We clean the computer from dust. We clean the computer system unit from dust
Do not confuse the words system unit and "computer".
A computer is when all devices (system unit, monitor, keyboard and mouse (at least)) are connected into one single device.
It is necessary not only to get rid of the garbage inside (in the form of toolbars, third-party programs, registry garbage, etc.), but also to take care that it is also physically clean.
In this article, we will consider cleaning the system unit.
The system unit is the main component of the entire computer. Therefore, it is important to keep it in working condition and fight the main enemy of all equipment - dust.
Here are some reasons why you should do it:
I think this is enough to clean up. No? Then look at the pictures that answer the question Why is my computer slowing down and maybe they will convince:
Never bring to such a state!
Preparation for dust removal.
Tools we need:
So, are you all set? Well then, let's start with the steps.
1) Turn off and turn off all equipment.
For now, turn off with the buttons. All peripherals - monitor, scanner, printer, speakers, etc.
2) We ground ourselves.
Yes Yes! Maybe someone will laugh, but from the lessons of physics we must remember that human body- an excellent conductor. Also, even when the computer is turned off, there is always a standby voltage on the motherboard.
In general, hold on to something metallic, such as a battery. This will remove the static charge from the body, which can burn any sensitive parts on the computer.
Subsequently, at each first touch to the parts of the system unit, it is recommended to hold on to something metal (with one hand, for example, the case).
You can also exclude all synthetics from clothing, for greater safety.
3) Disconnect all wires/cables.
Although not, initially we put a newspaper or film on the floor, and then we already begin to disconnect all the wires from the back wall of the system unit. In the same way, press the power button on the Power Supply.
You can, of course, not disconnect, but it will only interfere with all this economy.
4) Unscrew the rear bolts and remove the side cover.
We take a screwdriver and unscrew all the bolts from the back cover. There are options for system unit cases with latches - then we unfasten them.
Then disconnect side wall pushing in and pulling out. Only one, which is located on the left (when viewed from the front), is enough, but you can disconnect the other one as well.
5) Evaluate the scope of work.
If everything is turned away correctly, then something like this will open in front of you:
The simplest system unit is shown on the screen, and already without a video card and a sound card. These are still found. We bring it into this form, unscrewing and disconnecting the sound and video cards from the connectors so that they do not interfere.
6) Start cleaning.
With a brush, we sweep everything from top to bottom from the motherboard, drive, hard drives, you can at the same time help with a vacuum cleaner by pulling it in immediately.
It is desirable to put a narrow nozzle on the vacuum cleaner or with a brush, but you can simply without any nozzles.
Don't forget to clean ventilation holes on back wall. Walk on it with a vacuum cleaner.
We remove everything from the bottom and all corners.
You can unfasten the front wall (usually it is mounted on plastic latches) and clean everything from there as well. Sometimes there is a cooler in it and it needs to be cleaned.
In general, we clean everything that we see from dust.
For easy removal dust from the system unit of these procedures is enough and if you like it, you can twist everything and stick the cords back.
7) We clean the power supply from dust.
Unscrew the 4 screws on the back
You can disconnect all the wires so that it is convenient to pull it out, but you need to either write down what is connected where, or stick stickers, or take a picture. But you can completely disconnect it, without disconnecting the wires, it will only be inconvenient.
After that, unscrew the screws from the cover:
Let's shoot and see what's going on. Ideally it should be like this:
But there will be dust, so we work as before - we clean the dust with a brush and a vacuum cleaner.
After that, you can put everything in its place, but you can also unscrew the screws holding the board and clean it under it too. Just be careful, they are held by power wires.
And do not forget about the cooler, which is located below.
8) We clean the processor from dust.
More precisely, we need to remove dust from the cooler and the cooling radiator. If you are afraid, you can simply vacuum the cooler from above, just lock it with your finger, and then gently pass the "muzzle" of the vacuum cleaner between all the blades.
If you are not afraid, then unscrew 4 screws:
and clean up this mess:
9) We clean everything that remains.
