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Steve Lampkins
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« on: September 12, 2011, 05:55:22 AM » |
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Anyone? Dust? Anyone?
Yesterday, my computer switched itself off a couple of times. Bit strange. Checking Event viewer, it seemed to be because my graphics card was overheating, forcing a shutdown.
I grabbed a program to check my GPU temps. Hmmm, 105C while idling, fan at 100%. this doesn't look good.
Then my computer started blue screening on start up.
I've never actually opened up the case since I bought the computer, 2-3 years ago. Luckily I had a can of compressed air handy, so I opened it up, and blasted all the dust out, the best I could (yes, the GPU was coated).
Computer started up fine, and my GPU temp was down to 52, rising to about 60 over time. Fan running at 50%. And actually the whole machine seems a little quieter, as I guess the fans aren't kicking in as quickly.
Luckily my major stuff was backed up, but it was still an unpleasant feeling when it wouldn't start up.
So beware of dust!
This actually started happening four days after I ordered a new computer. I must have hurt its feelings.
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familychoice
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« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2011, 08:04:01 AM » |
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This actually started happening four days after I ordered a new computer. I must have hurt its feelings.
You have to watch out for that, they get jealous, my iPhone home button started going when I bought the iPad. |
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Just another shite talking, unemployable Walter Mitty character living in a blinkered brassed-off, ITV-drama-esque world...
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Steve Lampkins
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« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2011, 08:59:00 AM » |
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Yeah, looks familiar. Wasn't as bad as that - but perhaps because I have in the past put compressed air through the case from the outside, expelling dust from the other fan / air slots. But this was the first time I opened it up to do a more thorough job. By the way, you used a hoover? I thought that there's a danger of static electricity with that? |
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Dom
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« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2011, 09:18:29 AM » |
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I've got major problems with dust in that I seem to produce copious amounts of it, a lot of which seems to make it into the PC. Despite there being dust filters at the front of my case (an Antec 902 v3, in case any nerds are reading) there can still be a rather large dust build-up inside the case.
I don't turn my PC off very often, but when I do I make a point of taking it apart and cleaning it out, to the point where I remove the GFX card and hard drives, give them all a good blowing (wahey) and generally clean all of the fans etc.
It certainly helps! Dust is bad for thermal conductivity, so it can stop heatsinks working properly, and can cause problems in things like PSUs with open vents. Not to mention how unhealthy it must be to have to breathe in plumes of dust being vented from the PC...
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Steve Lampkins
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« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2011, 09:37:06 AM » |
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Yeah, this is a HP - and I'd guess the majority of people buying a basic OEM computer would never dare to take the side panel off even. I didn't bother taking it apart properly, as I only wanted to get it working well enough to make sure all my stuff was backed up first.
I have a fairly dust and smoke-free computer area, but I can imagine that quite a few PCs die because of overheating, then they get slagged off for being crap quality.
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Jem
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« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2011, 10:08:49 AM » |
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By the way, you used a hoover? I thought that there's a danger of static electricity with that?
Yeah, and on a carpet no less. We're risk takers, what can I say.  |
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oi.
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Steve Lampkins
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« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2011, 10:12:52 AM » |
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Antec 902 v3, Ahaha I hope you at least don't have loads of LEDs sending your cats into fits.  By the way, you used a hoover? I thought that there's a danger of static electricity with that?
Yeah, and on a carpet no less. We're risk takers, what can I say. Rubbing the balloons on your heads was a step too far though. |
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Dom
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« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2011, 10:17:27 AM » |
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Antec 902 v3, Ahaha I hope you at least don't have loads of LEDs sending your cats into fits. Lol. The fans are blue, but aside from that it's not very chav-looking. More industrial than anything. By the way, you used a hoover? I thought that there's a danger of static electricity with that?
Yeah, and on a carpet no less. We're risk takers, what can I say. Rubbing the balloons on your heads was a step too far though. How many heads does she have? |
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Matt
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« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2011, 10:24:54 AM » |
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Common problem for us when going to customers houses. Easy fix.
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sarahA
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« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2011, 08:32:49 PM » |
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Mr A.'s old laptop had the same prob. Started overheating and rebooting. Problem was the laptop fans were on the bottom so with it on your lap/couch it sucked in all the dust and fluff. Shame the company that took it apart and cleared it out also broke the wireless card connections so just didn't bother reconnecting that before giving it back  |
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Steve Lampkins
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« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2011, 06:08:00 AM » |
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How do people have their desktop PCs? We have a couple of these, with a couple of these holding cables under the desks. It's really nice to not have any cables on the floor; can hoover fully around and under the computers, and looks so much better. I've a feeling the dust problem could have been a lot worse.   |
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Dom
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« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2011, 08:03:59 AM » |
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I didn't realise you could get nifty little cable holders like that. I had major problems with cables in my old place, so when I moved into my flat I made sure to tie up the cables (including all the power leads) as best I could. It's pretty tidy under the desk now so I can pretty much hoover round with no troubles, but having them off the floor completely would be better. I've also got my desk near a small bedside cabinet that I can easily pull away from the wall to get round the back to all the cables. I'd take a photo and upload it, but you know... no internet at home.  |
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Jem
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« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2011, 08:31:55 AM » |
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At work everything is on the floor. At home I have a laptop.
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oi.
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sickpuppy
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« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2011, 08:43:34 AM » |
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I used do some work for a company that made concrete piles (massive blocks of concrete used for foundations)
Our machine was used for stock control and sat in a portacabin near manufacturing and started to play up after about 4 years on site. I tried all the usual diagnostics and ruled out software issues so I thought I'd take a look at the network card (remember those kids) to see if that was the problem. It was failing to communicate reliably to another machine on the token ring network (eh, whatever happened to those)
I popped the lid to discover the entire machine, an old IBM (I'm in danger of turning into the Peter Kay of computing), was full to the brim with concrete dust. I was too scared to change anything for fear of destroying this fragile ecosystem so I just wiggled the network card and stuck the lid back on before any moisture got in. As if by magic the whole thing started working again.
I haven't been there for years but it wouldn't surprise if the Medusa PC was still going.
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Dom
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« Reply #15 on: September 14, 2011, 09:11:29 AM » |
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I used do some work for a company that made concrete piles (massive blocks of concrete used for foundations)
Our machine was used for stock control and sat in a portacabin near manufacturing and started to play up after about 4 years on site. I tried all the usual diagnostics and ruled out software issues so I thought I'd take a look at the network card (remember those kids) to see if that was the problem. It was failing to communicate reliably to another machine on the token ring network (eh, whatever happened to those)
I popped the lid to discover the entire machine, an old IBM (I'm in danger of turning into the Peter Kay of computing), was full to the brim with concrete dust. I was too scared to change anything for fear of destroying this fragile ecosystem so I just wiggled the network card and stuck the lid back on before any moisture got in. As if by magic the whole thing started working again.
I haven't been there for years but it wouldn't surprise if the Medusa PC was still going.
Would it turn you to stone if you looked at it? |
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sickpuppy
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« Reply #16 on: September 14, 2011, 12:30:10 PM » |
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Would it turn you to stone if you looked at it? It would have if I'd cried on it. |
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Steve Lampkins
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« Reply #17 on: September 14, 2011, 02:07:49 PM » |
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Or added salt solution.
Wait, pillar of salt was something completely different.
Either way, I accidentally put disturbing images into my head.
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