Increasingly, you rely on your computer for more than just the occasional email from a distant friend.
Perhaps you use it to plan your next trip. Or catch up on the news. Or maybe your children use it to research their homework projects.
Whatever you use it for, when it suddenly stops working, it’s more than a minor inconvenience.
Eventually, computer components fail. It’s only a matter of time. But there are certain preventive measures that can extend the useful life of the hardware. This is called maximizing MTBF, or ‘mean time before failure’
One of the major causes of system hardware failure is, not to put too fine a point on it, dirt.
Cooling fans, designed to create airflow over temperature-sensitive components cannot do their job when they are liberally coated with dust bunnies. Computers create electromagnetic fields, which attract airborne dust particles. This dust infiltrates every component in the system, and can even cause static discharges — which can damage sensitive electronic components.
You don’t need to hire a technician to perform simple housecleaning on most desktop computers. All you need is a few common tools, a clear space on your desk or table, and 20 minutes.
Tools needed:
- A folded towel to lay the computer on it’s side
- A phillips, or ‘x’ screwdriver
- A soft, clean paintbrush
- A can of compressed air, (available in the computer or camera accessory department of most office supply stores)
Unplug all the computer components, including the keyboard, mouse, monitor and – most important – the power cord.
Depending on the model of computer, you’ll now need to remove at least the left side panel from the case. Some older computers have a case cover in a single unit, resembling an inverted ‘U’. If you have one of those, you’ll have to remove the entire cover. Use the philips screwdriver to remove the small screws on the rear of the side panel or case cover, and slide the panel out of its slots to remove it.
Once you have removed the side panel or case cover, you should lay the computer on it’s right side, so you have clear access to the internal components.
If your computer has adapter cards, you’ll see they are plugged into slots on the main board. You’ll also see a maze of wires and cables, fans and electronic parts.
a fairly clean machine
At the top of the computer, you’ll see a large box. This is the power supply, and it will likely be dusty inside.
Use short, controlled bursts of air from the compressed-air can to blow dust out of the power supply. Be careful not to breath in the dust. If the computer is extremely dirty, you might want to perform the main cleaning out of doors, or at least in a well-ventilated area.
Continue using the air can to blow dust off all the various fans and components. Pay particular attention to the cpu heatsink and fan. You’ll recognize this assembly, because it is the most prominent feature on the mainboard. It consists of a large, finned aluminum heatsink topped by a small fan. Some mainboards may have a finned copper heatsink, or even a liquid-cooled one, but they all attract dust.
dirt-clogged fan and heatsink assembly
The cpu is, of course, the ‘central processing unit’, which is the heart of your computer. It becomes quite hot during normal operation, and it must be actively cooled, or the computer will automatically shutdown to avoid damaging the cpu.
Use the paintbrush to gently dislodge stubborn dust, and the air can to blow it away.
Before replacing the side panel or case cover, check to see if all the electrical connectors, adapter cards, and cables are firmly in place
Re-connect the components, and the power cable, and power up the machine.
