Chapter Five Maintaining a Computer Part I: Cleaning a Computer

© 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

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 5

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 6

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 7

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cleaning External Surfaces Computer-cleaning spray product or mild general-purpose cleaner Mild soapy water with a damp cloth may also be used 8

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cleaning a Keyboard Turn off the PC and unplug the keyboard Turn the keyboard upside down and shake it over a trash can Use compressed air to blow dirt out from under keys 9

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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) 11

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 12

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cleaning the Inside of a PC Avoid using liquid cleaners inside a PC If liquid is absolutely necessary, use alcohol on a cotton swab 14

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 16

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 17

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 18

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 19

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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

© Wiley, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 21