Does it make sense to somehow dust the insides of my computer once a
year or so? It's three and a half years old, and there's a thick
blanket of dust all over the inside. I've noticed that jostling it or
opening up the case sometimes stirs up the dust, causing the fan to
make horrible noises for weeks afterwards, which is not good, but I'm
not sure how I would go about removing all the dust from the sensitive
electronics, and I'm afraid I'd risk messing something up.

Hi Gremlin,

The first time I ever saw the insides of my computer I nearly fainted.
Dust was everywhere. My sister, who had more experience than I with
such things, told me to blow it out with compressed air. My husband
took it around the corner to the gas station and use the air hose.
Since then I've learned that there is such a thing as canned
compressed air! (Much easier than hauling the machine around.)

You'd be well-advised to clean yours up. Dust can cause big problems.
According to this BytetheDust page (
http://www.bytethedust.com/services.htm ): "An accumulation of dust
inside your computer case can cause components to fail —
creating havoc on your system. Unless you plan on replacing your
computer, it should be cleaned at least twice a year."


There is an excellent tutorial called Learn2 Clean Your Computer. It
gives you step-by-step instructions, including tips and a list of
'supplies' you'll need to clean your machine inside and out.

Welcome to the Learn 2 Store
http://store.learn2.com/basket/compaq/clean_comp.asp

Good luck!

Search strategy:

dust inside computer
://www.google.ca/search?q=dust+inside+computer&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

revbrenda1st

I've cleaned the inside of my computer (carefully) with a household
vacuum cleaner.  My only caution is that if you have a small fan on
the processor, either leave it alone or take it completely off to
clean it.  If you try to clean the fan "in place" some of the
dust/lint may just move around and can later cause the fan to jam and
your computer to overheat.

gremlin-ga,

I noticed this statement in the above answer:
>My husband took it around the corner to the gas station and use the
air hose.

DO NOT DO THIS TO YOUR COMPUTER!
Cans of air are fine, they are microscopically clean, but the moisture
from a run-of-the-mill air compressor could corrode and damage your
delicate circuitry. Don't risk it!

Here is a link on the problems with dust and how to clean your PC:

Tech Tips Clean Comptuer:
http://www.tiger.org/plan/techtips/101cleancomputer.html

Here is another.

Hardware Cleaning
http://www.vzinet.com/hardware_cleaning.htm

Finally here is one more from PC World:

Top Tips for PC Hygiene:
http://www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/article/0,aid,104652,00.asp

Also, notice how the cans of air are "Non-abrasive and moisture-free."

Belkin Blaster Canned Air:
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Product_Id=22584