| My mother always told me to dust, but I never did, | | | | back on and took temperature readings of my |
| mostly because I was lazy, but also because I | | | | computer both idle and when working. The tests are |
| couldn't find any tangible benefit to dusting. I just | | | | all run are on the following system:CPU - Dual AMD |
| didn't see how I'd benefit from my room or my | | | | Athlon MP 2000+ (1.67 GHz) |
| things being less dusty. Well now I've gotten a bit | | | | Motherboard - AMD K7-D |
| older, and I finally found a reason to dust - a cooler | | | | RAM - 1024 MB RAM (2 x 512 MB registered DDR |
| running computer. I'm going to give some background | | | | 2100) |
| on my own system and circumstances first, then run | | | | Video Card - Matrox Parhelia AGP 128 MB |
| tests before and after dusting, as well as explain | | | | HD - Segate 5400 rpm- st320410a |
| how and what I used to dust. Be sure to take a look | | | | Windows XP SP2I picked that unexciting hard drive |
| at this article - with pictures and graphs - plus a | | | | because it was the only one I had that reports |
| whole lot more, at I've had the computer in question | | | | temperature.For the idle readings the computer was |
| for a little over two years, a dual AMD Athlon MP | | | | freshly booted into Windows. To get the computer |
| workstation that while no longer the top of the line, | | | | running at full load I ran two instances of Prime95, a |
| is still plenty fast enough for what I do. The | | | | math application that will max out a CPU (2 copies |
| computer is running at standard speeds and | | | | running, one each for 2 CPUs), and copied 2 GB of |
| specifications, and has always been very stable - but | | | | Music on the hard drive to another folder on the |
| not 100%. When the system was about a year old I | | | | same drive. The entire process took about half an |
| had been getting by with the occasional, roughly | | | | hour.Without anything to compare them to, those |
| once weekly lock up. At that point, I finally spent the | | | | numbers for the most part aren't terribly interesting. |
| time to try and diagnose the problem.To be perfectly | | | | My only reaction was that 63 degrees Celsius seems |
| clear, I'm talking about a lock up, where everything | | | | pretty hot, and the idle CPU temperatures aren't too |
| stops responding, the screen freezes and I have to | | | | wonderful either. Remember, each CPU type has a |
| reboot, not simply an application crash, which I can | | | | different recommended temperature range. 63 |
| usually just blame on Microsoft. My initial thought was | | | | degrees may be too hot for mine, but could be |
| that the computer was overheating, specifically the | | | | either acceptable, or perhaps way too hot for your |
| CPUs. I was a little hesitant though because I was | | | | own. Regardless, you hopefully will notice a relative |
| running AMD retail processors at standard | | | | reduction in temperature after dusting.Dusting the |
| specifications with AMD retail heatsinks and fans, and | | | | computerAs I said, I've never dusted a computer |
| I figured that should have been a fine setup. But I've | | | | before, but I came up with what ended up being a |
| had CPUs overheat before when I was sure that | | | | reasonable plan. I bought compressed air and a small |
| was the problem and this just felt like it now. I did | | | | brush from staples for $7 total and used a rag I have |
| some research online and it looked like the AMD | | | | here. I made sure to unplug my computer, grounded |
| cooling solutions were somewhat underwhelming | | | | myself to discharge static electricity by touching |
| performers, so I broke down and bought new | | | | something metal other than my computer, opened up |
| heatsinks and fans. These still weren't top of the line, | | | | the case and was ready to go.As long as you make |
| but they reduced my CPU temperatures immediately | | | | sure your computer is unplugged, don't get anything |
| by about 20%.In unscientific testing I'd say my | | | | wet, and are gentle while you have it opened, you |
| computer was absolutely more stable after the | | | | really shouldn't damage anything. For the most part, |
| reduction in temperature. I estimate the weekly | | | | the inside of your computer is delicate, but it isn't |
| lockup became a monthly or even every other | | | | brittle. The most notable exception is your CPU. If |
