Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: essex2visuvesi on August 18, 2011, 01:46:12 pm

Title: Handy PC tip
Post by: essex2visuvesi on August 18, 2011, 01:46:12 pm

Our comp was running like a dog othe last week or so it kept locking up running slow etc.  I disconected it all to have a proper look and maybe upgrade a few parts.

Opened up the case and it was choked with dust, CPU fan, PSU, Graphics card.... all thick with dust.  Quick run around with the old dyson and put back together.
Now its running so much better... quieter too!
My wife is quite house proud and dust is her enemy, so I was suprised quite how much dust it had inside.

Also used CCleaner and did a registry tidy up and its running even better

20 mins work and no money spent resulting in a slightly better performing machine

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: Klunk on August 18, 2011, 05:01:03 pm

I Hoover. Mine every 2 months. Registry clean every month, malware check weekly, as well as av scan weekly, but I never rely on the wife to Hoover anything, as when I empty it you would be amazed at what comes out

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: pettyofficernick on August 18, 2011, 06:53:50 pm

Hi There, I in a computer magazine that using a hoover on the inside of a pc is not good, especially if the nozzle is plastic, air rushing past the plastic pipe can cause a build up of static electrickery, which can then discharge, causing damage to the ic's (chips). I strip everything down and use a can of compressed air and a pure bristle brush to blow the dust away and clean the heatsinks. remembering to put a dab of heatsink paste on the processor before refitting the heatsink. :-)) :-)) 

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: essex2visuvesi on August 18, 2011, 08:08:29 pm

thanks for the tip.... Ill use the compressor and airline next time lol

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: malcolmfrary on August 18, 2011, 09:11:47 pm

There is no need at all to strip the heatsink off the CPU.  Clean it by all means, but leave it where it is.  There is more potential damage to be done by removing and replacing the heatsink and adding heat transfer compound than potential benefit.  The best thermal transfer is metal to metal, heat transfer compound just makes up for deficiencies in the mating surfaces, being better than air.  The compound should be the thinnest smear possible, to allow the maximum metal to metal contact.

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: nick_75au on August 18, 2011, 10:28:55 pm

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=dusty+PC&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=JPq&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&biw=1920&bih=1097&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=gINNTv7yAYXsmAXNmOjXBg&ved=0CBsQsAQ (http://www.google.com.au/search?q=dusty+PC&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=JPq&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&biw=1920&bih=1097&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=gINNTv7yAYXsmAXNmOjXBg&ved=0CBsQsAQ)

My Father in Law is a PC shop owner and technician, he insists on cleaning out our computers every time we see him  :embarrassed:

Nick

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: thebackways on August 19, 2011, 12:00:48 am

i work building pcs, and always make sure to clean them out before shipping them back to the consumer
fortunatly my case has dust filters to help stop incoming dust :)

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: essex2visuvesi on August 19, 2011, 08:16:44 am

Mine wasn't that bad, I was just suprised that cleaning it out actually made a noticeable difference to performance

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: Martin (Admin) on August 19, 2011, 09:06:40 am

I'm a fan of canned 'air duster', blowing instead of sucking as it removes more crap....
 Listen to you PC, it's surprising how you can hear any change in tone or different sound that it makes!  O0

Title: Re: Handy PC tip
Post by: Circlip on August 19, 2011, 12:02:14 pm

But make sure you don't blow the muck into bearings and slides.

  Regards  Ian.