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General discussion

cleaing my PC

Feb 4, 2006 1:17AM PST

so yeah... my pc is full of dust n dirt. but im not good with pcs and i dont want 2 mess with my pc. i've asked a pro 2 do my pc...he say's it'll cost ten pound... is that worth it u reckon? cuz i really dnt wanna mess with the insides of my pc...asim no expert.

Discussion is locked

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Sounds about right...
Feb 4, 2006 2:50AM PST

Here in the US BestBuy's GeekSquad charges $19 USD, which is about 11 pounds, so the cost is normal. Now, the question of is it worth it is a little trickier. The dust and dirt build-up can clog the heatsink, fans, etc, resulting in an increased interior temperature that causes undue stress on your machine and the possible forced shutdown (newer computers) or burnup (older computers). Thus, it's pretty much a required preventative measure. While the cost they charge is considered standard, it's still quite high for what they're doing...removing the cover and using a fraction of a can of compressed air to clean it out before putting the cover back on. (It takes less than 15 minutes to do and costs less than a pound.) However, if you're uncomfortable doing it yourself it's a reasonable price to pay for the preventative maintenance.

Hope this helps,
John


P.S. I clean my computer out once a month, but every 6 months or so is generally recommended.

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hm...
Feb 4, 2006 3:11AM PST

thanks...

but ten pound every few months is kind of steep...

so isit quite hard doing it yourself?? or wud u recommend me having it done pro if im not good with computers?

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It's easy...
Feb 4, 2006 9:46AM PST

Honestly, this is a very simple thing to do with little risk of damaging anything. Unless it's really filthy, you're not even going to be touching anything, just using the can of compressed air on the fans, vents, heatsink, and all the little cracks and crevices. If the grime is stuck on you'd have to remove the fans to clean them off with a dry cloth then screw them back on, but that's about it. Just two things I'd like to note:

1.) You may still run across a manufacturer that will invalidate your warrenty if it's opened by anyone except an authorized repair center. Thus you may want to check your warrenty or note your manufacturer and model number here. (Someone should know if it's permitted or not for your computer.)

2.) If you go to touch anything, make sure you have grounded yourself since electrostatic can damage some of the components. It's recommended that you use a grounding strap, though briefly touching the metal case and watching things like shuffling your feet, rubbing your pant legs, etc is usually fine.

If you decide to do ths yourself, I recommend clicking here for a Cnet tutorial on cleaning up your computer. They'll walk you through the dos and don'ts and show you exactly what to do via the video guides.

Have fun!
John

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thanks...but
Feb 4, 2006 1:11PM PST

thanks alot for ya help, mate.

what it is my pc has been switching off quite often for no reason....could this be cuz of my pc not being clean? and i still dnt know whether to do it myself... seems a bit werd 2 me lol... i might damagae stuff plusi dont have no compressed air or anything.

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compressed air.
Feb 4, 2006 1:17PM PST

how much is it and where can u buy it? and can u get any?

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It's common...
Feb 4, 2006 2:22PM PST

If you have significant build-up in your computer it can cause it to overheat. The newer computers have built-in sensors that monitor the temperature level and shut the computer off if it gets too high. If it's been going on for a long time it's also possible that damage has been done due to constant overheating. (Just a possibility.)

As to the compressed air, it's available at most electronics stores, office supply stores, and major retailers. You can get a 10oz can for ~$5 USD (3 pounds) and one can should last for several uses. (I can clean out 5 or 6 computers with one can.) Just get a can of compressed air and use the videos as a guide to cleaning your PC. If you back out and take it to a professional you can always the it to clean out your keyboard or what have you.

Good luck.
John

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thanks again so...
Feb 4, 2006 2:34PM PST

so is that all i really need is a can of air? there's a store called staples not far from my house... they have a can of dust off for 6 pound 300ml...i might have a try myself... so i dnt have 2 take anything out...just use the spray?

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That's it...
Feb 4, 2006 2:40PM PST

Staples is a great place to get this kind of stuff. Just make sure it is compressed air (air duster) and not a spray cleaner (cleaning agent that involves liquids)...the aerosol cans often look nearly identical.

John

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one last thing...
Feb 4, 2006 2:59PM PST

so do u take urs outside to clean? and how often should u clean it? thanks alot for ur help.

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When/where...
Feb 4, 2006 3:03PM PST

I usually clean it out in my basement (the garage is too dirty and I wouldn't want to tear it apart outside...too many things could go wrong) once a month, though most would say every 3-6 months would be fine.

Cheers.
John

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sorry to...
Feb 4, 2006 6:32PM PST

brother you again but do you know anything about registry? i ran a scan with tweaknow... and 3 problems came up with "unknown"... they are...

deskpan.dll

fde.ll

caplgin.ax

...what are these and are they safe to delete?

