Apparently some 80% of household “dust” is actually dead skin from us humans. That may or may not be true, but in Vanuatu computers seem to collect more dirt and dust in their innards than is normal in less humid countries. Be it old skin, coral dust or gecko poo, muck gathers inside the computer and slowly chokes it to death. Extend the life of your computer with occasional clean-ups.
One of the worst places for dirt is the fans that nearly all computers are fitted with. Some of these fans are 'on' at a fixed speed whenever the computer is powered on, others change speed depending on how hot the computer gets (typically seen in laptops). The fan blows out air that has passed over some component eg. the processor or the power-supply unit – of course, this air has to get in somewhere, and where it goes in and comes out, you are likely to see a build-up of dirt.
This dirt makes the fan work harder, and frequently leads to the fan breaking down – it wears out or even melts itself into oblivion. The upshot is that the vital cooling service it provided is no longer available to its computer, and that can have drastic results. Desktop computers may need a new power-supply unit (around Vt12,000 new in Vila). Laptop computers may need to go back to the manufacturer, and they are renowned for taking the simplest option and replacing the lot (upwards of Vt50,000 plus the costs of getting the computer to/from them). Dirt also builds up in keyboards leading to faulty keys, in passive vents which allow natural air movement and so restricting airflow, and on top of all flat surfaces eg. inside the desktop computer system unit.
Unfortunately, removing dust and dirt from a computer is not as simple as taking a small brush or a damp cloth to it. Water and static electricity are deadly enemies to electronics. A typical nylon brush briskly passed over vents and components will nicely charge them with several thousand volts, a bit of free electricity that the components ungratefully do not appreciate. Likewise, a smearing of dampness over tiny solders and electronics placed hair's breadth from each other leads to similarly unappreciated and unplanned alternative paths for mains electricity to take. Either way, the end result will be a permanently sulky computer.
Your first, simplest and cheapest option is human-powered air. First touch the metal frame of the computer somewhere to ensure that you and it are at the same static electricity level – static electricity is rarely an issue for people in Vanuatu due to the moisture in the air, but if you have the wrong shoes, carpet or chair, you could zap things. Blow briskly (but do not spit!) into the vents, surfaces and components you want to clean. There may be quite a cloud of dust, so you might want to do this somewhere appropriate. Keep going until all the loose stuff is out.
Alternatively, you could buy a can of compressed, clean, dry air to do the same thing with less effort. Special computer-cleaning kits are available, which include small anti-static brushes and special liquids, along with lint-free cloths (most useful for screens). Or you could completely outsource the job to your preferred local IT supplier.
Perform this maintenance task once or twice a year, and you should avoid unpleasant surprises and keep your hardware going long enough for its software to become well and truly obsolete!
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