CPU Fan - dusty and dirty

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tomr23

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Mar 25, 2005
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hey all

i was installing some new ram and noticed i have a shit load of dust clogging up my cpu fan. im running a p4630 using the stock fan supplied. Now while I can plug some new ram in and simple stuff like that, ive never actually installed a cpu or anything of that nature.

Ive cleaned dust from the fan as best i can but i can see some more 'stuff' in there and would like to be able to clean it a lot more. The fins/blades get in the way to allow a comprehensive clean out. Can i remove the top fan/blades part somehow without taking off the whole heat-sink thing that fan is attached to?
 
Thanks guys, i will have a crack at it when i get the chance....sounds easy enough (famous last words!?).
Just figure i may as well clean it as best i can, then leave it for another say 6 months and re-do.
 
Thanks guys, i will have a crack at it when i get the chance....sounds easy enough (famous last words!?).
Just figure i may as well clean it as best i can, then leave it for another say 6 months and re-do.
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Famous last words? :lol: I think my freinds uncle said that before he castrated himself with a leafblower. :lol:
 
Well, hopefully i don't castrate my cpu or anything else important 8O .

I will try and have a good look at it tonight when i get home from work...just didn't want to go unclipping or pulling things out that I shouldn't! a friend told me i couldnt do it so i wanted to ask on here to see.
 
You might also pick up a can of compressed air. They sell it at most computer stores and office depot. It can clean out the heat sink pretty well.
 
hey all

i was installing some new ram and noticed i have a **** load of dust clogging up my cpu fan. im running a p4630 using the stock fan supplied. Now while I can plug some new ram in and simple stuff like that, ive never actually installed a cpu or anything of that nature.

Ive cleaned dust from the fan as best i can but i can see some more 'stuff' in there and would like to be able to clean it a lot more. The fins/blades get in the way to allow a comprehensive clean out. Can i remove the top fan/blades part somehow without taking off the whole heat-sink thing that fan is attached to?
Click to expand...
Air In a Can + A Dyson= Clean PC
 
A vacum cleaner will generate static electricity that may damage your machine. That's why I use compressed air and just blow the hell out of the machine...compressed air may also generate static electricity that could damage your machine. Man, life is so unfair.

If you use the canned air method, probably best to unhook the machine and take it outside. That's what I do.
 
If you are refering to the comment to take it outside, not all power supplies have a power switch on the back to allow the machine to be grounded with the cord plugged in but the power switched off, but generally speaking you are right. It still won't matter much because static will damage the machine with it grounded or not. I'd much prefer to take it outside and blow it out than to swish a vacume cleaner wand/brush around in the machine with it plugged in. It's the less of 2 evils.
 
Exactly. In that case it is best to ground yourself to the case before you unplug it, and then don't move around too much while you work inside, and also keep a hand on the case. The best thing of course is to have a grounded workstation with a ground strap, but no everyone has one of those. The other thing that can be done is to actually move the machine to the kitchen sink, wiped dry of course, and also assuming it is stainless steel. But, even if it's not metal it is still probably better than other areas.

A lot of the misconception about keeping the machine plugged in but switched off comes from AT power supplies, which did in fact turn off all power to the machine when it was switched off. Of course now, ATX power supplies still supply power to the motherboard when the computer power is off, so unless the PS has a switch in back, then you must unplug it to work inside, install cards, etc. Lots of misinformation still abounds around the internet, unfortunately.
 
Fact. You have no way to confirm that a vacume is safe. If you do, please reference it.

The plastic vacume utinsels and plastics fibers of the vacume brush will generate static, just as moving air will from canned air. There is no perfectly safe way for the average consumer to clean a machine.
 
OK. You've been using it for years. So that proves it. :roll:

I have no proof to site either. I do know from years in the semi-conductor manufactoring industry, working in characterization and reliability labs that it can cause problems. Will it kill a machine every time? No. Neither will standing in a thunderstorm with a log chain up your butt and a golf club in your hand.
 
well, a lot of conflicting advice here! 8O
think i will do this inside and try to be as carefull as possible...i tend to unplug while doing anything inside of the pc and try hard as hell not to generate any static electricity. i dont have the hand wire gagdet to ground myself unfortunately but will try to keep a hand on the case i guess. Havent had a chance to clean the fan as yet, work is busy. Will do so on the weekend as I want the extra ram in there! i might try the vacuum but not right on any components, maybe just above not touching to pick up what it can....i mean, its never going to be 100% dust free but i will do the best i can.
 
BS
Alway service a PC with power plugged in with the switch turned off for grounding. That's like the most basic rule.
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MMMMMM grounding....

i wish i had grounding... grounding is practically non existent in saudi arabia, it is hell touching quite a lot of metal objects and getting shocked... (BTW, my monitor's VGA connector gives me a shock when i touch the metal part of the "screw" thing (partially plastic, shaft is metal) is that supposed to happen?)
now if grounding were used....

i completely disconnect my computer when working on it...

