Computer running slow? My interesting experience.

  • Thread starter Thread starter gecko zzed
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gecko zzed

gecko zzed

Grumpy Mod
For the last couple of months my PC has been running slow. A Reaper project that would render at 12 times real time was rendering at only 1.5 times real time. Similarly, rendering even low resolution videos was taking an inordinately long time.

My first thoughts were that the PC had been struck by malware of some sort. However, Malwarebytes, AVG and Spybot failed to uncover anything.

The other night I was rendering a video (painfully slowly), and the PC shut itself off. Furthermore, when I tried to start it up again, it wouldn't restart.

I thought that, for want of anything better to do, I would open it up and give it a clean up while I pondered my next move.

I was staggered by how much dust had accumulated inside. It was over everything, to the extent that you could barely see the fins of the CPU heatsink.

So it was out with the brush and the vacuum, and after a while had it looking sparkling new again.

I put it back together again, hit start, and it came to life beautifully, and its speed was back up to what it should have been.

It was a simple problem: overheating, and easy to fix.

The lesson: keep the insides of your PC clean!
 
Yes, I have had this experience. I now strip down the computers under my roof about twice a year. It is particularly worthwhile, I have found, to remove fans and wipe the blades completely clean with a lightly dampened cloth. If I can be bothered, I also open up the PSU to clean the fan and remove dust.

After a good clean, the computers run with lower noise and at lower operating temps, both of which slowly creep up over time as dust once again accumulates.

As an aside, I believe that it doesn't hurt to periodically remove and re-insert audio connectors which may otherwise remain in place over weeks and months or longer. Oxidation can build up in the connections which may diminish the quality of the connection, and the action of removal and insertion of connectors can help remove that. There are also commercial cleaners which are very effective for that purpose - Caig Deoxit for example.
 
Back when I was the tech manager for a graphics studio, the former guy had made the mistake of putting all the towers on the floor.
It looked neat and tidy and we had cleaning crews vaccuming the rugs twice a week.

I set up some routine maintenance schedules and when I opened the cases to blow them out with canned air, I found them all coated in heavy dust bunnies.

Needless to say I spend the next few days blowing them out and putting the towers back up on the desktops where they couldn't accumulate dust.
 
Did this a couple days ago actually.

I've wondered, how does dust get in there? Where does it come from?
 
CrowsofFritz said:
Did this a couple days ago actually.

I've wondered, how does dust get in there? Where does it come from?
Click to expand...

The fans that suck air in to cool things down also suck in any dust floating in that air.
 
TimOBrien said:
Back when I was the tech manager for a graphics studio, the former guy had made the mistake of putting all the towers on the floor.
It looked neat and tidy and we had cleaning crews vaccuming the rugs twice a week.

I set up some routine maintenance schedules and when I opened the cases to blow them out with canned air, I found them all coated in heavy dust bunnies.

Needless to say I spend the next few days blowing them out and putting the towers back up on the desktops where they couldn't accumulate dust.
Click to expand...

That will help, but trust me - computers on desktops can accumulate dust. You will still need to check them, just not as often.
 
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