Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Seriyu]

What do I need to know?

Anything to avoid cleaning with compressed air? I think I heard you shouldn't clean the motherboard with the stuff but I keep getting different opinions on the matter. Priority one is to prevent breaking anything, so please bring up anything of that sort irregardless of how obvious it seems.

Thanks!

[freeformschooler]

Life advice section?

Anyway, I'm not so sure about the compressed air, but if you can, invest in a static wristband. Especially if you're going to actually be touching stuff.

[Seriyu]

EDIT: You know what I'll just keep this one going.

[alway]

When it comes to compressed air, most stuff is fair game so far as I know. Just be very careful with the fans. If the compressed air starts them spinning, it has the ability in some cases to increase the speed of the fan past it's tolerance level, thereby damaging it. You could probably gently hold it in place with 1 finger and safely use the air, or alternatively use a piece of cloth and very carefully remove the dust by hand; though dust on a fan won't cause many problems and so it usually isn't worth worrying about too much.

Just be sure your computer is turned off, unplugged, and given a few minutes (or even an hour) to ensure any residual charge, or more importantly, heat, is able to dissipate from the components before you go reaching inside.

Another thing to be wary of is static sparks. It probably won't be much of an issue just cleaning, but try and touch the metal sides or other metal bits of the case frequently to ensure you stay pretty much grounded relative to the computer. A stray spark can mess up components; but again, it won't be much of an issue when simply blowing it with compressed air; mostly if/when you reach inside. Alternatively, get a static wristband, as it does generally the same thing, but keeps you grounded at all times.

[nenjin]

Always keep more than a few inches between the component and the nozel of compressed air. Be careful around transistors or any large protrusion on your mobo, some are not soldered in there more than a little. They're stout, but treat them like they're not.

And yeah, ground yourself constantly.

[LordBucket]

What do I need to know?

If it's been years, the dust has probably accumulated to the point that it will be chunky. Yes, it's as nasty is it sounds. Try to not inhale it.

Anything to avoid cleaning with compressed air?

Personally I like compressed air. If you don't want to get it, then you can pick up the chunks with a dry paper towel, then blow with your mouth. If you swallow before blowing and blow with your cheeks puffed out, it will reduce the odds of spraying liquid when you do.

What do I need to know?

Don't feel the need to get it all.  Avoid touching components. Blow underneath the motherboard too. Be forewarned that after you clean the chunks out of the power supply fan, it's very likely that the noise that it makes will change. Sometimes for the worse.

[Seriyu]

Alrighty, and as a last question are there any particular parts to be sure I clean out?

I heard the power source was a good thing to get cleaned off (Just the fan of course, I realize you don't wanna open it up. ), is that true? Or should I just leave that be?

And by remaining grounded you mean keeping feet on the ground and a hand on the case I assume? Just making sure there isn't something I'm missing.

[nenjin]

And by remaining grounded you mean keeping feet on the ground and a hand on the case I assume? Just making sure there isn't something I'm missing.

Just frequently touch something metal that's not an interior component of your case (i.e, a screw driver, the outside of your case if metal, the internal rails....anything but circuity of the motherboard, the memory sticks, or metal heat sinks that feed directly into the motherboard...)

By staying grounded....we mean just make sure to ground yourself out on a piece of metal frequently, to discharge any static build up you might have. It's rare (unless you're wearing wool socks and rubbing them across carpet while you work on your PC) but it pays to be safe.

I heard the power source was a good thing to get cleaned off (Just the fan of course, I realize you don't wanna open it up. ), is that true? Or should I just leave that be?

Better airflow = lower temperatures. Lower temperatures = better performance and less stress on the part. Clean it if it's dusty. CPU fans, large GPU fans and case fans all tend to acquire a lot of gunk on the edge of the fan blades (which becomes a point for more crap to attach.) Clean the CPU fan very gingerly. Wipe it off with your finger if you need to dislodge some really stuck on crap. Same with the GPU fan. The case fans you can be a little less delicate with.

[Seriyu]

Okay, thanks for all the help! I'll get around to this sooner or later but I figured it'd be good to get some info before I tried. 

[Kirbypowered]

Ahahaha, I remember when I decided to clean out my tower because the fan seemed like it was going to explode. Having no computer experience at all, I popped it open and got to work. I couldn't get to the fan at first, so I ripped some big black box with at least two hundred mini prongs on it off by mistake. Cleaned the dust off the fan. Two, three hours later, I managed to bend all the prongs back straight, broke another little thing so I could get it back in, shoved it back together and it's been working fine since. I'm amazed the thing still works. I guess whatever I broke was moderately not important or something.

I suppose this doesn't help you, but whatever. Just don't do what I do and all.

[Seriyu]

Do not tear chunks out of the computer for any reason, check.

To be fair I managed to mistake the power supply for a harddrive once so I have NO ROOM TO TALK