Clean Up Your Damn Computer!

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We've posted pictures of dirty computers before but what makes the pictures below so embarrassing is that this computer is in MY house.

(see the pictures here)

This computer belongs to my son and, to put it lightly, he had been neglecting his cleaning duties. So last night, we tore his system completely down and then I let him rebuild it himself. He did a few upgrades in the process and everything came out pretty good for a teenager...it even booted on the first try.
 
This doesn't look that bad, basically like my system right before I clean it. Most systems I work on for other people are much much worse.
 
Folding1 has been running nonstop since last April, and I cringe at the thought of what it might look like when I finally decide to get around to cleaning it possibly in the spring. Those pictures arn't bad as i've seen much worse.
 
Yeah, pics really aren't as bad as I thought it would be. Just looks like your average PC after 2-3 months without being cleaned.
 
Nickbaldwin86 said:
one tool... two words

....
Air compressor
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I agree but will just point out that with compressed air comes water... just be careful you don't fire anything back up if it's still wet.

My computer's getting the treatment this weekend.
 
Something's wrong, a clenaed PC never boots up on the first try :D:D
 
You think your heatsink was dirty? Check out mine! :D

0710101123-1.jpg
 
It amazes me that you guys spend all this cash on high end parts like the TRUE above then use it for a filter element.
 
Damn, I smoke massive amounts right next to the intakes on my Antec900 and there isn't anywhere close to the amount of crud/dust inside my case.

That white dust looks like a growth of mold.
 
Flunk said:
This doesn't look that bad, basically like my system right before I clean it. Most systems I work on for other people are much much worse.
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I've always wondered how people manage to spill soda/beer INSIDE of their computer. I buy so much industrial cleaner and adhesive remover i'm probably on some FBI watch list.
 
What the heck is the cooler on that thing? I have never seen one like that...
 
a system i cleaned out this past year, not mine but some old lady who was a smoker.......

IMG_284601.jpg
 
I find that keeping my systems a good 70 cm off the floor tends to keep most dust out of the cases :) After a year or more there just seems to be a light dusting on the fans and the CPU heatsinks.

I'll be moving soon and cleaning my systems then, just to keep Steve here happy :D
 
Oh dang, I wish I had taken pictures of my radiator when I changed the fans out last night. I wanted to cry. Took two cans of air and the vacuum to clean it out.

But the nastiest thing I've ever seen has to be eons ago working a retail tech bench. Computer was not working and shutting down. We opened the side panel and it was so caked in smoker dust that we pulled a brick of it off with the door. OMG nasty. To say the least we refused service.
 
Steve said:
We've posted pictures of dirty computers before but what makes the pictures below so embarrassing is that this computer is in MY house.

(see the pictures here)

This computer belongs to my son and, to put it lightly, he had been neglecting his cleaning duties. So last night, we tore his system completely down and then I let him rebuild it himself. He did a few upgrades in the process and everything came out pretty good for a teenager...it even booted on the first try.
Click to expand...

Nothing like quality father son time eh?
 
These systems are down right clean compared to some of the systems at my work. Then again, I'm a network administrator for a metal/fabrication foundry...

If you use an air compressor to blow out your cases, make sure hold the fans before blasting them with air. If not, you will likely reduce their life by burning out the bearings/sleeves when they spin uncontrollably. Also, it's possible to damage the motherboard or power supply by injecting excessive power through the fan connector.
 
compressed air is weak. i take my shopvac and get it onto leaf blower mode and blow the crap out of my computer. my parts look brand new even though they're about 3 years old now.
 
Air filters FTW. Though I despise my Thermaltake Armor (the original, solid-steel 55LB behemoth) for a variety of reasons, the lack of dust inside my case is not one of them.
 
Steve said:
We've posted pictures of dirty computers before but what makes the pictures below so embarrassing is that this computer is in MY house.

(see the pictures here)

This computer belongs to my son and, to put it lightly, he had been neglecting his cleaning duties. So last night, we tore his system completely down and then I let him rebuild it himself. He did a few upgrades in the process and everything came out pretty good for a teenager...it even booted on the first try.
Click to expand...

Steve I have to as where in the hell did you find that CPU heat-sink?
 
I seriously don't know about that cooler, looks like a mini particle acclerator! Also I would have to agree its not that bad, I have one running in my closet 24x7 as a server and I haven't gotten to it this year. When I do it will be so bad that I should clean it outside, it will choke anyone and cause my allergies to try and kill me.

My rules:
When it starts to affect the devices performace its more than time to take care of it.

When its solid and smells like the room its been running in its going to be called gross by some.

When its everywhere and smells unlike anything you know then you are too far gone!
 
What surprises me most about those pictures is just how poor the SpinQ is designed. Look where the dust is, indicating the airflow. It's using only ~20% of the fins!
 
The filters in my Silverstone Fortress FT02 are quite sufficient. Been running it for about 3 months now, replaced the filters once already, but I haven't seen any major dust build-up in the case.

Yay for positive pressure!
 
Stoly said:
Would you adopt me?
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Sure!

The way things work in the house is that all the hardware from my box bumps down to the back-up box. From there to my son. From my son to the wife. Finally it is cleaned up and donated to the school computer lab.

I recently had a motherboard in my main box go out in a catastrophic way so the working parts (C2Q processor and 8GB ram) from it went into the son's box. The Tt V6 BlacX was one of his X-mas presents.


Killermac said:
Steve I have to as where in the hell did you find that CPU heat-sink?
Click to expand...

Bought the SpinQ from either Tiger or NewEgg. I buy ALL of my stuff using our commissioned links

Ultima99 said:
Nothing like quality father son time eh?
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Hell yeah, it is awesome. When he was done and it booted right up...*sniff*.... hang on for a sec...I got some of that dust in my eye....
 
I've given up on this until I can get a better case.

I have the CoolerMaster ACTS 840, which I know is a popular case, but I have grown to hate the damn thing.

It has more air leaks than a screen door. Around every external drive, seams, buttons, you name it. The fact that it has filters is almost useless.

Add to that the common breakage of the front panel retainers, and the fact it took me over a year to get a replacement I/O pod for the top under warranty and, well, I really hate this thing.

Ok, sorry for the tangent. Back to the dirt. It gets filthy inside constantly due to all the air leaks.

I'm going back to Lian Li the next time around.
 
TechLarry said:
I've given up on this until I can get a better case.

I have the CoolerMaster ACTS 840, which I know is a popular case, but I have grown to hate the damn thing.

It has more air leaks than a screen door. Around every external drive, seams, buttons, you name it. The fact that it has filters is almost useless.

Add to that the common breakage of the front panel retainers, and the fact it took me over a year to get a replacement I/O pod for the top under warranty and, well, I really hate this thing.

Ok, sorry for the tangent. Back to the dirt. It gets filthy inside constantly due to all the air leaks.

I'm going back to Lian Li the next time around.
Click to expand...

Go for positive air pressure. Basically measurably more fans/CFM pusing in than blowing out. This makes air push out from your case in all of those cracks instead of sucking into the case. one thing to keep in mind is it's harder to push air in than suck it out, if you do 2 intake and two exhaust fans of the same size/cfm/static pressure, your case will suck air in at the cracks. I'd reccomend 4 intake (with filters on them) and 2 exhaust.

/profit (with a cleaner case)
 
Steve said:
it even booted on the first try.
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You're doing it wrong Steve. Everyone knows that it's not supposed to boot on the first try, giving way to much wailing and gnashing of teeth, until you realize that one jumper wasn't in the right position and then everything works perfectly. :D
 
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