Experiment No.

5
Practical Learning Outcomes

Clean inside PC - Boards and Slots (Part-II)

Relevant course outcomes

Undertake basic level maintenance of a PC.

Resources used: Computer

 A No.2 Philips cross-head screwdriver.

 A small flat-bladed screwdriver.
 One can of compressed air (more if you suspect the PC is really filthy)- from you local
supermarket or electronics/computer store.
Do NOT use compressor air - it often has a high moisture content which will cause
corrosion
and may contain aerosol lubricants which can cause electrical shorts.
 Five or six kitchen paper-towels or napkins to wipe down the case.
 One small paintbrush with long natural bristles. 1/2inch(12mm) size is ideal.
 One packet of Q-Tips or Cotton Tips.
 One Window/Glass Cleaner spray pack.
 A short length of insulating tape.
 One plain Pencil at least 4"(100mm) long.
 A pair of Scissors.
 A flashlight.
 An old Newspaper.
 A Vacuum cleaner with a hose and nozzle (if available).
Electrical Precautions
Inside the computer is completely safe with one exception - the power supply or PSU. The
PSU is in its own metal box usually at the top rear of a tower (at the rear of a desktop) and
you should NEVER attempt to open this box or stick anything metallic into it. There may be
an on/off switch at the back of the PSU and there may be a (red) voltage selection switch.
Do NOT change the voltage selection switch. Older computers have power at the on/off
switch at the front of the case, identified by a thick electrical cable linking the switch to the
PSU. Do not attempt to disconnect this cable from the switch.

Static Precautions

It is worthwhile buying good quality tools. The first time you clean your computer it will
probably cost (with the tools) the same as taking it to a PC store. The second time you will
have the tools, and it will cost you a half-cup of white vinegar. That’s cheap…

Once you have your toolkit together, it’s time to start. Pick a nice day to do this, you won’t
want to do this when it’s raining (you’ll see why later.)

The first thing to do, while the computer is on, is to clean the CD/DVD drive. This advice
applies to tray-loading drives; if you have a slot-loading drive refer to your user manual for
recommended cleaning procedures.
Wet the microfibre cloth with the cleaning solution. Wring out the cloth, so that it is barely
damp. Open the CD/DVD tray, and carefully wipe the disc side of the tray removing as much
dust as possible. I’ll sometimes use the stiff brush to dislodge dust between the tray front
and the tray if necessary. Let the tray dry (it should only take a few seconds.) Read the
instructions that came with the CD/DVD cleaner, and run it through the drive. I usually do
this two or three times, especially if you’ve not cleaned your computer in a while. Remove
the CD/DVD cleaner, and shut down the computer. Then turn it off at the wall.

Remove the cables and wires from the back of the computer, making a note of what went
where. It’s a good idea to take digital photographs to help your memory at this point. Move
the computer to the center of a large uncluttered desk or table. Using the stiff bristled
brush, brush down the back of the unit. Don’t at this point worry about the dust on the back
getting into the unit. Wet the cloth again, wring it out, and this time clean the outside of the
unit. Be firm, but gentle. When cleaning plastics be careful to wipe lightly and often rather
than heavily scrub at it.

Now the unit is clean on the outside, it’s time to move to the inside. Take a deep breath,
and turn the unit so you can see the screws that hold the case parts together. Detailed
advice is difficult at this point, because there are a huge number of case styles. It should
however be fairly obvious which screws you need to remove the case. Use the right-sized
screwdriver. Usually most of the screws will need the #2, with only a few (if any) needing
the #1. If you don’t feel that you can do this, don’t worry – your local independent computer
store should be able to clean inside for you. If they can, ask politely if you can watch how
they do it.

If you’ve had your computer for a while, and haven’t cleaned it, you may be lucky(!) and see
something like this:
If you’re lucky, the inhabitants will have moved out!

If you’re not so lucky, this is the sort of horror story you may see (more so if you smoke near
your computer!):

Hopefully it’s only dusty – but if you smoke it could be a sticky dusty mess!

If the computer sits on a carpet, you may have a population of dust-bunnies that need
shifting too:
The common dust-bunny in it’s natural habitat…

These photographs look bad, but it won’t take too much to get your PC back to normal.
Using the vacuum cleaner and the stiff brush, remove as much of the surface dust / dust-
bunnies / spider’s webs / mouse droppings (seriously!) as you can. Before vacuuming near
the fans first hold the fan so it can’t rotate and use the brush to dislodge the dust and fluff.
Then use the vacuum to suck away the dislodged muck while still holding the fan. If your
computer is seriously filthy you may have to remove the front plastic case to remove even
more crud.
If your computer is as bad as this, shame on you!

This is where it gets messy (messier?) Take the computer and the can of compressed air into
the yard or garden and use the compressed air to blow all the dust from the fins of the
heatsinks, from the circuit board components and from all the bits the brush and vacuum
missed. Again. make sure the fans are held before blowing air at them. This is the time you’ll
realise that:

1. I wasn’t kidding about wanting to do this outdoors, and

2. It’s amazing how much a vacuum misses!

If you’re a smoker, and you’ve been unlucky, you won’t be able to shift much due to the
sticky gunge coating the inside of your machine. At this point, there’s probably little you can
do except reassemble the PC and take it to your computer shop (and think about what your
insides might look like?)

