# How do you deal with dust?



## michaelrmgreen (Nov 19, 2010)

There's an article on The Register about dust build up, oh look here it is : http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/18/ventblockers_2/

How are YOU dealing with the ever present menace then?


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## Beastie (Nov 19, 2010)

I use hairdryers.

The pictures are gross. I wonder if these people live in desert regions.


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## SirDice (Nov 19, 2010)

I've seen worse :e

Every once in a while I open up my machines and vacuum them.


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## Beastie (Nov 19, 2010)

OT: I like your new postcount rank, SirDice


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## michaelrmgreen (Nov 19, 2010)

@SirDice - Don't vacuum cleaners create MASSIVE static then?


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## SirDice (Nov 19, 2010)

michaelrmgreen said:
			
		

> @SirDice - Don't vacuum cleaners create MASSIVE static then?


Never had any issues. But perhaps this is because I make sure the computer and the vacuum have the same charge. Grab the case before sticking the vacuum in there. Problems begin when there's a potential difference, that's when you get discharges and/or sparks.


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## SirDice (Nov 19, 2010)

Beastie said:
			
		

> OT: I like your new postcount rank, SirDice


Neat :e Hadn't noticed it yet. Must have happened when crossing the 6000 mark.


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## graudeejs (Nov 19, 2010)

I also vacuum my PC's (approx once every 1-2 months)
Sometimes I also Open PSU box, and vacuum it as well.
Also I open Laptops, and vacuum them


When I was trying to open HP Compaq 6715b for the first time, it took  me about 2 hours... and I didn't make it to open it.... There was 1 place, I thought I will break it..... but after 2 hours I realized, that I could get to most essential parts opened in about 5 minutes, by loosing 2x screws and opening 4 masqueraded switches.... uhhhh


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## SirDice (Nov 19, 2010)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> When I was trying to open HP Compaq 6715b for the first time, it took  me about 2 hours... and I didn't make it to open it....


You can find service manuals for pretty much everything they have on their website


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## wblock@ (Nov 19, 2010)

michaelrmgreen said:
			
		

> There's an article on The Register about dust build up, oh look here it is : http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/18/ventblockers_2/
> 
> How are YOU dealing with the ever present menace then?



Dust gets blamed for a lot of things, but it's usually not a problem.  It will insulate heat sinks and clog fan screens, but  it takes a lot to completely stop airflow.  Blasting a machine with compressed air (outdoors) removes it well.  Hold the fans to keep them from being spun too hard.

One thing I've seen that really can be blamed on dust: low-quality power supply fans jamming after a year or more exposure to harsh industrial environments.  These are always bushing fans, ball-bearing fans will run nearly forever.


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## Carpetsmoker (Nov 20, 2010)

I hired blackwater to guard my PC against unauthorized dust.


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## DutchDaemon (Nov 20, 2010)

Don't let them waterboard it, C. ..


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## ckester (Nov 20, 2010)

The TSA will be happy to touch your junk and keep you safe.

(Apologies if this joke is too incomprehensibly American.  Dunno if that storyline has gotten any play in Europe.)


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## aragon (Nov 20, 2010)

My workstation is fanless.  It helps, but unfortunately some dust still gets in via convectional airflow...


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## Pushrod (Nov 20, 2010)

I use an air compressor. You should see what happens when you blow out a computer with 120psi of air.


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## a59303 (May 13, 2012)

*dust bunny*

*C*heck this out, opened up the laptop I had running FreeBSD, got from family- I don't think it was ever opened..  I thought it was pretty impressive.

-a5'


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## Crivens (May 14, 2012)

ckester said:
			
		

> The TSA will be happy to touch your junk and keep you safe.
> 
> (Apologies if this joke is too incomprehensibly American.  Dunno if that storyline has gotten any play in Europe.)



Well, it may be understood. 
Does the TSA clean your hardware, btw? Give the precious mobile unit a good blowing?
No? Then no tip, sorry 

When it comes to dust in the machines, some anti static paint brush works pretty good in my experience.


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## mix_room (May 16, 2012)

SirDice said:
			
		

> Grab the case before sticking the vacuum in there.



Which will not really do anything. You need to bring the plastic of the vacuum into contact with the case to even out the difference between it and the case. Ideally you should always have such a contact. Anti-Static armband for the vacuum.


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## BlackSteel (May 20, 2012)

I do the following:
1) Keep the room clean.
2) Use filters on the supply fans and use ~twice less powerful exhaust fans to keep pressure in the case. This make all air entering the case filtered. Also I use vacuum to remove dust from the fans filters as the part of the room cleaning.
After all there is still small amount of dust inside the case, but it's not growing - there is some kind of equilibrium there.


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## _martin (May 20, 2012)

Once every 6 months or so I clean up CPU and GPU fans (+ reapply the cooling paste on CPU). Good old fashioned vacuum cleaner is more than OK for lot of this work. My old notebook - HP NC6220 - is used as DNS/boot/stream server. It's in the living room behind the sofa. When I can hear it I know it's ready for a cleanup 

But this only applies to home server/workstation. I never had any problems with servers in DC (data center) nor ones in LAB (which is definitely more dusty).


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## ericbsd (May 27, 2012)

I use a compress air can to clean the dust. That is most effective and fast solution to me.


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