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Sure do...
Feb 5, 2006 4:12AM PST

In response to your PM, the Fellowes invertible air duster you picked up is fine. By invertible they mean you can turn the can upside down and use it...it's a benefit that lets you get into hard-to-reach spots.

As to the registry:

* deskpan.dll is fine...it's an entry for a dynamic link library from Microsoft used for adjusting the display. TweakNow always reports it as unknown...just ignore it.

* fde.dll is another Microsoft entry, this time dealing with folder snapins...ignore it.

* I'm not quite sure what caplgin.ax is, though I believe it's related to Windows Media Player and it shows up for me too...it's probably best to ignore it as well.

Hope this helps,
John

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hey again...
Feb 5, 2006 9:23PM PST

i cleaned out my pc... there wasnt hardly any dust in the power supply... but there was dust on the wires and main fan...i got most of the dust off but theres a thin layer of dust over the fan still that will not budge kind of thing... does that mea i have 2 get sum1 2 get the fan off and clean propely...or should it be ok? thanks.

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Should be fine...
Feb 6, 2006 3:33AM PST

I tear mine apart for a thorough cleaning, and any repair shop that charges for such services should do the same, but since it's just a thin layer there's no real need to run the full gamut. As long as it's not a thick grimy mess, there's no dust floating around, and the vents are clear you're good to go.

Congrats on saving yourself 20 bucks!

John

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hey again lol...
Feb 6, 2006 7:46PM PST

well my pc is now kinda clean...and i have avg anti virus and lots of other protection and ive ran endless online scans and im clear...but my pc is still turning off on its own now and again? why is dis... could it be over heated? cuz i do leave it on all day and night sometimes when im out etc...

thanks

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Possibilities...
Feb 7, 2006 9:01AM PST

There are a lot of possibilities why this could happen, including:
* It's set to shut off automatically after a period of non-use.
* An error is occuring, forcing Windows to shut down.
* The system is overheating, forcing a shutdown to prevent damage.
* A component, usually the PSU (power supply unit) is failing.
* You have an unstable supply of electricity.

The following information would help narrow the possibilities and provide a reasonable list of casual checks you can perform:
* Age and model of PC
* Operating system?
* What programs and processes are running?
* Does an error message pop up?
* Does it restart or just shutdown? Is there any warning?

To start off, download the free program Everest by clicking here It will give you all of your system specs, but can also report the current status of your system. Launch it, expand ''computer'' from the right and select ''sensor,'' then report back what temps are listed. Make sure you also share what processor you have. (Intel Celeron, AMD Sempron, Intel P4, AMD Athlon, 1.2GHz, 3.4GHz, 2800+, 4200+, etc.)

Give a shout back.
John

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hey, here's the info...
Feb 8, 2006 4:29PM PST

Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name OWNER-KSJ3LR3EC (~Hyper's Machine~)
User Name ~Hyper~

Motherboard:
CPU Type Intel Pentium 4, 3000 MHz (15 x 200)
Motherboard Name MSI 661FM2-V (MS-7060) (3 PCI, 1 AGP, 2 DDR DIMM, Audio, Video, LAN)
Motherboard Chipset SiS 661FX
System Memory 480 MB (PC3200 DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type Award (08/04/04)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter SiS 651_661FX_741_760_M661FX_M661MX_M741_M760 (32 MB)
3D Accelerator SiS 330 Mirage Integrated
Monitor Plug and Play Monitor [NoDB] (FGIJ3C0145125)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter SiS 7012 Audio Device

Storage:
IDE Controller SiS PCI IDE Controller
Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive ST3120022A (120 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/100)
Optical Drive SONY DVD RW DW-D18A (DVD+R9:2.4x, DVD+RW:8x/4x, DVD-RW:8x/4x, DVD-ROM:12x, CD:40x/24x/40x DVD+RW/DVD-RW)
Optical Drive SONY DVD-ROM DDU1621 (16x/40x DVD-ROM)
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 114470 MB (98347 MB free)

Input:
Keyboard Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse HID-compliant mouse

Network:
Network Adapter SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter (82.37.181.126)
Modem Creatix V.9X DSP Data Fax Modem

Peripherals:
Printer Fax
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB2 Controller SiS 7002 USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Device USB Human Interface Device


***temps***


Sensor Properties:
Sensor Type Winbond W83697HF (ISA 290h)

Temperatures:
Motherboard 37

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oh, and...
Feb 8, 2006 4:34PM PST

it's a pentium 4 cpu 3.00ghz

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oh...
Feb 8, 2006 4:37PM PST

and it's a pentium 4 cpu 3.00ghz... the make is advent and ive had it about a year and a half 2 years this aug...

no, it doesnt have an error it just shuts down for no reason. it dont happen 2 often now...but it still happened... it actually happened agin about 15 mins ago.