We remove dust from everything else. From all the coolers and from those parts that they didn’t get to, but there is dust.
We take out RAM and a video card. We remove plaque from their boards using a regular eraser. Plaque is formed on the "yellow" tracks, which are "stuck" into the motherboard. The eraser does not need to press hard and rub until the stripes disappear completely.
You can also "distort" - remove and re-insert all detachable connections.
All. On this, the procedure for cleaning the system unit from dust can be considered finished. We collect everything in the reverse order, but do not rush to put the side cover. First, turn on the computer and make sure that it turns on and everything works as it should. If it didn’t work out, look at the connectors, whether everything is correct and fully inserted.
How to clean your computer from dust at home
During long-term operation, whole deposits of dust are formed in the computer system unit. They settle on surfaces, the gaps between the radiator plates are clogged.
As a result, heat transfer is disturbed and there is an increased risk of overheating. Therefore, it is quite logical that many users are looking for an answer to the question - how to clean a computer from dust at home?
Below will be presented step by step guide, which will allow even a green beginner to carry out this procedure.
How to start cleaning your computer
The preparatory phase should begin by disconnecting the system unit from other parts of your PC - controllers, audio system, network cable etc.
It is better to immediately move it to a comfortable and well-lit table, cleared of foreign objects.
So it will be more convenient for you to clean the dust inside the computer. Also make sure you have the right tools and funds. Their list includes:
- Standard Phillips screwdriver;
- Clean and dry brush with soft bristles;
- A set of cotton buds;
- Purge tool (it can act as a special compressed air bottle, which is purchased at a computer store, or a regular vacuum cleaner with a blowing function).
- A container of machine oil and a tube of thermal paste.
Cleaning inside the case with a rag is undesirable, since rough mechanical impact can damage fragile parts.
You can only walk along the bottom of the case, wipe it carefully hard disks.
Cleaning the power supply
Having got rid of the side panel and seeing all the “stuffing” in front of you, pick up a screwdriver and do a more detailed disassembly, starting with the PSU.
For more information on how to clean the power supply, see the instructions below:
Unwinding the power supply and digging into its insides is highly discouraged for ordinary users.
It is easily damaged and any tampering will void the warranty.
Not a single service center, after such attempts to clean the computer from dust, will undertake repairs for free on its own.
Video card cleaning
A video card is not a processor - it gets dirty much more slowly.
This component is more likely to become obsolete and put up for sale than pollution will have any effect on it.
Therefore, in the process of cleaning, it will be quite enough to simply purge the radiator and clean the fan blades with cotton swabs.
However, if you want to know how to clean this computer block from dust more thoroughly, see the instructions:
Cleaning RAM
Why do you need to clean this part of the computer from dust, many users do not understand.
Still, after all, the RAM bar looks like a monolithic structure, devoid of any holes and crevices where dirt can accumulate.
But this is not quite the right position. Dust particles settle on the contacts at the junction of the RAM with the motherboard, leading to problems in the system.
Therefore, it is better to spend time on prevention:
Do not use liquids, especially those containing alcohol, when cleaning this component. They are able to disable it.
Other modules
This includes hard drives, network and sound cards, video capture cards, and other devices connected to the motherboard.
Everyone can clean these parts of the device from dirt and dust - there is nothing special to get dirty here, as well as overheat.
It is enough to detach the component, walk on it with a brush or blow it with air.
And that's it! If you do not plan to mess around, you can do it right inside the case.
Put the vacuum cleaner on blowing, and simply collect the dust that has settled on the bottom of the system unit with a damp cloth.
Cleaning the motherboard and processor
This is the most time-consuming and careful step in the entire manual.
It is necessary to do everything carefully and consistently so as not to disable expensive components:
Cleaning the system unit and the remaining parts of the computer
Having finished with the components and having blown the computer from dust, all that remains is to clean the system unit itself and the connected devices.
In the first case, it will be enough wet and dry cloths. Walk several times in all corners in search of dust and then wipe everything dry. Nothing complicated.
