Too much heat can cause a computer to fail. PCs are designed to dissipate heat passively (heat sinks), actively (forced air flow by fans) or both. When the air flow is disrupted, the system will not dissipate heat efficiently which can cause failures in the processor, memory, video card, motherboard, power supply, hard drive, and other components.
Desktop computers, as they are often called, sit in some places that are not conducive to good air flow and/or cleanliness. Computers are often placed under desks, in desks, in cabinets, under monitors and other objects. Computers are often set right up against walls and other objects that limit air flow. These out-of-the-way areas are havens that collect dirt and dust that can clog computer systems.
Here is a Dell Optiplex that sat under a desk and the back up against a wall for months without cleaning. Notice the vertical intake vents on the lower right side that are almost completely clogged.
Here is what the vent looks like from the inside.
Dust and dirt can also reduce cooling performance when it builds up on heat sinks and components by reducing the ability to transfer heat from the surface to the ambient air. Here is an example of dust build up on a video card. Although the card has a heat sink on the other side (partially shown), the card itself dissipates heat also.
Solutions.
- Set your computer in a well ventilated area if possible.
- Keep the area around the computer clean and dust/dirt free.
- Ensure all fans are running properly.
- Occasionally open the computer (turn it off first of course) and clean with a can of compressed air.
Keeping your computer free of dust and dirt will allow the computer to run cooler, avoid component failures, and prolong the life of your computer.
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May 17th, 2007 at 1:49 am
I wish that I would have read this about a year ago. My laptop got fried because there was too much dust in there. They told me that I had to take of the whole bottom occassionally to spray it out for dust (not just spraying in the fans and where the heat comes out). I spray my desktop now regularly.
thanks for your relevant articles
July 4th, 2007 at 7:16 am
A customer brought her computer in for repair a couple weeks ago and when I took the side off the case it turns out this were rather dusty inside. Probably the worst I’ve seen yet and I’m surprised it was still working. It was just an old pentium 3 though. I put pictures up on my store blog at http://www.gator-byte.com/2007/06/its-a-little-dirty/
July 4th, 2007 at 11:28 am
Kalamaf,
Thanks for the photos.
Jim
January 15th, 2008 at 3:05 am
Great article just wish it was ranked higher than 68 position for computer heat. There really seems to be a lack of awareness for this dust problem being the primary cause of overheating and slow processing speeds.CEC’s Heat sinks get hot and from what I have read from 2 IBM patents computer airflow management is becoming more important these days.heat. The high end servers performance numerous high powered logic modules. In the past art CECs were unable to be air cooled as the heat could not be removed by serial airflow. Today, with higher heat loads of logic, I/O memory, and power supplies there is a need for more efficiently cooling the components of the CEC with a symmetrical balanced airflow through the nodes to support higher generated power and low temperature components placed on the end of the heated exhaust air.
So the heat problem is a bit complex we cannot just through a polyester dirtbag over the computer, monitor, laptop, or notebook. dirtbag or shopsheild are the same patent. The Kiilumen patent does not provide any means for an air space between the filter polyester computer air filter and the 80% of dust particulates will pass right through the dirtbag or shopsheild. Why? because the filter is flat not folded and is not electrostatic it actually creates static. Do way dude it is like the coolest thing. Well ever wear polyester pants in the winter? youo get zapped touching a door knob or turning in the lights or even walking accross the carpeting. You know the story. You are smart. I imagine IBM engineers would express concern as they also have a patent 6,974,489 on a polypropylene and polyacryonitrile dirtbag for laptops and notebooks but the fibers are electrostatically charged unlike the Eric Kiilumen dirtbag us patent 6,780,216. However without a full computer dust cabinet with cooling air flowing into that computer dust cabinet which is greater than the amount of air flowing into the computer itself there will always be a significant air pressure drop that will lead to computer overheating. Computer overheating can be prevented only with an exterior computer dust cabinet. Moreover the computer dust cabinet must have a folded electrostatically charged layer in the computer air dust filter. The only computer dust filter is the Valley Plastics Tm computer dust filter. Only a Valley Computer Dust Cabinet Cover will stop computer overheating if the computer airlow was properly configured from the manufacturer. A Valley Plastics Tm Computer dust cabinet cover and computer air filters stops the dust and as a result stops the computer overheating. You just change the valley computer air filters once a week. If you change the Vallley computer air filters the computer overheating will stop.
January 20th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Thats for the information on the computer dust covers and air filters I have seen these bags and they look really silly. My boyfriend is the Air force and they use them. One caught on fire in one of the mechanics bays last week I quess they are highly flammable. I knew it would happen. He gave me one for Christmas and I thought figured I would save it for him for Halloween. What a joke. I like the fact that the Valley Plastics Tm had some fireproofing in it. Is it true that they really used that in the first space shuttle tiles? I mean do you really expect me to believe that it is that high tech? Well I figured I would give it a try they not cheap but the metal ones are so expensive and I liked the colored ones so I ordered yellow. That alot.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Great article. The issue of my computer got resolved when I took th CPU from the floor to my desk
July 11th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
One day after school my teacher and I were testing some old computers (pentium 3 500mhz’s) and one of them had a huge build up of dust in the front of it…like it had been sitting on the floor for years…really disgusting…although the odd part was the rest of the case was clean, just all the dust had built up in the front of it
…and some others had what looked like coffee stains on the front of them…weird
July 14th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Adrianne Pressel Sales and Asset Managment West Palm Beach Fl 33401 in response to” I like the fact that the Valley Plastics Tm had some fireproofing in it. Is it true that they really used that in the first space shuttle tiles? I mean do you really expect me to believe that it is that high tech? ” yes the silicon dioxide was a first component and it is more refined today and readily available in fiber and powder. There are other components but it is optional and used sparingly.