Dusty Desktops

Computer Help and Discussions The Lounge
1

My desktop gets fairly dusty (despite having two dustplates in front of the intake fans) so I try to clean it out once a month or so.

Today, I used up the last bit of my compressed air, from a 6 pack I got last year for ~$6 (sweet deal!)

So I bought one of these bad boys B)

I'm pretty excited, since it's a lot cheaper and more powerful than compressed air, FWIU I just need to hold my fans while using it on them, lest I damage them.

(I got it with Amazon Prime, for a 38% discount from the listed price!)

2

That's quite clever. It's a shame that it needs a power cord though.

3

ah well, I don't usually take my desktop far from an outlet anyway ;)

4

Also being a female I could dual function with it and dry my hair after cleaning my pc :)

5

One quib I've seen is that it gets pretty hot, so you probably could!

My hair is long enough, I'll let you know how it works out :P

6

ah well, I don't usually take my desktop far from an outlet anyway ;)

touché

You know what I mean -.-

7

Haha, yes I do. :)

8

That's pretty nice. I have an electric shop vac that also reverses to use as a blower.

I always use it as a blower, instead of a Vac. It has a reducing tip, & it works pretty good. Lot easier than using compressed air bottles, & more effective too.

I got it at Lowe's years back. I am not sure if I paid $49 something or slightly more, but I'm pretty sure if it wasn't cheaper than your option, it wasn't more.

9

Suckers or blowers eh?

I've always used my wife's vacuum cleaner with a narrow nozzle and a soft brush, and have just had a clean out today as it happens.

It doesn't quite clean the fan blades unfortunately so they come off and get cleaned by hand.

And for all you "clean computer" guys, here's a horror story for you, with pictures.

A friend of my wife asked me to have a look at her sons desktop computer a short while ago, as she was sick and tired of listening to the fans going at full belt all the time it was on, and she was right, it sounded like a jet taking off in the room.

Took it apart to find this ...

IMG_1962.jpg

IMG_1965.jpg

IMG_1967.jpg

.. and took the pics to show him what happens when you never go inside a desktop.

How it didn't burn out I just don't know.

10

That... looks like mud.. how the..

I recently cleaned my computer, but the vac did an exceptional job of cleaning my heatsink :)

11

It does look good that contraption Winapp, although the soft brush attachment I have gets right into the heat sink.

Probably not as good, but it does the job OK.

12

For years I've used a Black&Decker Hand Vac to blow out mine. <$20 at Wally's.

13

@Dennis, do u reckon they smoked any? LOL! Looks like an amalgamation of cigarette tar & household dust...

Now, a vacuum will work, but you gotta scrub & rub more. Q-tips, etc. Blowers get more out with less work, saving time.

* I try to save caked on grime like ciggydust for manual cleanups, but most dust-only dustballs blow right off with a sufficiently powerful blower. Just Q-tip the blades so they don't over-RPM.

14

Yep, he is a smoker, so I gave him that stuff back to put in a rollup. :lol: