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Throughout this course, I've taught you how to troubleshoot PCs and prevent problems. You can avoid most software and networking issues with readiness and vigilance. Do you update your software? Do you run an antivirus application? These will help keep your computer running smoothly.
You might have noticed that I didn't name this lesson "Preventing Hardware Issues." While prevention is still the theme of this lesson, hardware gets hot, dirty, and old no matter what you do. You can't prevent wear and tear; you can only maintain your equipment.
Dirt happens. Hardware maintenance requires keeping your computer clean and cool. A dirty computer won't run as well as a clean one. The delicate connections between components can degrade, causing hardware failures. A dusty, smoke-filled case chokes the computer just as much as it would a human. If the fans clog with dirt, they won't cool the air enough to keep the components operational. You need to regularly clean the inside and outside of your PC (and your peripherals).
Unfortunately, no component stays new forever. Time passes. Parts wear out, get damaged, or grow obsolete. You need to know how to properly dispose of these aging parts; don't just drop them in the Dumpster! Most PC components contain harsh or toxic chemicals that need to be handled with care.
When you're ready to get your hands dirty, check out Chapter 2.
To prolong the life of your PC, you must inspect and clean it regularly. Inspecting your PC alerts you to any dangerous or damaging conditions that exist, such as . . .
Cleaning your PC rids it of the dirt, dust, and grime that build up from normal use.
Your cleaning routine should include the PC and monitor case, the monitor screen, the keyboard and mouse, and any printer, switch, scanner, and other devices connected to the PC. Don't forget the inside of the PC case, the motherboard, adapter cards, drives, and power supply.
I'll show you the safest cleaning compounds and tools you can use to keep your PC looking and running its best, plus steps for properly cleaning and maintaining your PC, monitor, and peripherals.
You can safely use several kinds of liquid cleaners on the PC, from plain water to specially formulated commercial compounds.
Many cleaning chores require nothing more than a cloth dampened with some clean water. Most tap water works fine, but some local water has minerals and may leave a residue. Use filtered water or distilled water instead (available at most grocery stores and drugstores).
If water alone can't do the job, use a mild soap solution. Dish soap works best, but make certain that you dilute it thoroughly—if you use a small bucket of water, a tablespoon of soap should be plenty.
Use denatured alcohol to clean electrical contacts and components, such as the drive heads on removable media drives. You'll find denatured alcohol at hardware and paint stores. Make certain, however, that you never use alcohol on mechanisms, such as motors or rubber drive belts. The alcohol dissolves the lubricants in motor bearings, and rubber belts may stretch or become brittle when exposed to alcohol.
Glass cleaners such as Windex are usually safe to use on most metal and plastic surfaces on PCs. Ironically, manufacturers sometimes don't recommend their use on a PC's glass surfaces, such as a CRT monitor screen. Some monitor screens have special coatings that commercial glass cleaners can damage. In particular, you should never use glass cleaner on older LCD screens. You'll melt the screen! Instead, use either clean water or a vinegar-and-water solution.
For modern LCD screens, check the user's manual or the manufacturer's website for best practices. Each company has different recommendations for its LCDs.
A solution of one part vinegar to four parts water can remove dirt, grime, and fingerprints from your monitor screen, LCD screen, or scanner bed. Use plain white vinegar, not the fancier balsamic or red wine vinegar. Save those for your salads!
If you want to save yourself the trouble of custom-brewing your own cleaning solution, try commercial products from 3M and Belkin. These come in spray form and as premoistened towelettes (minus the lemon scent). They work just fine, although it's debatable if they work any better than homemade solutions. Still, if you don't want to lug a jug of white vinegar from job to job, commercial cleaners work well.
Caution!
Remember to read the labels of any commercial cleaning product before applying it to your PC. If you have any doubts about its safety, contact the manufacturer before using it.
Along with your trusty Phillips-head screwdriver, a complete PC toolkit should contain the following cleaning tools: canned air, lint-free cloths, a small soft-bristled brush and swabs, and a non-static vacuum. Some techs recommend using fabric-softener sheets from your dryer to pick up dust, but avoid using the scratchy ones on LCD screens.
Use canned air to loosen dirt and dust from delicate PC components. Canned air comes in a couple of forms: the liquid-propellant kind and the kind that uses small cartridges of compressed CO2. You can find both at computer stores, office supply stores, camera shops, and big-box stores that sell electronics.
Follow three rules when using canned air:
Lint-free cloths, such as the type used for cleaning eyeglasses or cameras, work well for general PC cleaning. These cloths work better than plain paper towels because they don't leave residue and won't scratch plastic surfaces.
Try using soft-bristled brushes and lint-free swabs to clean dust and dirt from hard-to-reach areas and to wipe grime from electrical contacts.
Some technicians use rubber pencil erasers to clean contacts, but I don't recommend this practice because some erasers contain acids that can leave a residue or destroy your contacts. Plus, they may rub the metal coating off the contacts—a bad thing.
Small, hand-held vacuums designed specifically for use on PCs suck up dirt and dust loosened by a brush or canned air. Don't use a common household vacuum cleaner inside your computer! These create static electricity and can toast your PC.
Some computer vacuums (also known as non-static vacuums) can also act as blowers. Some stand-alone blower products go by names such as "electric dusters." You can use them as alternatives to canned air, and they don't create condensation or contain harmful liquid propellants.
For regular cleaning, wipe down the exterior of your PC, monitor, and peripherals with a lint-free cloth that you've dampened, not soaked, with clean water. Take care not to drip water or anything else onto or into your PC components.
If you're dealing with a buildup of grime, use a mild soap solution. For harder cleaning chores (such as ink, crayon, or tape adhesive), try using a vinegar-and-water solution, denatured alcohol diluted with water, or commercial cleaners.
Use canned air to blast dust and hair from air vents and other openings. This helps keep the hot air flowing out and cool air flowing in to maintain the appropriate temperature inside the PC or peripheral. This will extend your computer's life.
When you're using canned air, remember the words of Corporal Hicks from the movie Aliens, and use "short, controlled bursts." If you haven't dusted the computer or peripheral in a while, take it outside before spraying. Otherwise, you'll spread dust everywhere.
You can use one or more of these solutions to clean the majority of your PC and peripherals safely and effectively. Because they get the majority of the grime, mice, keyboards, and monitor screens warrant a little more discussion.
For older mice, use a damp cloth to clean the mouse cover, buttons, and ball. Use a swab dipped in denatured alcohol to loosen any dirt, lint, or hair wrapped around the tracking rollers. Tweezers can pick the rollers clean, but avoid scratching the rollers. A quick blast of canned air finishes it off.
An optical mouse has no ball to clean, but it does have an optical sensor behind a recessed lens. It's important that you keep this lens clean for optimal tracking. A lint-free swab dipped in denatured alcohol diluted with water does a good job.
Out of any PC component, the keyboard tends to accumulate the most grunge. Use canned air and a soft-bristled brush to lift out dirt, crumbs, hair, and other unmentionables from between the keys. Wipe down the exterior thoroughly with a dampened, lint-free cloth. If necessary, use soapy water or one of the other cleaning solutions to remove stickier messes, but make sure that you disconnect the keyboard from the computer first. Be careful to avoid dripping cleaning liquids onto or into your keyboard. Let your keyboard air-dry for 48 hours before plugging it back into the PC.
Monitor screens sometimes take a little extra effort to get clean and streak-free. The vinegar-and-water solution works on both CRT and LCD monitors. Commercial cleaners work on CRTs, but not on LCDs. Never spray cleaners directly onto the screen; always put the cleaner onto a lint-free cloth first. Don't drip fluid into your PC case or monitor!
Once you've got the exterior of your PC and components in tip-top shape, you need to do the same for your computer's contacts, connectors, motherboard, and components. Start by unplugging and inspecting the cables from the back of the PC. Look for signs of dirt, rust, or corrosion on the contact pins or sockets.
Believe it or not, the main culprit in dirty contacts is you! Your skin contains natural oils, and touching the contacts while handling components leaves behind a small amount of oily residue. Given time, this residue leads to dirt and dust buildup, corrosion, and electrical interference.
Protect your electrical components from dirt and oils by avoiding contact with the pins, connectors, and sockets. If you must touch the contacts or pins, clean them immediately afterward with a lint-free swab dipped in denatured alcohol.
If you see signs of dirt on the contacts, use a lint-free swab dipped in denatured alcohol to loosen and remove it. You can also use a soft-bristled brush. If you see signs of rust or corrosion, replace the cable or component.
Next, remove the PC cover to clean accumulated dust, dirt, and hair off the motherboard and adapter cards. Use canned air to loosen the dust and dirt from the delicate electrical components, and use a non-static vacuum to suck it up. Pay particular attention to the case air vents and the power supply intake and exhaust vents. Note also that dust tends to collect in the door openings of the floppy disk drive and optical drives, and inside the CPU heat sink.
Thoroughly clean any fans you can touch. The fans draw cool air into the computer or push hot air away from components, protecting your computer from overheating. We'll talk more about keeping your computer cool in the next chapter.
After you've cleaned out the dust and dirt, make sure the adapter cards and drive cables are properly seated. When you've finished your inspection and maintenance, replace the cover on the computer and reattach the cables. Plug in the computer as the last step.
Turn on the computer and listen. If you placed the fans and plugged in the cables properly, the computer should sound right and boot nicely. If all does not go well, shut down the computer, open the case, and start with a visual inspection to find whatever's not properly connected.
Cleaning your computer isn't enough, though. You also need to cool it. For some tips and tricks on cooling your PC, move on to Chapter 3.
Heat and computers don't get along. When you're building a computer, you need to think about how you'll cool your system. Electricity equals heat. Computers, being electrical devices, generate heat as they operate . . . and too much can seriously damage a computer's internal components.
The power-supply fan provides the basic cooling for the PC. It not only cools the voltage regulator circuits within the power supply, but it also provides a constant flow of outside air throughout the interior of the computer case.
A dead power-supply fan can rapidly cause tremendous problems—even equipment failure. If you ever turn on a computer and it boots just fine, but you notice that it seems unusually quiet, check to see if the power-supply fan has died. If it has, quickly turn off the PC and replace the entire power supply.
Some power supplies come with a built-in sensor to help regulate the airflow. If the system gets too hot, the power-supply fan spins faster. The three-pin, three-wire fan sensor connector plugs into the motherboard directly.
Case fans are large, square fans that snap into special brackets on the case or screw directly to the case, providing extra cooling for key components. Most cases come with a case fan, and no modern computer should really be without one or two (or more).
A computer is a closed system, and computer cases help the fans keep things cool: Everything runs inside a box.
Although many tech types like to run their systems with the side panel of the case open for easy access to the components, they cheat themselves in the end. Why? A closed case enables the fans to create airflow. This airflow substantially cools off interior components. When you open the side of the case, you ruin the airflow of the system, and you lose a lot of cooling efficiency.
For good airflow, remember that hot air rises. Warm air always rises above cold air, and you can use this principle to your advantage in keeping your computer cool.
In the typical layout of case fans for a computer case, an intake fan sits near the bottom of the front part of the case. This fan draws cool air in from outside the case and blows it over the components inside the case.
Near the top and rear of the case (often near the power supply), you'll usually find an exhaust fan. This fan does the opposite of the intake fan: it takes the warm air from inside the case and sends it outside.
To maintain proper airflow inside the case, cover all empty expansion bays with slot covers. You shouldn't provide too many opportunities for air to escape. Not only do slot covers help maintain a steady airflow, but they also help keep dust and smoke out of your case.
Tip
Missing slot covers can cause the PC to overheat!
Fans generate noise. In an effort to ensure proper cooling, many techs put several high-speed fans into a case, making the PC sound like a jet engine. You can reduce fan noise by using manually adjustable fans, larger fans, or specialty "quiet" fans. Many motherboards enable you to control fans through software.
Manually adjustable fans have a little knob or switch you can turn to speed up or slow down the fan. This kind of fan can reduce some of the noise, but you run the risk of slowing down the fan too much and thus letting the interior of the case heat up.
Larger fans that spin more slowly can reduce noise while maintaining good airflow. Manufacturers measure fan sizes in millimeters or centimeters. Traditionally, the industry used 80 mm power supply and cooling fans, but today you'll find 100 mm, 120 mm, and even larger fans in power supplies and cases.
