Time to pop that 'puter open & do some dusting 3

[orypecos]

I removed some cards from my computer and was amazed to find it full of huge dust bunnies threatening to destroy my data.
Make sure U turn it off, disconnect it from power and don't touch anything inside or get too close as most vacuums develop high static electricity on the vacuum tip. Also put pantyhose or something over the tip so if U suck up a jumper U don't have to dig in the dirt for it. Don't forget to check all filters on front and back and make sure that all the fans are operating ok.
And while U are doing preventive maintenance, buy a case for that extra hard drive for a laptop that U have lieing around, and backup all your data to this hard drive and then disconnect it so no virus or trogan horse can get to it. Then remember to back up to it once a week or so. Right after U update your virus,fireware, operating system and spyware software and do a scan.

 

[garebo]

If using a house vacuum make sure you stick a pencil or some non-metallic item in all the fan blades to stop them from spinning. If not then the vac action will cause the power supply fan(s) or the cpu fan or the vid card fan to turn way too fast, thus causing static electrical charge and damaging the cpu fan, vid card fan, and even the power supply.





Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[KevinADC]

Vacumming the inside of a computer is not really recommended. The better solution is to purchase a can of pressurized inert gas at a computer supply store and blow out the dust (outside the house or office if possible, there can be a surprising amount of dust inside a computer).

Vacumming can not get into the power supply very well, which can be well coated with dust and pet hair, but the pressurized can has a thin tube you can usually insert into ventalation openings and blow into inaccessible areas. If you need to use a vacume, read carefully the advice above so you don't damage your computer.

If you decide to use compressed air, test it first to see if water condensation forms when blowing air through a nozzle. Compressed air always has water in it, if you live in a dry climate that might not be a problem, but even then mositure always builds up in the tank and air lines, and a large spray of water could shoot out and get on your computer components which could short them out.

Many computer repair/supply stores will professionaly clean the inside of your computer for a nominal charge if you are unsure about doing it yourself. Computers under desks, or worse, inside of desks, or in dusty areas can become clogged with dust in less than six months. If your computer is over a year old it is advisable to open the case just to visually examine how dusty/dirty it is inside. Place your palm close to the main fan on the back, there should be a steady, gentle flow of cool air. If the air flow is very weak or the air feels warm or hot it needs to checked right away.

I was a field repair tech for a number of years, and I have opened up computers that were literally coated with dust and hair inside to the point that the components were almost not visible and the fans literally could not spin. With older computers that didn't run as hot as modern ones, this was not as critical a problem. But new computers use more power and generate enough heat that you could burn your fingers touching the components inside the case. Ventalation/heat dissipation is very important!

And don't put books on top of your CRT monitor! They capture the heat that needs to get out the top, since monitors have no fans they rely soley on the holes in the case to allow heat to escape. All those holes in your CRT monitors case are there for a good reason. You might want to run a vacum over those holes or blow it out too while doing the computer.

The advice to backup data by the OP is very good advice.

 

[stduc]

That's good advice from garebo and KevinADC. I would just add that I decided to try to stop the dust getting in a couple of years ago as I was fed up having to unplug it all to clean the inside. My wife keeps a clean house. We don't have any pets. Where does it all come from!

Filters are the answer. If you can't fit filters, cut up those old handkerchiefs we all get as xmas presents (if you don't have any, ask for some). Simply tape them over every hole & slit you can. NOT over the exit fans, naturally! But over opening to the fans that are sucking in air and everywhere else you can.

You have to vac the dust of these more often than you formally had to clean the PC of course. But you don't have to open the case, or necessarily even shut the PC down. So it's much easier. After a year I did check inside. There was a thin film of dust in places, but no fluff and no hair!

I will ensure my next PC has properly fitted filters.

 

[paparazi]

stduc
Although I've never tried it, I have noticed that domestic scouring pads are very similar in contruction to the genuine filters used buy LianLi and others.
Both of my own PC's have filters and it definately does reduce internal build up but don't forget to regularly clean the filters otherwise air flow will be reduced considerably.
Personally I have never known any problems associated with allowing fans to spin but obviously it wouldn't hurt to jam them up whilst carry out this sort of maintenance just in case.
Having access to a compressor and blow off jet is the easiest and quickest way of blowing out all those nasties but a can of "air" is the next best solution (available from all good stationers)

Martin


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

 

[stduc]

paparazi

You dead right, some scouring pads look very similar and are much cheaper! You have to clean the filters quite often as you say - about monthly for me. I have a CPU temp monitor running in my notification area & I use that as a guide to when to clean the filters. The main danger when cleaning is static. There seem to be many opinions on how to avoid static.

As any two insulators in motion and in contact will tend to generate static I think you have to use a bit of common sense. That includes air (even canned 'air') blowing through an insulating tube like plastic. In a humid environment the problem is lessened. In a dry environment it can become a serious issue.

