chapter five maintaining a computer part i: cleaning a computer

Chapter Five

Maintaining a ComputerPart I: Cleaning a Computer

© 2006-2011 Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Strata Objectives Covered

5.3 (3.2 FC0-U21 U.K.) Identify preventative maintenance products, procedures, and how to use them

– Liquid cleaning compounds– Types of materials used to clean contacts and connections– Compressed air– Cleaning monitors– Cleaning removable media devices– Ventilation, dust, and moisture control on PC hardware

interior– Replacing printer consumables (U.K. only)

2


Why Clean a Computer?

• More pleasant to use• Less prone to overheating

– Dust and hair clogs up vents– Dirt that settles on chips insulate them,

keeping the heat in

• Better performance– Dirty mouse can behave erratically– Dirty keyboard keys can stick– Dirty monitor is difficult to view

3


Cleaning Supplies

• Spray cleaner– May have antistatic properties if

designed for computers– Spray on a cloth, then wipe; do not

spray directly onto computer

• Monitor cleaner– Spray or towelette– Specifically designed for monitors

(antistatic, no ammonia)

4


Cleaning Supplies

• Can of compressed air– Blows dust out of crevices– Can be used to cool a hot chip when

troubleshooting

• Cotton swabs and alcohol– Not rubbing alcohol (too much water)

• Antistatic spray– Spray on floor in work area to minimize

static electricity

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Cleaning Supplies

• (Optional) Small hand-held vacuum cleaner designed for electronics– Regular vacuums don’t have a fine

enough filter– Regular vacuums generate static

electricity when they operate

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Cleaning a Monitor

• Turn off before cleaning• Clean outer casing with spray

computer-cleaning solution• Spray the cleaner on the cloth, then

wipe• Clean the glass using a cleaner

designed specifically for monitors• Don’t use glass cleaner containing

ammonia• Don’t spray directly onto the screen

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Cleaning External Surfaces

• Computer-cleaning spray product or mild general-purpose cleaner

• Mild soapy water with a damp cloth may also be used

8


Cleaning a Keyboard

• Turn off the PC and unplug the keyboard

• Turn the keyboard upside down and shake it over a trash can

• Use compressedair to blow dirt out from underkeys

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Cleaning a Keyboard

• Clean the key tops with a cloth or paper towel dampened with computer-cleaning spray liquid

• Do not remove keys• Do not spray the keyboard directly• If liquid is spilled on keyboard, turn it

upside down and unplug it immediately; let it dry for at least 48 hours

10


Cleaning a Mouse

• Symptoms of dirty mouse– Erratic pointer movement– Pointer moves in only one direction– Mouse doesn’t work at all

• Cleaning varies depending on whether mouse is mechanical (with ball) or optical (with light sensor)

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Cleaning an Optical Mouse

• Wipe off the outside• Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol

to clean out the hollow area where the light shines through

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Cleaning a Mechanical Mouse

• Rotate the plastic plate that holds the ball in place

• Turn the mouse over, and catch the ball and plate as they fall out

• Clean the inside of the ball chamber with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol

• Clean the ball with mild soapy water and dry it thoroughly; do not use alcohol on rubber ball because it dries it out

13


Cleaning the Inside of a PC

• Avoid using liquid cleaners inside a PC

• If liquid is absolutely necessary, use alcohol on a cotton swab

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Cleaning the Inside of a PC

• Cleaning the inside of a PC removes dirt or hair that may be preventing air flow through the case – Remove the case cover– Fish out any large clumps with fingers– Blow out the case with compressed air

or use vacuum designed for electronics– If very dirty, take outside before blowing

out case

15


Cleaning Circuit Board Contacts

• Old circuit boards build up deposits on the metal pins

• Remove deposits with a pencil eraser, or with alcohol and a cotton swab

• Avoid touching any of the circuitry on the board

• Handle boards only by their edges

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Cleaning the Power Supply

• Wipe off air vents with a damp paper towel

• Point the compressed air nozzle at an angle to the fan opening rather than blowing straight into it

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Cleaning a Printer

• Wipe down the outside plastic parts with computer cleaner sprayed on a cloth or paper towel

• There are no user-cleanable parts inside a modern printer– Older laser printers had some cleanable

wires inside– PC technicians can hand-clean ink jets

but this is beyond end-user skill level

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Cleaning Up Toner

• Wipe up toner with a damp paper towel

• Vacuum spilled toner with a vacuum designed for electronics only– Do not use regular vacuum because

filter is not fine enough– Toner particles will get into the air; they

are carcinogenic

• Clean toner out of fabrics with a magnet

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Cleaning Ink Jets

• Use the software-based cleaning utility built into the printer– Activate using buttons on

printer (refer to manual), or– Activate using software

utility in the operating system

20


Cleaning Removable Media

• Wipe a dirty CD or DVD gently with a soft cloth

• If surface is grimy or sticky, use an alcohol-dampened towelette or cloth

• Air dry thoroughly before use• Use a scratch-remover kit if needed

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chapter five maintaining a computer part i: cleaning a computer

Documents

computercleaning spray

cleaner spray

water antistatic spray

computers spray

dirty keyboard keys

optical mouse wipe

dirty monitor

better performance dirty