| monthly lockup. This clearly isn't perfect for a system | | | | you were to disconnect it and pull it out of the |
| that really should be 99.99% stable, but it was a big | | | | motherboard you would expose pins on the bottom |
| improvement, and I let the problem go for a while. I | | | | that are in fact extremely delicate.You could do a |
| will note that as many of you many assume, this | | | | really thorough job by taking everything apart and |
| computer is always on, twenty-four hours a day, | | | | getting all the dust out, but I didn't want to spend |
| seven days a week.Anyway now it's another year | | | | that much time doing it and I figured if I left |
| later and my computer is increasingly unstable again. | | | | everything connected their was less chance I'd mess |
| I'm not going to go out and get better heatsinks and | | | | something up. So I used the air, brush and rag and |
| fans again, as I'm sure the improvement would be | | | | got the dust off the computer, taking the most time |
| less than before. My next though was about how | | | | to clean the fans and the holes they blow out of.I |
| dusty the whole system is. I know I should have | | | | ran the same tests again, and the results were |
| dusted it once in the last two years, but I never got | | | | dramatic.Idle, CPU 1 saw an 18% reduction in |
| around to it. I'd say I live in an average environment | | | | temperature, while CPU 2 is 10% cooler. That's very |
| in terms of dustiness, not especially better or worse, | | | | important, as all those hours my computer is sitting |
| and I just never thought it would make a very | | | | doing very little it's going to be considerably cooler.At |
| significant difference in my CPU temperature. As you'll | | | | full load, CPU 1 is 21% cooler and CPU 2 is 12% |
| see, I was completely wrong - which incidentally | | | | cooler. These are again very impressive results, and |
| might make my mother right.Almost all users should | | | | very important as well. I have had lock ups when |
| really consider the results of both tests, possibly | | | | video encoding and doing other CPU intensive tasks, |
| giving more weight to the one which most closely | | | | and now the chips should be running cooler while |
| matches your typical computing. Even if you run | | | | doing those.It's interesting that originally CPU 1 was |
| predominantly business applications, you'll almost | | | | hotter than CPU 2, and after the cleaning they |
| certainly occasionally do something that falls under | | | | switched. An important fact is that the temperature |
| this content creation test, editing pictures or an | | | | reporting on this type of dual AMD Athlon system is |
| occasional home movie, for example. So consider all | | | | generally uneven. That said, CPU 1 was easier to dust |
| the tests, don't just focus on one graph.Should you | | | | around because the DVD drives were in the way of |
| dust your computer? Yes, why not, it can't hurt. But | | | | CPU 2, so I probably did a better job cleaning the |
| really, there are tangible benefits of cleaning your | | | | former and there is still likely room for improvement |
| computer, even if it seems stable right | | | | in cooling the latter.One other note, I kept track of |
| now.Computers and electronics in general don't like | | | | the fan speeds before and after cleaning, and I saw |
| heat. Dust blocks fans in your case, which generally | | | | about a 2% increase in the CPU fan speeds after I |
| cool you CPU, video card and motherboard | | | | dusted. I wasn't expecting this at all, and certainly |
| components. Dust also blocks fans and their airflow | | | | can't be certain that this will always result from |
| into and out of your case. Cool air needs to be | | | | dusting, but it could be very interesting for |
| brought into a case, and then the host air dispelled. If | | | | overclockers trying to eak out every last bit of fan |
| the airways are blocked, system temperature can | | | | performance.The hard drive temperature saw a 9% |
| rise quickly. If your computer is stable but the CPU is | | | | improvement while idle after dusting, and again a 9% |
| running too hot, you cut down on its lifespan, | | | | improvement at full load. It's a nice temperature |
| potentially quickly.More important to many people | | | | reduction for a mechanical component that will be |
| though, may be the result of that first heat related | | | | grinding away for thousands of hours over the life of |
