Monday, August 3, 2009

What Killed My PC - Part 2

This is the second in a series of articles in which I will deal in some detail with the cause of many of the pc failures I encounter. If you take the time to read the articles and solutions you should be able to extend the life of your computer. This month I will deal with the hidden pc killer lurking inside your pc.

Hidden PC Killer No 2
At the heart of your pc is your computer processor. As you are no doubt aware it is responsible for all events occurring on your computer. These super small devices are extremely fast and it is mind boggling to consider how much information they can process. With ever year that passes the power of these processors increases. One of the unfortunate trade offs from the increased capability and the consequently amount of information flying in and out of the processor is heat build up and it is this topic I will deal with this month. Few of you ever considered that the cause of the unexpected demise of your computer was heat stroke.

Your Computer and Heat
Your computer must be kept cool. As delivered from the factory your computer will be equipped with at least two fans and various vents to enable cool air to be sucked in and the hot air to be sucked out. If any of these is blocked or malfunctioning the computer will heat up to the point where one or more components inside will be damaged and will fail. You may get indications of this but very often you will see or hear nothing until the damage is done and the computer just won’t boot.

Fans And Vents

The methods employed to cool your machine can also be the cause of its demise. As air is drawn in so too is whatever is in the air. Most manufacturers employ some type of filter system but this is not sufficient to prevent a build up of dust and dirt on and in the fans and vents overtime. Even if the input vents and fans are not blocked and working if the output vents are blocked or obstructed the whole process is compromised. Blocked and clogged fans and vents won’t stop your computer from running and unfortunately must systems do not have a fail safe system to prevent damage before it is too late.

Preventing Heat Build Up

Laptops
I will deal with laptops first because it is more common for heat damage in this group than in their desktop cousins. Firstly your standard laptop is not designed to be left on for extended periods. It is quite common for machines to be left on overnight after the teenager has fallen asleep. If you own a laptop you will be aware of the heat building up underneath and you may even hear the fan kick in to cool them machine. If your laptop is hot to the touch then the likelihood is that it is running too hot or you are running it for too long. In both cases you will eventually kill the machine. Thus it is sound practice to use the laptop in an area where it can draw in sufficient cool air (and no under the blankets is not one of those) and secondly do not leave the machine turned on for extended periods of time. When done turn it off and disconnect it from the mains, allow to cool before putting it in a laptop bag.

Desktops
With desktops the danger comes mainly from blocked input and output vents. I had a machine in recently where the measured temperature of the hard drive after two minutes was 190 degrees F or around 88 degrees Centigrade. The owner told me the machine had always been noisy due no doubt to the cooling fans being on full to cool the machine. This pc was a real fire hazard and worse still the owner told me he usually left it turned on. The problem was not blocked vents but a design fault which meant the machine could simply not stay cool enough as the case was too small. So how to prevent heat build up? Here’s how:
· Make sure your leave sufficient space around your computer for air to circulate.
· Ensure when placing your machine that you do not block the vents. You will find vents on the side and rear of most modern machines. Thus don’t jam your pc into a desk just because it looks neat!
· Monthly with the pc turned off and disconnected from the mains hoover in and around the machine and input and output vents. If the machine is near the kitchen the likelihood is that air borne cooking oil has attached itself to the fans and thus dust will cling to and build up on the fan blades. Smokers should also be aware that nicotine leaves a sticky residue on the fans which has the same effect.
· If the machine has never been in for service and you think you already have a dust and dirt build up send it in for a cleanup. I advise against doing this yourself as I’ve seen more than a couple of machines damaged by owners opening them up and trying to clean out dust. Those internal parts are delicate and you should not attempt to service the machine yourself anymore than you would service your heating boiler.

Conclusion
Heat build up is a real problem with computer systems and it not only can damage your computer but can turn it into a fire hazard. If you suspect it is overheating get it looked at sooner rather than later and take appropriate precautions before you do.