the fautly cd player (whole 2 speed) started working.
However, I don't recommend it on new hardware, just not built like the old days, when men were men, a pc cost a years wages and it was all fields around here.

Stu..

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[garebo]

Now THAT is one of the craziest stories I have heard!

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Sympology]

amdathlonxp1984....do you get many leaves in the pc?

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[orypecos]

Back when they used tubes on air traffic control equipment in Alaska, they use to have problems with dirt and grime so they would turn everything off and discharge all capacitors. Then hose the whole system down with soap and water, then let it dry out for a day, and 'presto', everything worked fine.
I actually would be worried about impurities in the water. I would problabaly use distilled water.
I was told if u drop a camera in water, to keep it in water till you get to the camera store and they will replace the water with alcohol to avoid rusting. Course now days, cameras are so cheap compared to repair costs it is usually better to trash it.

 

[felixc]

How do you think that the boards are cleaned when they are being built? Water and detergent, then a thorough rinse and dry with blowed air.
Still, most PC boards are made using what's called "no-clean solder to avoid the washing step and save money. The moving parts like fans are the ones to not wet.
Once in April, I found a Vtech toy computer that appeared from under a bunch of melted snow. Brought it home, opened it, cleaned and dried it carefully. And it worked fine afterwards!