My dust bunnies are vanquished!

count minaba · 11-22-2004, 03:56 AM

I cleaned my case out today. The dust bunnies were having a party in there! Firstly, my Zalman cpu cooler had a mat of dust covering the fins. That's bad. The airflow was obviously reduced. My 9800pro and the northbridge fans and heatsinks were choked as were the front and side fans (3 of them). The two rear blowers and the little OTES fan were OK and the two fans in the psu were good. After dust elimination, I cleaned the Zelman copper base and the cpu with Isocol (isopropal alcohol) and re-applied the Arctic Silver 5. This time I put just a bit more on than last time. What's the upside? For a start, the noise is way lower. I can't believe the difference dust removal makes for noise! My temps are idling 3 degrees Celsius lower and about 7C lower under load. I'm looking forward to the AS5 improving it's thermal conduction some more as the 200hr bedding in period progresses.

I posted this as a timely reminder to you all that we need to regularly clean our PC's, especially the overclocked ones or expect heat to rise and your OC to falter. At 240fsb, Doom3 was crashing... now, stable and happy again

Cheers
cm

FightingChance · 11-22-2004, 09:17 AM

Good advice. Still, many people I know disregard this out of laziness, at least until something breaks.

*Bofinn* · 11-22-2004, 09:30 AM

DISSECTING THE DUST BUNNY

http://www.nrdc.org/onearth/03win/livgreen.asp

izibo · 11-22-2004, 09:34 AM

when i uesd to work as a tech, i could not believe some of the stuff we would get in!

i think one should clean things out every 6 mos or os

shimonmor · 11-22-2004, 08:56 PM

I've got filters on my air intake fans and I have almost no dust to speak of after about 8 months of 24/7 running. I did clean the filters a couple of times cause they get caked up with dust. It sure is easier cleaning out filters then opening the case to vacuum things out.

3 of 7 · 11-22-2004, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shimonmor

I've got filters on my air intake fans and I have almost no dust to speak of after about 8 months of 24/7 running. I did clean the filters a couple of times cause they get caked up with dust. It sure is easier cleaning out filters then opening the case to vacuum things out.

I have an aluminum mesh filter on my 120mm intake and blow it out every couple of weeks

Deer Slayer · 11-23-2004, 12:13 AM

The stock fan on my ti4600 was setup so that you couldn't tell when it was dusty. All the dust would accumulate arround the fan and plug the heatsink under the metal cover. I couldn't see the scuz, but the video card kept ovrheating! I thought maybe the stock heatsink wasn't enough for extended periods, so I was ready to stick an amd heatsink on there. When I took the metal cover off there was a thin layer of animal hair and dust completely plugging the heatsink. Airduster wouldn't get it out of there either. I wonder how many geforce TI series cards died that way? I literally had to pick the scuz out of it with tweezers and a jewler's screwdriver. Then I put the thermaltake copper heatsink on there and it hasn't done that since. My swiftech is bad for that too, I have to take it off and blow it out thoroughly for it to keep it's efficiency. They get pretty gross!

ronbo 613 · 12-11-2004, 05:03 PM

My two computers are in a dusty office so I have to clean them every month or so. I use a china bristle brush and compressed air. The filter on the Antec 1080 stops some of the dust. I cover my towers, monitor and keyboard with plastic covers when not in use.

G-GAB-ite · 12-31-2004, 12:04 AM

I should consider cleaning out the dust in mine..........
I think the last time i performed a major cleaning was........ six months ago????

:wave2:

sammy2066 · 12-31-2004, 12:18 AM

i cleaned out all bunnies last night ...... zallie + 6800u + side panel ...... shoved 3c off load temps .....

3.60ghz @ 47c under load ....

**Sandog** · 12-31-2004, 12:36 AM

Thats what I like, a clean Count.

silent67 · 12-31-2004, 01:30 AM

Just think most of that stuff is going up your nose too, could cause a brain temp problem.

*Bofinn* · 12-31-2004, 11:38 AM

I've decided that I'm going to clean my system out every 6 months.

1. 4th of July weekend

2. New Years weekend

The can of air is sitting on my desk just waiting for my butt to get off the computer chair!