Assembling the computer in reverse order and connecting it
When spring-cleaning came to an end, it's time to test its effectiveness on a newly assembled computer:
- Install the motherboard first by replacing all screws. You can immediately insert RAM sticks into the slot before installation.
- Return the power supply.
- Carefully, being careful not to damage the legs, insert the processor into the socket. Its correct position will be indicated by the arrows on the stone itself and the motherboard. Apply a thin layer of thermal paste to the surface and fix the cooling system.
- Return the hard drives and secure in the mounts.
- Connect the remaining devices to the slots - a video card, a network card, and others that you yourself cleaned of dust with a vacuum cleaner and other means.
- Connect PSU with motherboard, hard drives, drive, video card (if it has an auxiliary power connector / connectors).
- Connect the power cord and cables of external devices (monitor, keyboard and mouse, audio system, etc.) to the system unit.
This is the end of the job. If you manage to get rid of the dirt, replace the thermal paste, and lube the coolers, you will notice a clear improvement.
The system will be colder, and the sound from the system unit is quieter.
- Carrying out a complete cleaning with disassembly of the PC, you need to carefully monitor the small details.
If you have at your disposal not just a Phillips screwdriver, but a magnetic screwdriver, you will protect yourself from possible loss of mounting bolts.
Having unhooked them, it is better not to put everything in one pile, so that later there will be no confusion with the connectors.
- Be sure to write down or take a picture of which contacts and in what order are connected to the motherboard from the power and reset buttons.
Most users think that they can remember the whole bunch of small wires, and then they wonder why, after dusting, the computer does not turn on, the lights on the front panel do not light up, etc.
Now you know how and how to clean the computer from dust.
Do not forget to try the above tips in practice and express your opinion in the comments below the publication. Thank you for your attention!
Like any other object in the house, the computer system unit can become clogged with dust. It appears not only on its surface, but also on the components placed inside. Naturally, it is necessary to clean regularly, otherwise the operation of the device will deteriorate every day. If you have never cleaned your computer or laptop, or have done so more than six months ago, we recommend that you look under the cover of your device. There is a good chance that there you will find a huge amount of dust that impairs the performance of the PC.
The main consequence of a computer contaminated with dust is a violation of the cooling system, which can lead to constant overheating of both individual components of the device and the entire system as a whole. In the worst case, the processor or video card may burn out. Fortunately, thanks to modern technologies this happens quite rarely, as developers are increasingly implementing a high-temperature emergency shutdown feature in their products. However, this is no reason to ignore computer pollution.
A rather important factor is what kind of device specifically you own. The fact is that cleaning a laptop is fundamentally different from a similar process with a computer. In this article you will find instructions for each type of device.
The process of cleaning a desktop PC from dust consists of several stages, which will be discussed in this section. In general, this method is not too complicated, but it cannot be called simple either. If you follow the instructions completely, then there should be no difficulties. The first step is to prepare all the tools that can when performing the procedure, namely:
- A set of screwdrivers suitable for your system unit for disassembling the device;
- Small and soft brushes for hard-to-reach places;
- Rubber eraser;
- Rubber gloves (optional)
- Vacuum cleaner.
Once all the tools are ready, you can proceed.
Be careful if you do not have experience in disassembling and assembling a personal computer, because any mistake can be fatal for your device. If you are unsure of your abilities, it is better to contact a service center, where they will do everything for you for a small fee.
Computer disassembly and primary cleaning
First you need to remove the side cover of the system unit. This is done using special screws placed on the back of the device. Naturally, before starting work, you must completely disconnect the computer from electricity.
If the last time the computer was cleaned for a long time, at this moment huge layers of dust will open before you. The first step is to get rid of them. The best way to handle this task is a regular vacuum cleaner, into which you can suck most of the dust. Carefully walk them over the entire surface of the components. Be careful not to touch the motherboard and other elements of the system unit with hard objects, as this may damage the hardware components.
Once this is done, you can move on to the next steps. For proper and high-quality cleaning, it is necessary to disconnect all components from each other, and then work with each of them separately. Again, be extremely careful. If you are unsure that you can put everything back together, it is better to contact the service center.