| computer lock up. Even if it's never been a problem | | | | your computer.The case temperature stayed the |
| before, if your computer crashes at the wrong time | | | | same throughout all the tests.ConclusionAll in all I was |
| it can be catastrophic. Usually mine just locks up | | | | surprised the results were so dramatic. I expected |
| when I'm away from it, or overnight, and I just turn | | | | few degrees for the CPUs and maybe one for the |
| it back on and restart Firefox and haven't lost | | | | hard drive, but to see a 20% reduction in |
| anything important. But last week it locked up with | | | | temperature is just great. There is defiantly room for |
| unsaved graphs for my last article and Excel chose | | | | improvement as well. The CPU fans have covers that |
| no to auto save. I spent the hour it took to redo | | | | I could have taken off and gotten more dust out, |
| them considering ways to eliminate these lock ups.Of | | | | and as I mentioned reaching one of the CPUs was |
| course, reducing heat is also always a priority for | | | | harder than the other. Further, I'd say I got most of |
| people who overclock their CPU. For those that don't | | | | the dust inside my computer, well over 90%, but I |
| know, overclocking is running a CPU at a higher | | | | still saw some that proved more challenging to clean |
| frequency than it was sold to run at. For example, | | | | that I was willing to bother with. Taking all the cards |
| you could take your Intel Pentium 4 that is running at | | | | out and thoroughly cleaning the whole system would |
| a "clock" rate of 2 GHz, and try to run it at 2.1 GHz, | | | | have no doubt led to even better results.My system |
| 2.5 GHz, faster speeds, or anywhere in between. I | | | | has maintained the cooler temperatures so far, a |
| have an old dual CPU system that was supposed to | | | | week after the cleaning, and I haven't had a lock up |
| run at 366 MHz. Instead I ran the chips at 500 MHz | | | | since. I can't be certain I've solved the lock up |
| each, which was a huge performance gain. | | | | problem, but it does appear I have for now. At the |
| Overclocking is actually a great way to get more | | | | very least, I can be sure CPU heat is not the |
| "free" performance out of a system, as long as you | | | | problem, as now they are running at very acceptable |
| can maintain stability. Usually the single biggest factor | | | | temperatures. Your own results will vary, and may |
| for success is reducing heat as much as | | | | not be as dramatic if your computer wasn't as dusty |
| possible.Another thing to note is that while it is very | | | | as mine. Regardless, you should see some reduction |
| important to keep CPU heat to a minimum, hard | | | | in component temperature after cleaning your |
| drives, video cards, and other components all need to | | | | system.All in all I recommend you take a look around |
| be kept cool as well. In fact, I don't really know for | | | | and inside your computer to see how it looks. If it's |
| sure that my CPUs are the current problem. I think | | | | dusty, $7 and an hour of your time seems like a |
| they are, but my next guess (if I'm correct that it's a | | | | good investment to increase the life of your |
| heat problem) would be my video card, since I've | | | | computer and prevent system lock ups. I suspect |
| checked, and it runs really hot.Consider this as well, if | | | | many people suffer the occasional heat caused lock |
| my CPU were to actually stop working because it | | | | up, it just isn't obvious what the problem is, and they |
| was too hot, it would probably be a gradual process, | | | | don't occur often enough to be a serious concern. |
| and I could fix the situation by purchasing a | | | | But remember, even if you only have one heat |
| replacement. If my hard drive crashes and ultimately | | | | caused lock up in the entire life of your computer, it |
| loses data, that could be a much more problematic | | | | could come at the worst time, or cause permanent |
| situation. I could replace the drive, but recovering the | | | | damage.Steve Perlow is the founder of |
| data could be far more difficult than just replacing a | | | | aworldofhelp.com, where you can find the |
| CPU.I opened up the system and saw more dust | | | | aworldofhelp Top Picks in desktop and notebook |
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