I completely forgot about the anti-static wrist strap, great point! It sounds very specialized, but they are pretty inexpensive and readily available from online retailers.This has been some interesting reading. At least once a year, I strip my systems down and do a thorough cleaning, everything comes out of the case. As a former tech, I know how to do this, even the power supply case is opened and cleaned, you would be surprised how many dust bunnies reside in hidden places. The power supply is one area where you need to be careful, it can reach out and bite you if you don't know what you are doing, and I don't recommend this for the average user. I remove and Inspect, clean and wash all of the fans (yes, I wash my fans.), replace if needed and also wash out the radiator for the CPU cooling. It was mentioned not to let the fan(s) spin by using canned air as this can generate a charge, this is true, Don't allow the fan blades to spin and it is easy to 'over spin' them and damage the motor / bearings. Keeping your system clean can really make a difference. As for 'canned air', I use it sparingly and use a small hand held shop vacuum which has a plastic hose and attachments. I would also mention static electricity can be an issue while cleaning. I never do any system maintenance on a carpeted floor, you can build up a good charge just standing on carpet especially if you have shoes and socks on. The human body is a wonderful battery, as I found out long ago. In my case, I use my kitchen as it has roll stock on the floor and I regularly touch the faucet, stove, what ever to discharge any static. In any event, and anti-static wrist strap is a good idea.
I live in a dusty area (farming and seasonal forest fires produce a lot of smoke and tons of dust.) and an old house to boot, so dust happens a lot. Some will disagree with my method of cleaning and that's fine. but I can say that in the last ten years or so I have never had a system failure due to over heating or dust / dirt. Canned air is fine, just use it sparingly and keep in mind, you could blow dust / dirt into something rather then blowing it out. And don't turn the can (canned air) upside down and try to use it, bad things can happen. By the way, if you smoke around your computer, the smoke (over time) can cause damage to your system / electronics.
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The static guards are a worthwhile extra step if you have one. While thinking of other, unexpected ways to get in trouble, here's some other things to think about:
1.) If possible, don't stand on any form of carpet or rug while working with the box open. Also be sure the box is placed on a plastic or laquered wooden surface.
2.) Always be sure to discharge the motherboard completely before opening the case. Power off the system normally. Switch the PSU off using the black switch on the back. Press and hold your computer's main power button until the board "flickers". (It will sort of flash quickly on and off once, then will remain off.) Unplug the computer, then open your case to work on it or clean it.
3.) Never "wiggle" or "shimmy" components to remove them or get them seated. Always apply force directly into or away from the slots. Always use firm, steady pressure. However, I've found that some components may require a surprising amount of force to insert or remove -- especially if they're older. If something seems "stuck", apply continuous pressure, increasing it by small degrees and be patient. It will eventually work. (I stop when I start to see a slight bend in the motherboard -- that's too much pressure, and may mean that something else is wrong: latch isn't opened all the way, damaged slot, wrong slot, etc.) Also, try to handle only the plastic parts of components along the edge. Definitely avoid directly touching the black, silicon chips or metal components with your skin. The oils from your fingers can damage them when they heat up.
4.) Resist the urge to explore "just 'cause". I swear, it will happen. If you start getting comfortable working with the hardware, the curiosity will come. Not that there's anything wrong with taking stuff apart, but it's tempting fate. Just follows along with: "If it ain't broke..." (Wait until you've mostly killed a system, then pull it apart and have a ball.)
Cleaning a PC - Vacuum cleaners, air blowers, static electricity
OK, so I've always used a vacuum cleaner to clean my PC. I know you're not supposed to, but I live in a hot, humid climate where you don't really GET static electricity, and it's never caused any problems. And there are NO shops selling air-blowers, either the electrical kind or the ones that use compressed air canisters. (I've tried a hairdryer too, but it wasn't very good at it.)
But I've recently seen adverts for several kinds of mini-vacuum cleaners (dust-buster size) that have air blower functionality, and I'm thinking of getting one. The adverts don't explicitly claim PC-safe, but they look as though they should be. Anyone here who can advise?
Example of the type of cleaner:
http://www.lazada.com.ph/kyk-tools-mini-vacuum-cleaner-800w-kmv-800-58468.html
the fan of my pc makes a horrible noise, I tried to clean it with a cleaner but nothing n do, I do not understand where the noise comes from
the fan of my pc makes a horrible noise, I tried to clean it with a cleaner but nothing n do, I do not understand where the noise comes from
the fan of my pc makes a horrible noise, I tried to clean it with a cleaner but nothing n do, I do not understand where the noise comes from