Note
When shopping for fans, remember your metric system: 80 mm equals 8 cm, and 120 mm is the same as 12 cm. You'll find fans marketed both ways.
Many companies manufacture and sell higher-end, low-noise fans. The fans have better bearings than run-of-the-mill fans, so they cost a little more, but they're definitely worth it. They market these fans using words like "quiet," "silencer," or similar adjectives.
If you run into a PC that sounds like a jet, try swapping out the case fans for a low-decibel fan from Papst, Panasonic, or Cooler Master. Just check the decibel rating to decide which one to get. Lower, of course, is better.
Because the temperature inside a PC changes depending on the load put on the PC, the best solution for noise reduction combines a good set of fans with temperature sensors to speed up or slow down the fans automatically. A PC at rest uses less than half of the power of a PC running a video-intensive computer game and therefore makes a lot less heat. Virtually all modern systems support three fans through three 3-pin fan connectors on the motherboard. The CPU fan uses one of these connectors, and the other two are for system fans or the power-supply fan.
You can also control your fan speed with software. Some motherboards come with system-monitoring software that enables you to set the temperature at which you want the fans to come on and off. If no program came with your motherboard, and the manufacturer's website doesn't offer one for download, try the popular freeware SpeedFan utility. Written by Alfredo Milani Comparetti, SpeedFan monitors voltages, fan speeds, and temperatures in computers with hardware monitor chips.
Even if you keep your PC clean and cool, you can keep it alive for only so long. For more information on the end of your PC's life, check out Chapter 4.
Computer programs and operating systems have increased rapidly in complexity over the past few years. A top-of-the-line computer purchased today will stagger under the demands of programs within a couple of years. Regular upgrades to RAM, CPU, and hard drives will certainly help your computer last a bit longer, but it will still age. The computer industry calls this planned obsolescence, a fancy phrase for becoming out-of-date within a certain period, so you'll buy more stuff.
The life cycle of computer products depends on the manufacturer, but most PCs last three to five years. It's not that the software or hardware will stop working after a given time limit. Instead, the maker will phase out sales and support for the product. Microsoft, for example, retires their software products after a set time, meaning that they stop development and end customer support.
Of course, many users still get a lot of use out of their machines long after their shelf life has expired . . . but if something goes wrong, they're on their own.
Once you've eked your last calculation out of your machine, you can't simply throw it out with the garbage. In fact, that's probably illegal in your community! Items like old monitors are usually considered hazardous waste, so throwing that 22-inch LCD into a Dumpster may earn you a ticket—and it's bad for the environment.
Instead, you need to make an ordered migration from your current computer to your new one, and then dispose of your old system properly. Most cities have recycling programs for old computer equipment. Check in your local phone book to see if a program exists in your area. If not, contact your city's solid-waste department for instructions on how to dispose of computer hardware.
Newer PCs come equipped with special utilities that help you move from your old machine to your new one. These tools back up your data files and user settings. They then use a network connection or recordable media to transfer these files and settings to another computer.
Windows Vista and 7 use Windows Easy Transfer. It comes native in Vista and 7, and you can download it and install it on Windows XP or 2000 as well (though you won't be able to transfer settings from a Windows 2000 computer, only files).
You can find Windows Easy Transfer by going to All Programs > Accessories > System Tools. The first screen of the Windows Easy Transfer simply gives you a bit of information about the process, so there's not really much to do there.
Select whether you're using your new or old computer, and then follow the wizard's instructions. You can choose which users' files you want to transfer from the old computer to the new one. You can also choose which types of files you want to transfer, such as documents, photos, videos, and so on. If you want to secure the transfer, you can assign a password on the old computer that you'll need to type in on the new one.
If you decide to get rid of your old computer, don't toss out the hard drive until you remove all the data on it. Ask someone who knows more about computers to help you with this. You don't want your data to fall into the wrong hands.
Many nonprofit groups gratefully accept donations of usable computer equipment. Note that the key word here is usable. Call ahead and find out the minimum standards for donated computers before dropping off your old Pentium II at their doorstep. Remember that your donation may wind up costing them money to dispose of if they can't use it. Obsolete is obsolete, even in the nonprofit world.
