Hello,
I dust the outside and keyboard about once a week. I have one those anti-static dust brushes (more like a broom) to use, multi-colored as well.
About every six months I remove the side panel (one thumb screw there) and vacum out the inside carefully. A use a bristle type brush at the end of the vacum hose, tower is on its side. I will also remove the fan(s) on the cpu and main chasis fan. I then use fingernail polish remover on the end of a Q-tip to remove "particles" from the fan blades and edge of housing, but not on wires or sensors. Not a bad idea to remove all of your cards and even memory sticks to really get the finer dust of everything, whether individual cards or entire motherboard.
I use a micro-fiber cloth and LCD/Plasma TV Screen spray (in blue bottle, blue clothe, bought at Walmart) to clean my monitor as necessary, usually with the general dusting. It is a 24" LCD High-definition monitor, so I am extra sure to use that micro-fiber clothe with the monitor off. A simple lens cleaning clothe for prescription lenses will do wonders on most services as well, a lot cheaper too. I tend to have cat hairs with static cling to remove mostly. The clothe by itself is used more than the actuall cleaning spray and clothe.
I have removed the entire power unit and taken it apart to clean inside of it. Get at the fan, circuit board, heat sinks, and those big old capaciters. You really want to make sure that the fan does not stop working due failure. Easy to replace, just that I do not like taking that power unit apart. Seems like it would be to easy to accidently mess it up, never have though.
Did I mention I have a long hair (easely sheds) cat name Tigger? She loves to lay on the table that I have my computer on, only if I am sitting there. She will flop on my keyboard if I ignore her. Sometimes, I get lucky and she only wants to give a "chin rub" against the tower. I am assuming she is just letting me know where she stands on ownership and friendship. ![:P]()
I know of friends having complete hard-drive failure due to built up dust, dirt, and other things. Not mention complete motherboard failure. Devices, ram, and fans still worked with a different motherbaord, or computer. My older sister's Dell Dimension just stop working, not even the BIOS comes up. But of course, the vents in the back were solid with fuzz and I serioulsy remove 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick solid "Dust Bunny" from under the from face plate (about 4" by 6") in front of the hard-drives. Ironically it was her motherboard not the drives the finally got fried. I was able to recover most of her hard-drive for her. I toke pictures but I can't find them now. I have added a two pictures; one of a power supply apart. Another one of a Dell tower that I had really cleaned out and put back together. The Dell did not have any viruses or software issues, just to many dust bunnies and a faulty fan. ![:blink:]()
Of course we all know to unplug the power cord at the power supply your computer first. Then press the power button to fully discharge any remaining or built up charges. Sometimes a LED on the motherboard will let you know when everything is fully discharged (off is discharged). I thought I would just add that at the end, everyone knows of static electricity.
GentleMon Todd,
Monday, 2-22-2010 at 10:41pm.
Postscript: having some fun with the Emoticons.