Re: PC Dust buildup

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

We have serious dust problems in our area. There's never a time when I can
go beyond 2 or 3 weeks max. without cleaning all the computers in the house.
I built the computers we use and 1 has 5 cooling fans, 1 has 6 cooling fans
and mine has 8. So there is a huge amount of air movement in these
computers. Hence, dust buildup is very frequent. In my opinion dust is rated
as one of the top enemies of technology. It is a great friend to heat and
the heat is a great enemey to computers.

I've tried every method I can imagine to find the best solution to clean
them out. Canned air....try using around 6 cans for 3 computers every 2 or 3
weeks....way expensive. So I bought a 2 or 3 gallon air tank at WalMart for
around $17. It takes a quarter to fill it and with some serious brushing
with a good auto parts brush, the tank will do 2 computers. There has never
been an issue with moisture using this method.

But.....I've finally found the best solution I believe possible for cleaning
the dust and dirt out. I remove both side panels, take it outside on the
workbench or picnic table and blow it out with my leaf blower. Go ahead and
laugh, everyone that I've told gets a good laugh about it.....but believe me
it works beautifully.

Always check to make sure you don't have any loose components or such before
you start. I have my wife hold the cooling fan blades with the handle of my
cleaning brush to prevent them from spinning.....I'm afraid they may spin so
fast it could create possible damage. After cleaning the area around the fan
blade she is holding, she moves her brush handle on to the next cooling fan,
etc.

You have zero moisture to worry about. You have zero brushing to do and
every spec of dust and dirt is removed. Even from those areas like inside
the cd trays, etc. that you had a hard time getting to before.

YES.....let me be perfectly clear, YOU MUST USE CAUTION! Make no mistake
about it, if you're not careful you can do some very serious damage. It's
much like going to the car wash and using a very high pressure sprayer, any
knucklehead knows you don't put the tip of the wand right up to the car
surface....doh...you'll be removing paint, not the dirt and mud. Just
remember you have total control over the leaf blower and you don't have to
stick it right against the graphics card or power supply to remove the
debris. And you don't have to rev it up like you're getting ready to race,
just take your time and get the feel of it and you'll quickly realize how
and where to use that trigger finger. Oh, with this method it takes longer
to remove and replace the sides than the actual cleaning job.

Take care and good luck, Rob.


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: HP Compaq power supply keeps failing
    ... I, for one, prefer to err on the side of caution when it comes to computer dust ... rotating fans and heat sinks, ... Clean laptop computers more often than desktops because it ... defect before it causes failures. ...
    (comp.sys.hp.hardware)
  • Re: |AX| Re: Sensor Film (for cleaning sensor)
    ... Paint on a rubber stuff then peel off, clean. ... clean for f/22 macro type shots, plus the bellows pumps dust like crazy. ... method of optics cleaning is nothing new by the way. ... formulations for adhesives will bleed off a charge while they are in place, ...
    (rec.photo.digital.slr-systems)
  • Re: Boot failure..
    ... I have Windows XP OS. ... using a vacuum cleaner to get rid of dust is fine if you know what ... Here are my own guidelines for cleaning a computer: ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Re: HP Compaq power supply keeps failing
    ... Dust is not an enemy. ... to the air, because it's good for computers, networking equipment and tape ... Ah, it's the bad assembly, not design that makes some equipment more ... Increased heat does decrease life expectancy. ...
    (comp.sys.hp.hardware)
  • Re: Would You Hire a White Guy as a Handyman?
    ... It started with the work needed to get ready for a card club meeting and even though the card club disbanded, the monthly cleaning stuck. ... We've been trying to do it ourselves, but with the combination of the animals, dust in the summer and mud in the winter, cleaning is simply something that we hate doing. ... Note for those with long-haired pets: Their hair produces giant dust bunnies that collect dust and eventually tuck themselves conveniently away out of sight under the furniture! ... Cats manage to drag those dust bunnies out from under wherever they were hiding! ...
    (soc.retirement)