Disassembly occurs by unscrewing all the screws holding the components. Also, as a rule, there are special latches with which RAM or a processor cooler is installed. It all depends solely on the individual configuration of the device.
Coolers and processor
As a rule, the largest amount of dust accumulates in the fan and heat sink included in the processor cooling system. Therefore, cleaning this component of the computer is most important. You will need the brush prepared earlier, as well as a vacuum cleaner. In order to remove the cooler, you need to loosen the latches on which it rests.
Thoroughly blow out the radiator from all sides so that dust that has not settled will fly out. Next, a brush comes into play, with which you can get into each element of the lattice and clean it perfectly. By the way, in addition to a vacuum cleaner, you can use a rubber bulb or a can of compressed air.
The processor itself does not need to be removed from the motherboard. It is enough just to wipe its surface, as well as the area around it. By the way, in addition to cleaning the computer from dust, this process best combined with thermal paste replacement. We talked about how to do this in a separate article.
It is also worth paying attention to the need to lubricate all fans. If before that you noticed extra noise when the computer was running, it is quite possible that it is time for lubrication.
power unit
To remove the power supply from the computer system unit, you need to unscrew the screws located on its back. At this point, all cables coming from the power supply should be disconnected from the motherboard. Then he just gets it.
With the power supply, everything is not so simple. This is due to the fact that it not only needs to be disconnected from the motherboard and removed from the system unit, but also disassembled. This can be done using special screws placed on its surface. If there are none, try to tear off all the stickers and look under them. Often the screws are placed there.
So, the block is disassembled. In general, then everything happens by analogy with a radiator. First, you blow everything with a vacuum cleaner or a pear to get rid of the unstable dust that appeared not so long ago, after which you work with a brush, making your way into hard-to-reach places devices. Plus, you can use a can of compressed air, which also does an excellent job.
The process of clearing RAM is somewhat different from that for other components. This is due to the fact that it is a small plank on which not so much dust accumulates. However, cleaning needs to be done.
Just for RAM, it was necessary to prepare a rubber eraser or a regular pencil, on the back end of which there is an “eraser”. So, it is necessary to remove the strips from the slots in which they are placed. To do this, loosen the special latches.
When the strips are removed, you should carefully, but not overdo it, rub the eraser over the contacts yellow color. Thus, you will get rid of any contaminants that interfere with the operation of RAM.
video card
Unfortunately, not every craftsman can disassemble a video card at home. Therefore, in almost 100 percent of cases with this component, it is better to contact a service center. However, it is possible with the help of improvised means to carry out minimal cleaning, which can also help.
All that can be done in our case is to blow the graphics adapter through all the holes with high quality, and also try to get the brush where it will. It all depends on the model, for example, old cards do not need to be disassembled, since they do not have a case.
If, of course, you are confident in your abilities, you can try to remove the case from the graphics adapter and clean it, as well as replace the thermal paste. But be careful because this device is very fragile.
For forced cooling of blocks and boards of a stationary PC, coolers (fans) are installed in it, which suck cold air into the case. Together with the outside air, small particles of various debris get inside, so after a while the question arises: how to clean the computer from dust. If this is not done in a timely manner, then the computer blocks will begin to overheat and the efficiency of the home assistant will noticeably decrease. In case of severe overheating, protection will work and the PC will start to turn off spontaneously.
How to clean your computer
If during operation the computer began to make noise louder than usual, and the image on the monitor began to slow down, then in all likelihood, the system unit needs to be cleaned of dust. You can take your computer to a service company, or you can try to deal with the problem at home, on your own. First you need to determine the sequence of work.
computer processor
Cleaning is usually carried out in the following order:
- Clean up the power supply.
- Remove large pieces of accumulated dust from the inside of the case.
- Clean the heatsink that cools the processor.
- Clean and lubricate or replace coolers (fans)
- Remove dust from the motherboard, its components and devices attached to it.