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oh, and
Feb 9, 2006 4:48PM PST

my pc just retsrated on its self aswell!!! it dont usually happen though.. what could that be?

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Something to check...
Feb 12, 2006 5:32AM PST

Looking over your data sheet, everything's normal except for your hard drive's temperature...I have the same model running in one of my computers and it's steady at 33

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hi again...
Feb 19, 2006 1:15PM PST

it don't happen all the time. depends when it just shuts down really. sometimes it wont happen for ages...last time it happened was i done a scan with ad-aware den i finished that and put a scan of spybot on den it just turned off all of a sudden. it might be heating i dnt know ill try turning my pc 2 see if i see a difference. its really confusing me now lol.

u know the thing u mentioned in the administrative tools yeh mine might be different to yours... i have event viewer inside im thinking thats what i need? and when i click that u can view application, security or system??


oh and i done a scan of my pc... but i dnt think the chasis fan has shown?? what would it come under and what kinda scan would i have 2 do?? i swear i do have a chasis fan cuz when i cleane dmy pc i seen it.... its at the back by the power supply right??

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oh and...
Feb 19, 2006 1:29PM PST

i just felt my pc at the back and its reallly hot... could this be the problem?? by the power supply

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oh and...
Feb 19, 2006 1:31PM PST

my back fan is probably really dirty... i really dnt know wassup. =[

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i think...
Feb 19, 2006 7:38PM PST

i know what it might be im not 2 sure doh.

u know the vents at the top of my box ive had em copvered by a cloth that i use 2 protect the top of my pc lol silly me. i have now removed the cloth and the back seems 2 be alot cooler for some reason. the main fan vents wasnt coveered doh... i dnt know whther dis was the problem doh 4 sure.

look...

this is the vents that was covered...

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8930/vents5vu.jpg

and this is the main vent that wasnt covered that is supported by a fan!

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1972/main0fe.jpg


question: why is everest still not picking up a chasis fan? is wear i have a back fan. is there anything else i could use 2 check if i have one?


thanks

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My take...
Feb 22, 2006 9:09AM PST

* For the error log, you'd want Event Viewer and select System from the left-hand panel in it.

* The chasis fan should show up in the Everest report, right with the CPU fan. You'll find this by expanding Computer and selecting Sensor from the left-hand panel. Under Cooling Fans you should see CPU and Chasis. If you don't it may be a glitch, though there may also be a problem with the fan.

* There should be at least two fans on the back of your tower. The first would be the fan for your PSU (Power Supply Unit), which you can identify by a 120/240 switch being next to it. The second, usually half-way down, is the chassis fan.

* The vent on the top can have a lot to do with your computer overheating! I'm actually a little surprised there is a top vent...not many do that anymore.

* If the back still feels really hot, or the problems with automatic restarts continue, I'd suggest taking it in and have someone take a look at it as it's likely a hardware issue. (Check Event Viewer first to make sure, though.)

Good luck,
John

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yeh...
Feb 25, 2006 2:26AM PST

ive checked everest again... and its still not showing a chassiss fan... it just says cpu under cooling fans... i dnt know why... but i havnt had a turn off for ages now... my pc seems 2 be running good. but y isit saying there's no chassiss fan? and ive checked the event log... but i dnt know what i should be looking for anyway lol...

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hey...
Feb 25, 2006 2:59AM PST

isnt the chassiss fan the square kinf of fan... i seen that when i clean my pc... i swear it works cuz i can hear it and it blows cool air out the lil vent... if its the right fan im talking about...

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Notes...
Mar 2, 2006 10:14AM PST

* In the Event Viewer you'd be looking for a red flag (red circle with a white 'X' in it)...that's what indicates an error. Double-click the entry to view the details. If you notice the same error(s) happen just before your computer restarts (check the times), then you'll have a better idea of the problem. \

* The chasis fan is pretty much just a larger version of the CPU fan...circular in a square 'frame.' It would be screwed in up against the vent, and is usually found half-way down the case, below the PSU's fan, which does not show up on Everest or the like.

* Your computer may not report the speed of your casis fan(s), or it may be damaged.

* Since it's not shutting down anymore, the problem was most likely caused by having the vent covered up, preventing the heat from escaping. If the problem returns, though, you'll need to take it in and have someone take a look at it.

Good luck.
John

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Hi...
Mar 11, 2006 11:43PM PST

my pc shut off earlier... and i checked the event log and in aplications this came up...

The COM+ Event System detected a bad return code during its internal processing. HRESULT was C0000005 from line 44 of d:\qxp_slp\com\com1x\src\events\tier1\eventsystemobj.cpp. Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services to report this error.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.


...i've googled it 2 find what the hell it is...some people are saying it has something to do with msn...but i don't know...