Clean Your Computer

Basic Computer Maintenance
From The WebMechanic

Spring Cleaning For Your PC

Heat is the major factor that causes computer components to fail. And, computer cabinets are designed to circulate air to get rid of any built-up heat and carry it away. Here's a WebNovice guide to keeping your PC alive and breathing freely.

By Scott May

While surfing the Internet the other day I noticed that my computer desk was becoming home to a whole family of dust bunnies. Well, actually more than a family. Maybe a whole community would be more descriptive.

After logging off, I made a decision to do some much needed spring cleaning.

While cleaning up the around the computer, I moved it in order to vacuum up some of the dust behind it. That's when I noticed the fan on the back of the cabinet was almost clogged completely shut.

Hummmm, I thought. If the fan is this dirty I can imagine what the inside of the box is like. I also remembered reading an article some time ago that heat was the major cause of component failure in computers.

My computer was obviously not getting all the fresh air it needed to work within its temperature range. I guessed that the inside of the box was also fairly dusty. My computer needed a cleaning service.

Shopping For Service

First off, I had no idea how to do the job correctly. So, the logical thing to do would be to take it to a local computer shop and let a professional handle it. I began by calling a few local computer shops.

I discovered that the average fee would run about $25 for a half-hour of labor. If the computer was very dirty it could take a full hour and would cost $50. A reasonable labor rate, but still kind of steep for a simple cleaning.

I've had my computer about a year, so I estimated on the high side and figured it would take the maximum $50 to get it cleaned.

The computer technicians I spoke with over the phone warned me of the dangers of knocking something loose inside if I chose to do it myself. I have had the cover off my computer several times and am familiar with what was inside. If I were very careful I was sure I could perform a simple cleaning without doing any damage.

D.I.Y.

My first step was to stop at the library and look for a book about computer maintenance. My confidence was boosted by learning the process required only two simple tools -- a slotted, or Phillips head, screwdriver to remove the screws that hold the cabinet together and a can of compressed air. That's it.

Before you even think about taking the cover off your PC, unplug it from the wall outlet. You don't want to take the chance of bumping into a live wire or bridging a connector inside your computer while power is connected.

I use one of those power center control strips that you to plug all your computer system's power plugs into one outlet. This makes it easy to unplug your whole system with one action.

Next, I unplugged the modem phone line, video, sound, keyboard, and mouse cords. You might have other things hooked to your computer to unhook. Unhook everything so that you're left with the main box. While you're unhooking the connectors, make a note of what goes where so you can put everything back together when you finished.

After I made sure everything was disconnected I picked up the computer cabinet and placed it on the kitchen table. This is the one area in our home that provided plenty of work space and decent lighting.

Grand Opening

I used the screwdriver to remove the three screws on the rear of my computer's cabinet. Some newer models have covers that use special clips to secure the cover. If your computer has these clips instead of screws, follow the instructions for disengaging the clips.

After I removed the screws I very carefully slid the cover off. Be careful here to avoid bending the cover. You don't want to bump any exposed parts.

When the cover is free of the chassis that holds your computer set it off to the side and out of your way.

The Cleaning Process

I used the can of compressed air to blow into the computer. You might want to consider wearing a pair of safety glasses while doing this to keep dust and debris from getting into your eyes. I made sure I sprayed in every angle possible moving the material out of the computer.

I found out through experience that removing the extension tube on the can of compressed air made it possible to flush out the dust much faster. I made sure to spray air into the cooling fan to remove any debris in that area. As mentioned before, the fan is a very important system element. It is responsible for removing heat the computer parts generate and keeps them running within the proper temperature range.

I also cleaned the CD-ROM and floppy disk drives by just giving them a few shots of compressed air from the front opening of each drive. Air usually enters from these openings and dirt accumulates here too.

Check Your Cards

I also read that some computer problems can result from expansion cards sometimes working loose in their slots. Under the right conditions a film can develop on the card's connector strips that will cause a connection to fail. I have several expansion cards in my system including a modem, video, and sound card. As an extra precaution, I loosened the screws that hold each card in place. I then gently wiggled each expansion card in its slot hoping the friction would insure a good connection. When I was fairly confident each card was firmly seated in the expansion slots, I retightened the screws.

The "Smoke" Test

I carefully put the cover back on my computer. I checked to make sure there were no cables or wires pinched between the cover and the chassis before reinserting and tightening the screws that secure the cover.

The next step was to reconnect all the cables for the keyboard, monitor, sound card, modem, and monitor. I plugged my system back into the power outlet and turned it on.

I have to admit I was a little nervous while the computer went through its boot-up process and breathed a sigh of relief as my PC regained consciousness. The Starting Windows 95 prompt appeared on the screen.

I tested the sound card by playing a .wav file and tested the modem by dialing into my ISP. Everything seemed to be functioning normally.

Results

Total cost for performing this task myself figured to about $10 -- a substantial savings of $40 over a professional cleaning.

Best of all, I found that cleaning the inside of my computer was not that big of deal. And, I was totally amazed at how much material accumulated inside the chassis in just a short span of time.

Give this procedure a try yourself. You'll save some money and, you'll feel better knowing that your computer will enjoy a longer, more useful life span.

For more information on computer maintenance try http://www.up.net/~jmj/pc_clean.html

Basic Computer Maintenance From The WebMechanic