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Subject:
From:
Dean Kukral <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
PCBUILD - Personal Computer Hardware discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 4 Jul 2005 07:02:21 -0500
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Since my original post on this topic was evidently misinterpreted (and the reply taken out of context), I
think that it's necessary to clarify it.

1.  I don't think that it's a good idea to connect a hose to the output of a vacuum cleaner and use it to
clean your pc.  It may be a source of static electricity and, while the chances of actually hurting your
pc (if you don't touch it with anything but air) are small, they are present and not worth the risk,
considering that other methods of providing blown air are available.  The best of these for an individual
are cans of compressed air made for this purpose.  (Heat, static electricity, are power surges are the
biggest enemies of pc's.)

Certainly, professional techs who see the insides of many pc's in a day will want to come up with an
economical way of blowing the dust, perhaps using treated air from a compressor.

Point Summary:  I don't like the idea of using a vacuum cleaner around the insides of your pc.

2.  The pc's that I've seen have not needed a thorough cleaning.  IMHO, the risk of damaging those pc's
from static electricity while trying to clean them would have far outweighed the risk of overheating from
the little bit of dust that accumulated in them.

The dust that I have seen  working on our pc's and our friends' pc's  has always been light and a good
puff of air (mine) has worked fine for me, albeit at the occasional cost of a cough or two.  (Maybe Frank
is right about this one.)

If you live in Texas and see pc's with three inches of dust, then I most certainly agree with you that
they  need cleaning!!  :)  Also, if you are a pc support tech in a dusty environment, you may well
regularly see pc's that need cleaning.   The pc's of regular home users may or may not need cleaning.
Certainly, if the heat sinks, power supply, memory chips, or other heat-sensitive components are covered
with dust, they need cleaning.

You do not need to "detail" the insides of your pc!  Every time you touch something inside the pc you
have a small risk of damaging it with static electricity.  Here, minimalism in cleaning is probably best
for most people.

Point Summary:  If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Dean

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