Before cleaning, prepare a soft cloth, vacuum cleaner, Phillips and flat screwdrivers. In addition, it is advisable to have a soft brush on hand (an old makeup brush, a small paint brush or a shaving brush is fine).
It should be remembered that during work, part of the dust will fly out, so it is advisable to clean the system unit in the appropriate room - on the balcony, in the bathroom, corridor, workshop or garage.
Cleaning the power supply
When cleaning a PC, the power supply is often left “for later”. But this should not be done. Dust is sucked in by the cooler inside the device along with air. It settles on the board, covering parts, heatsinks and microcircuits like loose felt. This greatly reduces heat transfer. As a result, the device overheats, its performance deteriorates, and eventually it may fail.
Computer power supply
Before starting work, you must disconnect the computer from the electrical network and disconnect the wire from the power supply, then you can proceed to dismantle and clean:
- We lay the system unit on its side, unscrew the bolts at the end (usually two) and remove the side cover.
- We examine the bundle of wires extending from the power supply. Without fail, we disconnect the connectors on the hard drive and the optical drive for reading CD-DVD discs.
- Motherboard power wires are usually long enough to not need to be disconnected. But if you decide to completely disconnect the device, then the long connector should be removed from the socket very carefully, while holding the board, as it is usually difficult to remove.
- Unscrew the 4 mounting bolts on the rear panel and remove the power supply.
- Find and unscrew the four small bolts located at the corners on the side of the removed device. One of them is usually under a paper sticker.
- Remove cover. It has the shape of the letter "P" and closes three sides at the same time.
- With a brush or a small vacuum cleaner, carefully remove dust from the board, parts and heatsinks.
- Clean the cooler with a brush. Do not touch the fan blades with your hands, as dust will stick to greasy fingerprints very quickly.
- Assemble the power supply. All operations are performed in reverse order. If it does not interfere with access to the motherboard, then you can immediately install this node in place. And you can fix it in the system unit after cleaning all PC devices.
Motherboard power wires
How to clean the motherboard and its components
First of all, you need to clean the dirt from the cooling radiator installed on the processor. At the same time, specialists dismantle the cooler and radiator, clean them and replace the thermal paste. Users fail to do this correctly and risk damaging the processor. Therefore, at home, the radiator is not removed. If the cooler installed on it is bolted, then it should be removed, as this will allow better removal of dust between the plates.
With a thin wooden stick (a toothpick is quite suitable), you need to remove dirt from all the cracks between the radiator plates. At the end, sweep it with a brush, clean the cooler from dust and install it in place. After such maintenance, the processor will not overheat, which means that its efficiency will become noticeably higher.
The final stage is cleaning the motherboard.
Motherboard
- If the video card is not built-in, then you need to remove it (this is not difficult to do), then clean it with a brush from dust. The heatsink and cooler on the chip are cleaned in the same way as the heatsink that cools the processor.
- Use a brush to remove dust from the motherboard and parts attached to it.
- Remove all dirt and dust from the system unit case.
- Fix the video card in place.
- Reinstall the power supply if it has not already been done.
We connect the power wires to the motherboard.
Connecting the power wire to the motherboard
The long connector must be inserted into the connection on the motherboard very carefully, in no case with great effort. The motherboard is fixed at several points in such a way that it is actually suspended. When pressed hard, cracks may form on it. Such a board, most likely, will have to be replaced with a new one.
Connect the hard drive and optical drive to power.
It remains to make sure that everything that was unscrewed and disconnected is installed correctly. After that, you need to install the side cover on the system unit and secure it with bolts.
You can connect your computer to the network and check its operation.
As you know, the stability of a personal computer depends on many factors: configuration, the presence of virus software on the device, memory usage and dust. It is dust that is one of the most common causes of “brakes” on operating system. Note that the user first of all turns his attention to problems that are associated with the operation of the OS and, at the very last, to physical factors. But precisely large clusters dust inside the system unit of the device is most annoying. If you are not used to cleaning inside your computer in a timely manner, be prepared for problems such as:
- "brakes" of the system due to unstable job cooling systems;
- a short circuit, which can occur just because of the dust on the elements of your device.
