Overview

We rely on our software tools for everyday use, right? Well, our software relies on the computer hardware to perform optimally. Overheating PC’s and dusty components can cause you computer woes. To increase the life span of your computer and assure that your rig and its' software is performing to the best degree possible, be proactive and take some of the following measures regularly.

Dust is really bad for your computer. Dust in computers, technically known as schmutz, can make a fast rig sluggish. Removing this crud from the CPU's heat sink and fan is a necessary tidy job.

Here’s how

1. Before opening the case, unplug everything: power cord, phone line, cable modem and Ethernet cables. After opening the case, touch the power supply to discharge any static to ensure that you and the inside of your PC are at the same wattage. Repeat this process anytime you touch the PC's guts or you risk frying components.

2. Remove the foam filters, if your PC has any, on the fan vents. Gently clean the filters in a mild solution of dish soap and cool water then let them air dry before putting them back into place.

3. Remove large clots of dust by vacuuming the fan vents from the outside of the case. However, be very cautious about vacuuming inside the case. Don't touch the motherboard or any add-in cards. At most, just suck away the dust that is lying on the base of your tower and on the bottoms of the system's empty drive bays.

Another option is to carry the PC outdoors and blast the components with a can of compressed air. Make sure to hold the air can upright while blowing away performance-robbing dust, as spraying at an angle can cause a wasteful blast of icy liquid propellant, and the resulting temperature change can damage sensitive components.

Lastly, keep your rig off the floor and 6 inches away from a wall to reduce the amount of dust that gets sucked into the fan vents.

JP Hunt

Inside Sales Manager | Digital Art Solutions, Inc