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Computer Maintenance - Improve Computer Performance and Reliability With a Cooler Computer

By: bodawayjacy

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While dust might seem to be a superficial housekeeping issue to some, it can contribute to heat issues by acting as a blanket. Not only that, but some dust might be corrosive or might even conduct electricity which can lead to short circuits. If enough dust settles on the CPU heat sink, the dust will restrict airflow through the heat sink fins which is needed to take away the enormous heat generated by the CPU. And if too much dust accumulates on the CPU Fan blades, the weight of the dust can unbalance the blades and cause premature failure of the fan itself...this goes for any fan.

The easiest way to clean the inside of your system is to use a vacuum cleaner and hose (an antistatic vacuum if you have one). I also use a brush to knock down the dust and finish it off with a can of compressed air. Note: Always turn-off and also UNPLUG your computer before cleaning the inside. Also, if you don't know about ESD, at least touch a door knob and then an external metal part of your computer case before touching any components inside your computer. This will help to discharge any static electricity in your body.

I also recommend cleaning the cooling fan blades as well if they are accessible. I go as far as using Q-tips, although you might find it hard to clean the power supply fan unless you disassemble it, and I wouldn't recommend that unless you are qualified to service electrical parts. Warning: Power Supply capacitors can shock you even when the power is off and it is unplugged unless they have been properly discharged.

While you have your computer open, and especially if you ever had it upgraded with a 2nd hard drive or an add-on video card, check to ensure these add-on parts were installed with adequate clearance from other adjacent parts. I recently repaired a computer that someone had installed an add-on Video and USB Card next to each other. They were so close that the fan on the video card was being blocked by the USB Card, which caused the fan motor to burn out prematurely.
Although not a heat issue, you might as well use the canned air to clean your keyboard as well. Vacuum it first, and then blow it out with the canned air. I suggest you get a keyboard skin or cover to protect it from liquid spills and small foreign objects such as paper-clips.

While most people would agree that keeping your computer clean and cool sounds like common sense, it just gets neglected until their computer fails and you end up paying a PC Technician to do it for you as part of an untimely but preventable repair. Hopefully, I was able to nudge a few to take a look at their computer and take a few easy steps towards a cleaner, cooler, and more reliable computer.
http://www.electrocomputerwarehouse.com

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Many people these days are beginning to think of their computers as disposable. When their computer crashes, many times because of heat, they are on the fence about whether to fix it or trash it and buy a new computer. But understanding what makes a computer break before its time, will arm you with the knowledge to add years to the life of your computer. So wouldn't it make more sense to plan for the retirement of your trusty old computer rather than being forced to buy a new one because of an u

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