In this article, we will “learn” how to keep your PC clean and talk in detail about ways to clean the system unit from dust at home.
Dust cleaning
Now we will figure out how to clean the system unit from dust at home? The procedure for novice users will not seem the easiest and safest, but we ask you not to be afraid - there is nothing prohibitively complicated here.
Preparation
Let's start cleaning with step-by-step preparation:
- We remember school and devote time to safety. The device must be de-energized so that work inside the unit is not overshadowed by fraught consequences.
- It is necessary to disconnect all components from the system unit: printers, scanners, various lamps, monitors, speakers, etc.
- Remove all static from yourself by touching something metallic, because even the smallest currents can disrupt the operation of the components inside the system unit.
Important! The presence of viruses has a very strong influence on the speed and performance of a computer. Follow the link where we will teach you.
Now let's “undress” the block by removing the bolts from the side cover, and further to clean the computer from dust:
- Put the cover and bolts in a visible place, so that you can easily put everything back later.
- Lays the system unit on its side so that the motherboard is opposite the face.
- We take out the RAM. To do this, unfasten the latches at the ends. Do not overdo it with efforts, because mechanical damage you don't need anything.
- With the same care, we remove the video card, which is most often held on by a bolt and attached with one latch to the “motherboard”.
- Attention should be paid to the sound card and modem, if any. To do this, you need to look under the video card. We remove these components with the same care.
- Here it comes to hard drive with disk drive. We take them too.
- Now it's worth laying out all the parts in front of you on the floor in the order they were dismantled - this will help you assemble the computer back in the correct sequence.
Important! Laptop users are often faced with the problem of overheating technology, especially if you use it while lying on a bed or sofa.
To continue doing this safely for technology and with pleasure for yourself, we suggest that you figure out how to pick up.
Cleaning
We pick up a vacuum cleaner, a soft brush and rubber gloves (optional) and do the following:
- We get a low-power vacuum cleaner, from which it is necessary to remove the nozzle (some models have special small nozzles).
Important! For similar procedures A special vacuum cleaner is best suited, which can be purchased at any hardware store. Vacuum cleaners with high power can damage the integrity of the components that are installed on the component chip.
- You will need a soft brush that cannot damage the components. We turn on the vacuum cleaner and carefully clean all the parts. We just brush off the dust with a brush and collect this disgrace with a vacuum cleaner.
- To clean the cooler, you should bring the vacuum cleaner close to it and “unwind” it with air currents. Dust from the spinning cooler will fly off and fall into the garbage bag that the vacuum cleaner is equipped with.
- Do not forget to clean all the chips, while being careful.
Important! Do not try to change the thermal paste on the processor yourself if you have never done this procedure.
How to clean a computer without a vacuum cleaner?
- With a brush and your lungs. We also clean the components, while blowing dust into them. This method is less efficient and takes more time.
- Also, the vacuum cleaner can be replaced with a compressed air cylinder. The balloon will easily blow off the dust with a sufficient air flow, but again, this method is “dirtier”, since all the dust will fly to the “workplace”.
We are not in a hurry to install computer parts in places. You need to pay attention to cleaning the power supply.
Important! Never put off cleaning the power supply for later. Together with the cooler, dust is sucked into the device, which clogs the radiators and settles on the board, worsening heat transfer, which is fraught with undesirable consequences.
Power unit:
- Again we lay our “electronic friend” on its side and unscrew the two bolts (in most cases) that are located at the end.
- We see in front of us bundles of wires that extend from the power supply. Carefully disconnect all wires from the hardware of the computer.
- Now you need to unscrew the four bolts that secure the back panel.
- We remove the cover and go through the board, radiators and other details with a brush and a small vacuum cleaner.
Important! Do not touch the cooler blades with your hands. Greasy prints are great at picking up dust, which we don't need.
- We finish the procedure, assemble the power supply and install it in place.
We finish cleaning the system unit with a phased return of all the devices that were removed from it. This shouldn't be a problem.
