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January 6, 2006
Dear CNET members,
Happy New Year! Some of you may find the answer to this week's question from Joaquin on how to physically clean out dust in a computer as easy as a walk in the park. But I wouldn't be surprised if there are equally as many people out there who will probably see this as a pretty frightening task. But hey, no worries, we are all here to help and learn from one another regardless of how trivial or difficult the task may be. So let's get this New Year kicked off with a physically clean computer by starting with this week's winning answer by George, the honorable mentions, and other advice from our community members. And if you have any advice to add for our members on cleaning up their computers or have any concerns about opening up your machine for a thorough cleaning, please join us in to this week's discussion and post away. Thank you, everyone, for your participation. It's great to be back in the presence of this wonderful community.
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Member Question of the Week
I've had the same desktop for a few years now, and I'm worried about the machine overheating due to dust blocking the fan and getting in the case. I'd like to clean up the inside of my machine, but I afraid I'll damage it. What's the best, safest way to clean up all my PC components? (I've never touched or seen the inside of my machine.) Also, are there any additional precautions I can take to keep my PC from getting so grimy in the future?
Submitted by:
Joaquin L.
Joaquin, you have a valid concern, and I commend you for bringing up an often overlooked problem. Too much dust can block the airflow inside a case, and the excessive heat can cause problems with your hard drive or other components. Just as excessive dust poses a risk to your system, attempting to clean the inside of your computer can be equally risky. If you have never opened the case of your computer, you may want to consider taking your computer to your local PC store and ask them to clean it for you. After they clean the inside, you can take some preventive steps at home...
Submitted by:
George H. of St. Louis, Missouri
For
George's
efforts, we're sending him his choice of any
Help.com Learning CD.
Community Buzz
 Each week we take a look at topics discussed in the forums.
Best regards and enjoy!
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Check out next week's question:
I received a great new Windows XP machine for my birthday. I love it, but I'm having a hard time getting it all set up. How can I get all my files and software from my old machine onto the new one? I've transferred some of my smaller files via floppy disk, but I'm not sure how to get the rest transferred. I know there's no simple answer, but any tips anyone could give would be greatly appreciated.
--Submitted by:
Ben M.
If you have the answer,
e-mail us at messageboards@cnet.com.
If we choose your response, you'll get a
free Help.com CD.
Have a question?
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| Member Profile of the Week |
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User name: paranoid_android
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Member since:
October 20, 2005
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About me: About me: I'm 18 and currently taking a year off before college due to finances, not by choice. I work full time in the Garden dept.....(read more)
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