Home PC Maintenance
It never ceases to make me smile when I go out to fix a PC. People clean themsleves up, they tidy, they prepare to recieve a guest. Embarrasing, but true. They even sometimes go so far as to clear the computer area so I can get to the hardware of the PC.
This is great for me..but most people soon go VERY red when I open the machinery up to reveal dust thickly layered over every part of the inside. Dust and heat are the number 1 menace for a PC. It blocks the cooling fins of the chips, and reduces the efficiency of the fans. It coats the chips and surface of the circuit boards. It doesn’t matter HOW clean you are..the PC is a dust magnet. Air is sucked in all the time it’s running, and once inside, it settles. Sad, but true.
A thin layer of dust is nothing to worry about..but more than a virtually transparent coating should be removed ASAP. As a comparison, think of it as wearing a thick coat on a warm day. Dust insulates..and stops heat escaping. Heat is BAD for PC’s.
One of the first tasks I undertake, regardless of the actual fault is to remove the dust buildup from the PC. I like to think of it as “Preventative fixing”. It may be the difference between a working systm in a few months, and a failing one if left.
Now, a lot of people are probably very nervous about getting “up close and personal” with their PC’s insides..understandably so. However..if care is taken and common sense used, then there really is a very low risk of something going wrong..:) A quick clean costs nothing, takes minutes with practise, and can give you a happier PC.
So..here’s my quick guide to giving your “Beige Box” a checkup, that may stop it needing surgery in the long run.