Blowing out dust rather than sucking it out is also an issue. Taking the PC out to the yard is a pain. Blowing it out in the living room can cause serious static build up between you and your partner! I don't think there is a single answer. A compressor in the sahara (as it were) could potentially generate a lot of static and be just as lethal as using a vac.

I'm lucky as I inherited a horsehair hoover brush from my mother where the fitting is metal and it still connects to a modern vac. So I figure that if I hold the metal and wear my earth strap and keep the PC connected to the mains so it is still earthed I'm pretty safe to vac it out. I also live in the UK, so the air is generally pretty humid.

So to sum up, I think its horses for courses. Just consider your own situation and take antistatic precautions.

As a friend of mine knows to his cost, even a can of air can be lethal. See

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1161719

for details. Though what he actually did I don't know. As someone said the keyboard controller could have been on its last legs anyway. However, as I have brought the subject up, how do you suggest we configure the BIOS without the use of a keyboard paparazi - LOL. I guess you were having a 'blond' moment. We all have them! Well I certainly do!! LOL

 

[paparazi]

Definately a Homer momemt for sure.
I was hoping that a USB keyboard would just work! as they often do without the need for any setting adjustment.
I have seen on several occasions a USB keyboard working quite happerly even with USB keyboard/mouse support turned off in the bios (yes weired)
Fingers crossed for your friend.
Martin

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

 

[edfair]

I've found that raising the system off the floor makes a tremendous difference for towers. Most have air slots at the front bottom and directly on the floor will pick up anything in the area.

There is filter material available in building supply stores. Normally used in air-conditioners.

For those servicing away from the shop based vacs, Fry's has a mini vac. Small AC based, not much dirt storage, but capable of sucking out the buildup. I use it on the pet hair left over after I use pliers on the major portion in the pet hospital machines I service.

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

 

[Freestone]

So I figure that if I hold the metal and wear my earth strap and keep the PC connected to the mains so it is still earthed I'm pretty safe to vac it out.

I'm sure stduc just forgot to mention this, so I will point out that today's PCs have power applied to the motherboard when connected to the mains, even when it is "powered off". Many boards include a LED to warn a user that power is still present. Unless your power supply has an actual on/off rocker switch, I'd advise unplugging PCs before vacuuming or making any changes.

 

[kmcferrin]

Edfair's comment is extremely important. I have had PCs in some incredibly filthy office environments, but the PCs that were the cleanest by far were those that were not sitting directly on the floor. Even a lift of 2-3 inches can work wonders. My computer desk is open on the front and back, but the area where the tower sits below the desktop is about 2 inches off of the ground, and I haven't had dust/dirt buildup problems since I got it (close to 10 years ago).

 

[stduc]

Oops - thanks for reminding me Freestone. You are absolutely right. For simplicity's sake I switch the PC off at the mains after shutdown is complete - but leave the plug in the socket. Switching the PSU off at the back would do the same job, but in my case its harder to reach. But not all PSU's have a switch.

kmcferrin - I'll have to build a stand then :-D

I can't resist telling my 'filthy PC' story.

Many moons ago in the days of the 286 & DOS the reception PC failed and I got badgered to fix it. The symptoms were that it simply wouldn't power up. When I took it out from under the desk and removed the lid, I couldn't actually see any chips. It just looked like a snow scene, and not very clean snow at that. The PSU was solid with the same stuff. After it was all cleaned out and I seem to recall having to remove the lid of the PSU all was well. The receptionist was advised to put her makeup on elsewhere and not to file her nails in office time at her desk. That white dust was all face powder and nail filings!

 

[cdogg]

Just read this "caution" statement that others might be aware of:

(from

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=31105&seqNum=4&rl=1)

CAUTION


At least two of the remote power switch leads to a remote mounted AC power switch in an AT/LPX supply are energized with 115v AC current at all times. You could be electrocuted if you touch the ends of these wires with the power supply plugged in, even if the unit is turned off! For this reason, always make sure the power supply is unplugged before connecting or disconnecting the remote power switch or touching any of the wires connected to it.


The four or five wires are color-coded as follows:

[ul][li]Brown and blue. These wires are the live and neutral feed wires from the 110v power cord to the power supply. These are always hot when the power supply is plugged in.

[/li]
[li]Black and white. These wires carry the AC feed from the switch back to the power supply. These leads should be hot only when the power supply is plugged in and the switch is turned on.

[/li]
[li]Green or green with a yellow stripe. This is the ground lead. It should be connected to the PC case and should help ground the power supply to the case.

[/li]
[/ul]

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[stduc]

Brown and blue. These wires are the live and neutral feed wires from the 110v power cord to the power supply. These are always hot when the power supply is plugged in.

And switched on at the socket.

Live will be 'hot' only if the socket switch is on.
Neutral, or return will only be hot if there is a circuit
Earth should never be hot.

The socket switch should always disconnect live.

That is if everything is wired correctly of course. You can check it with a multimeter.

Having said that - you are only 100% safe from an electric shock if the plug is pulled and has been for some time. But hey, sometimes you have to take risks!