Computer Cleaning

9/27/95, from Ellen Atwood, Cachprin@msn.com
Recently I had a problem with WP 4.2 and 5.1 crashing all over the place, spellchecker didn't work, macros didn't work, backup files said they were full, got errors reading and writing. Very frustrating experience and quite costly, as I lost reports and was contemplating having to repair the computer. Of course, this happened on a weekend.

Solution: Opened up the computer and vacuumed out the dust bunnies. Since I could see the buildup on the power supply, I also broke the seal on the "Do Not Touch This" and used some electronics cleaner to disengage the more caked on layers. CAUTION: If you do this do NOT touch anything inside the power supply; it has quite a charge in it yet and you can get quite the shock. The old computer now works like a charm and all the various WordPerfect installations buzz right along.

Moral of the story: Regular routine computer maintenance can save lots of tears and $$$$. If the software starts acting goofy, it could be a hardware problem. If the hard disk is threatening to crash, it might need cleaning, and the fan and power supply might also need cleaning or replacing. There are companies who perform this service and kits available for thorough cleaning of all components, inside as well as out.

9/28/95, from Thom Foulks, thom@usa.net
Ellen, I compliment you on your bravery. I do that kind of work for a number of off-the-cuff clients (typical fee: $70) on at least an annual basis. What you did is simply not that difficult to do, and it's absolutely vital to the continued life of the hardware components of any PC. Other than lightning strikes and being knocked off the desk, heat buildup is the most serious threat to the machine. Heat buildup follows dust buildup like night follows day, no matter how clean the surroundings.

Here's some tips (none of which you follow until gracefully shutting down the machine):

At least every couple of weeks, check the air exhaust area of the fan in your PC. Almost universally, it will be mounted internally within the power supply, but you can still access it from the outside for vacuuming.

At least every six months, with trepidation in remission, remove the chassis of the PC from its case and give the innards a good vacuuming. A plastic Venetian-blind wand, common to many vacuum cleaner accessories, is super for this. Also helpful is a quality, fine-bristle paint brush to loosen caked dust (yes, there will be some).

Tackling a power supply cleaning is a job where even some angels tip-toe. You apparently were fortunate to have a supply you could access without removing it from the PC (many PC owners are not so fortunate). But even for them, the power supply can be cleaned. The warnings mean what they say (that high voltages may be present in capacitance, even with the machine off). The paintbrush and a small-nozzle vacuum tool can accomplish wonders for machine cooling and longevity.

If/when you do get inside the power supply, it is the fan itself which most critically will need cleaning. Q-tips with alcohol (don't splash it around) can help your here. It is the fan that is the most likely culprit for a noisy machine (not the hard drive, which frequently gets blamed). In good horseshoe-nail analogy, the fan has a manufacturing cost in cents, but its failure will easily be followed by machine failure. Even though replacement fans can usually be found a computer parts stores in for $10 or less, few service shops will repair a fan; they'll replace the power supply for $70+ (and, later, you'll find the cleaned-up fan from your old power supply on their used-parts counter).

We commoners in society (I only learned what I know by trial and error) have a tendency to view these boxes as something that can only be touched by nerds and computer-brain scientists. Simply untrue. As you've already learned, common housecleaning pays dividends, and requires only an unhurried careful approach. It was VERY refreshing to see someone report on what I think every PC owner is capable of doing--with a tranquilizer first, maybe--but this is not brain surgery.