When was the last time you cleaned your
computer? Was it a year ago? If you are like most business
professionals, you don't have time, right? As a very
active member of the IT profession, I will tell you
about how much you lose when you don't take the time
clean out your machine.
An average computer collects more dust in one year
than any piece of furniture you have. That's a lot of
dust. Did you know that your computer is like a vacuum?
The fans that keep that computer cool also create a
very powerful flow-path for air to be sucked in and
blown out. This is how the air is circulated in the
computer. Since there are no air filters in computers,
dust settles in and starts a chain reaction that ends
up costing you big money. That dust clogs the fans,
hard drives, and collects on all components creating
a heat blanket. When CPU fans go out, the heat causes
all sorts of problems. Here is a sample flow of events
:
1. Dust settles in the CPU fan, clogs it and
soon, the fan goes out.
2. The CPU builds up heat and burns out, damaging
the motherboard.
3. Your computer goes down with your information.
4. Time Lost and Cost = A NEW COMPUTER
This problem multiplies twice if you smoke. Even if
you work in a clean environment with no smokers...open
that case. I guarantee there is dust in there.
The solution is very simple. At least every 2
months, clean that computer. Use a can of air and
blow out the machine. Concentrate on the CPU fan, the
hard drives, the floppy drive, RAM and CDROMS.
Taking the case apart is usually simple. If you have
a computer built by Compaq or HP, go to www.hp.com
and put in your model number. You should be able find
the correct way to open your case. Most newer cases
are very simple to open, but the older ones might have
a method to their madness. Also, before you touch anything
in the machine, wear an anti-static wrist strap. You
can buy these at Radio Shack and most computers shops.
That's it for now. May your computer stay cool and
your data safe.
