I brought this old post back from May 2013. While I was blowing out my computers this morning and though they are only slightly dusty, something triggered this memory. It was one of those neighbors, who after they learn you work on computers as a hobby ask if you mind taking a look at it. Out of kindness you do a favor.
One of the worst computers I ever worked on. While we all know that computers will gather dust and none are them are perfect after owned awhile. You expect to maybe have to blow some dust out when you work on one. This is an actual computer that I worked on once in Sept 2009 for someone in the community. I should have refused, but donning gloves, a mask, and doing it outside on top of the garbage can, I managed to clean is some, not totally, but enough that it would again run without totally overheating.
There were no bugs in it, but that is probably complimentary of the bugs having better taste, than take up residence in there.
First inspection, with this much dust and dirt you can imagine what the CPU fan/heat-sink looked like under that green air hood. They reported it had a “slight” over heating problem, It’s a wonder the CD player worked. The environment was a house with lots of small dogs, on a very dusty dirt road and vinyl floors.
Would you type on this? I suggested they trash it. I used my own keyboard for testing the computer.
After taking the unit outside where I had a compressed air supply, I removed the green air tunnel. It is rumored that when I hit it with the high pressure air, that I disappeared for a few moments till I ran from the cloud. Fire Rangers in their fire towers seeing the cloud, probably thought our home had been hit with a small tactical nuke. I would think that Air Traffic was probably diverted around our area for a short while.
I managed to get most of it out using the air and some large type Q-tips. I didn’t scrub it hard so it was still a tad dusty in places, but I didn’t want to crumble something into dust if that was what still held it together.
Comments welcome!