G-GAB-ite · 12-31-2004, 11:47 AM

I'll do it on New Years eve and Canada Day.....

*Fraoch* · 12-31-2004, 11:49 AM

Eventually I'd like to get a mini vacuum. Compressed air works great but it just blows the dust back out into the room - it eventually finds its way back into your system.

With a vacuum you take the dust out and throw it away.

Deer Slayer hit on something I've seen noticing too - certain dust deposits are stuck on and can't be blown off completely. ronbo 613's idea of using a brush is a good one.

11-22-2004, 03:56 AM	#1
count minaba LivingDead... LivingLarge Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Dead center of Sydney! Posts: 11,271	My dust bunnies are vanquished! I cleaned my case out today. The dust bunnies were having a party in there! Firstly, my Zalman cpu cooler had a mat of dust covering the fins. That's bad. The airflow was obviously reduced. My 9800pro and the northbridge fans and heatsinks were choked as were the front and side fans (3 of them). The two rear blowers and the little OTES fan were OK and the two fans in the psu were good. After dust elimination, I cleaned the Zelman copper base and the cpu with Isocol (isopropal alcohol) and re-applied the Arctic Silver 5. This time I put just a bit more on than last time. What's the upside? For a start, the noise is way lower. I can't believe the difference dust removal makes for noise! My temps are idling 3 degrees Celsius lower and about 7C lower under load. I'm looking forward to the AS5 improving it's thermal conduction some more as the 200hr bedding in period progresses. I posted this as a timely reminder to you all that we need to regularly clean our PC's, especially the overclocked ones or expect heat to rise and your OC to falter. At 240fsb, Doom3 was crashing... now, stable and happy again Cheers cm __________________ IC7-MAX3/ bios 1.8 Intel 3.4E 1gig OCZ PC4200EL Invidai 6600GTS 2xSeagate 120gig Sata Raid0 WinXP Pro SP2 MCE2005 22" Viewsonic widescreen Pioneer 111 DVD Liteon 52x CDRW Logitech Z640 5.1 Last edited by count minaba : 11-22-2004 at 04:18 AM.
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11-22-2004, 09:17 AM	#2
FightingChance Yes, I am better than you Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 4,068	Good advice. Still, many people I know disregard this out of laziness, at least until something breaks.
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11-22-2004, 09:30 AM	#3
Bofinn I'm gettin' dizzy! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 11,035	DISSECTING THE DUST BUNNY http://www.nrdc.org/onearth/03win/livgreen.asp __________________ ---------- JimBo ----------- When in doubt, smack it!
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11-22-2004, 09:34 AM	#4
izibo ABXpert Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 1,679	when i uesd to work as a tech, i could not believe some of the stuff we would get in! i think one should clean things out every 6 mos or os
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11-22-2004, 08:56 PM	#5
shimonmor Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posts: 201	I've got filters on my air intake fans and I have almost no dust to speak of after about 8 months of 24/7 running. I did clean the filters a couple of times cause they get caked up with dust. It sure is easier cleaning out filters then opening the case to vacuum things out. __________________ -Shimon P4 3.2GHz, Thermalright XP-120 w/Vantec Stealth 120mm, Intel D875PBZ, Lian-Li PC-V2000B, 510w TurboCool ATX PS, 4x512 Corsair XMS3200, 2x36GB Raptors (Raid0), 4xWD 250GB, Promise SATA150TX4, Plextor PX-708A, LiteOn DVD, ATI AIW 9600 PRO, AUDIGY 2 ZS Platinum, Logitech Z-5500 5.1, IOFlex Firewire card, Mitsumi 7-in-1 media/floppy, Sharp 19" LCD, XP PRO
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11-23-2004, 12:13 AM	#7
Deer Slayer Unscanable!!! Tatoo??? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Howell Michigan Posts: 3,843	My video card got bad one time. The stock fan on my ti4600 was setup so that you couldn't tell when it was dusty. All the dust would accumulate arround the fan and plug the heatsink under the metal cover. I couldn't see the scuz, but the video card kept ovrheating! I thought maybe the stock heatsink wasn't enough for extended periods, so I was ready to stick an amd heatsink on there. When I took the metal cover off there was a thin layer of animal hair and dust completely plugging the heatsink. Airduster wouldn't get it out of there either. I wonder how many geforce TI series cards died that way? I literally had to pick the scuz out of it with tweezers and a jewler's screwdriver. Then I put the thermaltake copper heatsink on there and it hasn't done that since. My swiftech is bad for that too, I have to take it off and blow it out thoroughly for it to keep it's efficiency. They get pretty gross!
(Online)