We're nearly done with this lesson. Please head over to Chapter 5 for a summary.
While you probably didn't go into PC troubleshooting thinking you'd need to dust and clean, hardware maintenance keeps your computer alive and well. Unless you operate your computer inside some spotless laboratory and wear a full-body protective suit, it will get dirty, dusty, and oily. You need to regularly clean your PC and peripherals. Hardware maintenance might sound like a pain, but it saves on trouble in the long run.
You can use many products to clean your PC. Water and soap, denatured alcohol, and specifically designed computer cleaning products all help wash away the dirt. Don't use too much water, though—you don't want any of it dripping into the PC case.
Also, remember to clean PC peripherals, like mice and keyboards. Have you ever looked beneath the keys of your keyboard? You might not want to.
Cleaning your computer also helps to cool it. Your PC uses fans to keep components cool. With the right arrangement, your fans can efficiently move cool air into the case and warm air out of it. Some fans get loud, but you can use software to control their speed, or you can buy larger and quieter fans.
At the end of a PC's life, you can't just throw it in your garbage or recycling. Because some computer parts use hazardous materials, you need to find out how to dispose of old computer equipment in your community. Before you get rid of that old PC, however, you need to make sure to remove all your data from it—ask a more experienced PC tech for help. Instead of throwing away your computer, you can donate it to an organization in need.
Now that Lesson 11 is behind you, check out the quiz and other materials. After that, the final lesson awaits you! I'll show you how everything you learned in this course comes together to create the complete PC troubleshooter.
Microsoft's site includes a few more tips on how to clean your computer components, including step-by-step instructions and lists of required tools. The site also links to other helpful articles (like cleaning the data on your computer!) and products.
Is your keyboard especially dirty? Are there entire cookies buried beneath those keys? PCWorld wants to help. This is a great, in-depth guide to cleaning all the nooks and crannies of your keyboard. It starts with some basic cleaning tips and moves on to the more complicated stuff, like removing the keys (gasp!) and going inside your keyboard.
Good question! The U.S. government's Environmental Protection Agency maintains this page, which is full of information about local programs, manufacturers' and retailers' programs, and government-supported programs that help you donate or recycle your old machine.
A: It depends. (Don't you just want an easy answer sometimes? Okay: Two case fans and the power-supply fans are enough for most people.)
If you have only a single hard drive and a low-power video card (or an integrated video chip on the motherboard), and nothing else uses a lot of power, you need only one or two case fans. I usually put one on top (if I can) and one in the front. Remember to point them so that they suck air in at the front and top and blow out the warm air in back.
If you have a more powerful computer with a high-end CPU, multiple video cards, and multiple hard drives and optical drives, you'll probably need three or more fans. In fact, you might even need a bigger case.
Don't stuff your case full of components. There needs to be room for them to "breathe," if you will.
A: Permanently deleting files takes more than emptying your Recycle Bin. Yes, I know it sounds odd, but when you "delete" your files, they don't actually go anywhere. The data remains on the hard drive (for a while, at least). Instead of removing the data, your hard drive only removes the tiny tag that points to the file. It's still there after you delete it, but you can't find it . . . unless you use one of the many software solutions available to track down deleted files on your hard drive.
You can safely destroy your important data in two ways. Using special software, you can overwrite any "deleted" files, making them irretrievable. If you want to destroy the entire hard drive, however, you should physically destroy it. Yes, this can be a lot of fun. Using all necessary safety precautions, take a hammer or drill or something and smash up your hard drive until no one could put it back together again. Just make sure you have all the data you want from it first!
Try cleaning your computer. Sounds obvious, right? When was the last time you actually cleaned your PC? You might be surprised to see how much dirt has accumulated since you last looked.
Check the fans and vents. How much dirt and dust did you find? Make sure you use all the slot covers. Do you think you have enough fans?
After you finish cleaning your PC, turn the computer back on. Does it sound any different? After cleaning out all the junk, PC fans can sometimes run at slower and quieter speeds and achieve the same level of cooling.
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