Ara
 
The PC is grounded, else you wouldn't be shocked. What is probably the reason is that there is no humidity in the air. I don't know what your environment is like, but assuming it's very hot and dry there, then you are going to have more static generated than other areas of the world.

So, in general, you must be even more careful (care should always be taken, always, no matter where you live) than people in more humid areas of the world.
 
If I were to recommend using a brush at all, I would say to use a natural fiber brush, and dampen it before using it, but of course dabbing the excess water off so the bristles are just damp. Nylon/plastic bristles will generate static.
 
i'm pretty sure it's not, grounding needs 3 pins for the socket right...? all the sockets in my house (and most houses) are only 2 pin... (live and live or live and return depending on the voltage).

i thought grouding was supposed to stop you getting shocked...

humidity (outside) is usually very high... but inside the house most of it condenses in the Air Con. so i would say it is "dry" in the house...

Ara
 
No, grounding won't keep your from getting shocked. Grounding might keep you from getting electrocuted. :wink:

You're being shocked because you are building up a large potential in your body which is seeking a ground [or a lower potential].

I don't know how the power system works over there so I can't really comment on it further.
 
yeah, i think i got shocked and electrocuted confused (forgot the difference)

if i keep my hand on any metal parts i will continually get a "shock" or whatever you wanna call it, it's not a short burst, it's as long as the component's plugged in, doesn't matter any way...

Ara
 
Oh, well, that doesn't sound good. Again, I can't really speak to your system, but in this country the case grounds (on all electrical stuff, not just computers) came about to help eliminate (or at least reduce) the possiblity of electrocution. If, for example, a short occured which supplied power to the metal case, and you came along and touched the case, then you may become the path to ground, i.e. you die. By tying the case to ground, any short curcuits would result in a blow fuss/breaker instead of someones death.

In your case, if you are feeling a prolonged electrical shock and not just a static shock, then I'd consult an electrician.
 
Without question use a vacuum cleaner. Compressed air just blows the dust around???? duh.

Use a vacuum with a plastic hose/tip and one of those brush tips on it and mesh it into the fan/heatsink. It will suck that sucker clean as a whistle with no mess or work. I vacuum out all the parts and internals in my computer every few months. You CAN'T get static electricity from a plastic vacuum hose end. Um, remember science class?

I'd unplug the puter though first to prevent unseating ram or something.

I've been doing this for years. I even vacuum the outside holes of the case in front/back. All the inputs get a littel clogged and need sucking out.
 
Well. I suppose they make anti-static vacuum cleaners because there is no market for them or no static problems from vacuum cleaners.

http://www.morclean.com/vac/specialist-vacuum-cleaners.html

"Due to its construction and its Anti Static (Conductive) air supply hose, any static build up can be dissipated. "

Here is a page I found that talks about it too, but I didn't look for any sources for their information so take it with a grain of salt.

http://www.wiscocomputing.com/articles/maintenance.htm

"It is safe to use a plastic nozzle of the vacuum cleaner to suck up dirt, dust, food, and hair from keyboards and the outside of the case. Never use an electric vacuum cleaner on the inside of the computer case. Electric vacuum cleaners create static electricity that can damage the internal components. "

Here's another site that says essentially the same thing, see step number 6, computer cleaning no-nos:

http://zdnet.com.au/jobs/resources/soa/Clean_up_your_grungy_PC/0,2000056675,39199283,00.htm

Everyone is certainly allowed to believe anything they wish, but vacuum cleaners can create static. Large volumes of moving air loaded with dust and dirt particles that are slamming into one another and getting sucked through plastic parts creates the potential for static. Just as canned air forced through a plastic tube may do the same thing. I know my vacuum parts have a coating of dirt on the ends that won’t come off, no matter how hard I try. I can move the dirt around with a rag, but it just stays stuck to the wand. What’s holding it on there do you think? It aint gravity, that much is certain.

Simply put, there are 2 ways the majority of people will clean computers, vacuums and canned air, and people will continue to do it regardless. But, they both create static with potential to damage electronics, and saying they don't is just plain incorrect. Period. We don't have to be Henny Penny about it, and just use caution, just like when we jump in our car everyday there is a change we might die, but hey, that's life.
 
Well crap, I must be doing something wrong. After years of building pc's on my living room carpet while watching tv I've never had a static electricity issue....maybe I'm grounded 8O

Of course I touch the rca plugs on the front of my tv every once in a while to discharge any static, oh, and I never move around much. And I do use vacumes on them sometimes, though I never TOUCH anything but the fans with it.

Components are much more resilient than they used to be. I remember my 30pin simms, look at them wrong and they'd fry. Even when I had grounding pads on my workbenches they'd toast occasionally.
 
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