12-11-2004, 05:03 PM	#8
ronbo 613 Computer User Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,642	My two computers are in a dusty office so I have to clean them every month or so. I use a china bristle brush and compressed air. The filter on the Antec 1080 stops some of the dust. I cover my towers, monitor and keyboard with plastic covers when not in use.
(Offline)

12-31-2004, 12:04 AM	#9
G-GAB-ite Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 54	I should consider cleaning out the dust in mine.......... I think the last time i performed a major cleaning was........ six months ago???? :wave2: __________________ P4 2.4b @ 2.80 Ghz (156 Bus) 512mb Infineon PC2700 DDR 333 Mem @ DDR350 2.5-6-3-3 GA-SQ800 (A0) / F8a Windows XP Pro SP1 ATI Radeon 9800pro 128MB Western Digital WD800JB BenQ 48/16/48 IDE Hitachi GD-7500 dvd Logitech Z-640 5.1 speakers Logitech Cordless MX Duo keyboard and mouse (MX700) Sandra mem 1910/1960
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12-31-2004, 12:18 AM	#10
sammy2066 ABX Public Relations Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ABXZone.com Posts: 8,544	i cleaned out all bunnies last night ...... zallie + 6800u + side panel ...... shoved 3c off load temps ..... 3.60ghz @ 47c under load .... __________________ That's what she said ....
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12-31-2004, 12:36 AM	#11
Sandog DP45SG/Q9650 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 6,202	Thats what I like, a clean Count. __________________
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12-31-2004, 01:30 AM	#12
silent67 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: ALABAMA Posts: 78	Just think most of that stuff is going up your nose too, could cause a brain temp problem. __________________ GAMER: P4C800-E DELUXE, P43E G@3.9,SYS BUSS1041.58MhzQDR,SYS CLOCK 240.40,CORSAIR TWIN1024-3200CPT 1GB XMS3200 DDR2,POWERCOLOR X800XT PLT,2xSEAGATE SATA BARRACUDA 80G INTEL RAID O,INNOVATEK WATERCOOLING CPU&VGA,ASUS1019 BIOS,BLACK XBLADE CASE,3x120mmFANS,LITEON16x DUALDVD,3DMARK03(12747) MAIN WORKSTATION:ASUS P4PE,INTEL2.53G,512MB 2700DDR,ATIRADEON 9700SE VGA,LITEON 8xDVDRW,SONY DVD
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12-31-2004, 11:38 AM	#13
Bofinn I'm gettin' dizzy! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 11,035	I've decided that I'm going to clean my system out every 6 months. 1. 4th of July weekend 2. New Years weekend The can of air is sitting on my desk just waiting for my butt to get off the computer chair! __________________ ---------- JimBo ----------- When in doubt, smack it!
(Offline)

12-31-2004, 11:47 AM	#14
G-GAB-ite Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 54	I'll do it on New Years eve and Canada Day..... __________________ P4 2.4b @ 2.80 Ghz (156 Bus) 512mb Infineon PC2700 DDR 333 Mem @ DDR350 2.5-6-3-3 GA-SQ800 (A0) / F8a Windows XP Pro SP1 ATI Radeon 9800pro 128MB Western Digital WD800JB BenQ 48/16/48 IDE Hitachi GD-7500 dvd Logitech Z-640 5.1 speakers Logitech Cordless MX Duo keyboard and mouse (MX700) Sandra mem 1910/1960
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12-31-2004, 11:49 AM	#15
Fraoch Resident ABX Wizard Join Date: May 2003 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 8,814	Eventually I'd like to get a mini vacuum. Compressed air works great but it just blows the dust back out into the room - it eventually finds its way back into your system. With a vacuum you take the dust out and throw it away. Deer Slayer hit on something I've seen noticing too - certain dust deposits are stuck on and can't be blown off completely. ronbo 613's idea of using a brush is a good one.
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