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Thread ID: 42265 2004-02-06 01:14:00 heatsink cleaning Nodrog (4738) Press F1
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213104 2004-02-06 01:14:00 My heatsink and fan have accumulated a lot of dust. I have tried to blow the dust out with an aerosol type dust remover. There is still an amount there that I can't seem to budge.
Should I remove the fan and heatsink. If I do will I need to replace the thermal pad on top of the CPU?
Nodrog (4738)
213105 2004-02-06 01:40:00 Safest not to remove heatsink/fan. Why introduce a possibility of something bad occurring from the good.
Have you tried something like a painters brush? that can sometimes get into the heatsink gaps. Also, some fans can be unscrewed without having to remove the heatsink.
Pheonix (280)
213106 2004-02-06 01:48:00 > Have you tried something like a painters brush? that

That would be an artist's one, not a house-painter's one :D

Mike.
Mike (15)
213107 2004-02-06 01:53:00 > That would be an artist's one, not a house-painter's
> one :D
>
> Mike.

Unless you're Rolf Harris

:D
Jester (13)
213108 2004-02-06 03:05:00 First remove the Power Supply, just unscrew it temporarily and push it out the way. Usually it can get in the way of what you're trying to do..

Then undo the screws holding the heatsink fan. The fan should still be attached to a wire or two but just put it over to the side. leave the heatsink in there, no need to remove that.

Then get the vacuum cleaner and suck the dust out. Low vacuum level with the round nozzle. :p Its not like you can damage anything because the only thing you might touch would be the top of the heatsink.

Well thats what I do anyway, works for me :)
PoWa (203)
213109 2004-02-06 03:50:00 I would not recommend using a vacuum cleaner for cleaning the insides of a PC. Vacuum cleaners generate a lot of static which can quickly and easily kill electronic and computer components. Use the paintbrush method with more compressed air to complete the job. tommy (2826)
213110 2004-02-06 03:50:00 i don't like recommending vaccumm cleaners as the static they can produce can easly kill a pc, tho there are special ones advialable for cleaning electronic gear.

a "can of air" and an artist's brush or a small house-painter's one does the job quite nicly.
tweak'e (174)
213111 2004-02-06 07:25:00 I have a brush with about 4 inch bristles that is anti-static and garenteed to not lose any bristles.

I would not use a vacum cleaner or any normal brush under any circumstrances.
metla (154)
213112 2004-02-07 01:57:00 Where did this "vacuum cleaners produce static and will destroy electronics" idea come from? I see it brought up from time to time.

It's nonsense.

A standard test for thermal effects in electronics is to use a hairdryer. That is hot, dry air at similar velocity to that from a vacuum cleaner. I'd expect a greater static charge on the air from a "canned air" aerosol --- that has a high velocity as it leaves the nozzle.

Static is a problem for components which are not in electrical contact with anything. Once they are plugged/soldered in they are pretty safe. That's how things work. :D

I use a ½" or 1" paintbrush for dusting.
Graham L (2)
213113 2004-02-07 02:05:00 >Where did this "vacuum cleaners produce static and will destroy electronics" idea come from?

well with me its from my electronics mates who has seen sparks off the end of vaccum cleaner nosles in dimmly lit workshops.
tweak'e (174)
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