If you have managed to shift the detritus of the years, then it’s time to go back inside, and
do the brush/vacuum again. By now your machine should look like this:
If you can manage this, you’ve done really well!

Reassemble your computer, making sure all the connectors, memory modules, circuit
boards and fans are properly secured. Fix the case on, and give it a wipe down again – that
dislodged dust gets everywhere!
Using your notes and photographs attach all the cables to the back of the computer, making
sure they’re tight and locked down (where applicable.) Cross your fingers, and turn the
computer on. You should be rewarded by a working computer – if not, turn it off at the wall
and check the internal/external connections again. In my experience, the majority of ‘not
working since I unplugged it’ problems are down to connections and cables. Clean the
CD/DVD drive using the CD/DVD cleaner again.

Conclusion : Thus we have successfully clean components of PC

Name of student Team Member

1. 2. 3.

4.

Marks Obtained Detailed Signature

Process (7M) Product(3M) Total(10M) of Teacher
EXPERIMENT NO. 5- Students Activity:

1. Write steps to clean and maintain a Personal Computer.

Answer 1 :-

• Step 1: Hardware :-

To keep your computer’s hardware in good shape, there are key tasks you
should add to your list of chores - after turning off and unplugging your
computer.

o Wipe down your computer :-

Dust off the outside of your computer with a soft, dry cloth at least
once a week. Remove any fingerprints on the screen. If you want to
use a cleaning fluid, visit a computer store to find one that’s
specifically designed for your monitor type. Regular household
cleaners may damage a monitor screen, wearing away coatings.
Instead, gently wipe your screen with a soft cloth. A microfiber
cloth is great for this purpose.You can dampen your cloth with
distilled or filtered water to wipe away tougher smudges. Plain
water usually works, too, but filtered or distilled water will help
you avoid streaks. If heavier cleaning is needed, moisten a cloth
with a 50-50 mix of distilled water and distilled white vinegar and
gently rub your screen clean. To clean the front and back of your
laptop case, use a clean sponge that’s been dipped in mild dish
soap and water and wrung out. Rub gently. Make sure your
computer is dry before turning it back on.

o Clean Your keyboard :-

Pick up your keyboard, turn it over, and gently pat it on the back to
dislodge crumbs, stray hairs, and other tiny bits of dirt. If you’re
having trouble removing sticky dirt, try using a cotton swab dipped
in rubbing alcohol, or the cleaning mixtures mentioned above.
Gently wiping around the keys can help keep the keys from
 sticking or failing. If your keyboard is acting up, you may need to
open it in order to “deep clean.” Check your computer or keyboard
manual for instructions on how to open and clean this component
safely.

o Blow dust buildup out of computer vents, fans and accessories

:-

Every three to six months, consider using a screwdriver to open

your computer’s exterior case. With a can of compressed air
(available at any computer store), clean the dust buildup out of the
fan and the case. Put the case back together and use cotton swabs
to pick up any lingering dirt on the fan vents or other small
crevices on the outside of the case. For laptops, check the manual
for instructions on cleaning or safe case opening. You also can use
a few short bursts of this compressed air to dust out your keyboard
and mouse.

o Run check disk tool :-

To help detect hard drive issues before they lead to other problems,
Microsoft Windows provides a Check Disk tool. The tool will scan
for and repair issues such as file system errors or bad sectors. If
you haven’t done this scan before, run a full scan, which enables
automatic repairs. The process may take a few hours.

o Check surge protector :-

Power surges can put harmful stress on your computer, and in

some cases damage the power supply and other components. Did
you know surge protectors can lose their protection after
undergoing just one power surge? Even if they still appear “on,”
they may not be providing the protection you need. So it’s a good
idea to check them from time to time, especially after a notable
power surge.

o Keep PC ventilated :-
 Maintaining proper air flow inside and outside of your PC is
important. Make sure you have at least three inches of space on
either side of your PC that’s free of obstructions such as other
computers, papers, or walls. Also make sure your room is large
enough or well-ventilated enough to facilitate good air flow.
Another thing to watch is your CPU fan and fan blades. If your
processor keeps overheating and forcing your PC to shut down,
you may need to upgrade your CPU fan.

• Step 2: Software :-

It’s time to attend to the programs that create and store your important
information. Here’s how to keep your computer’s “mind” as clean as its
“body” to possibly extend its longer lifespan.

o Back up your hard drives :-

Backing up your data — especially important data — is a must. A

laptop or tablet can be replaced, but the information inside it may
be irreplaceable. In general, there are two options for backing up
data: You can make a copy in a physical location, such as on an
external hard drive or thumb drive, or you can make a copy that is
stored on the “cloud,” or online, in a secure location. Whichever
you choose, commit to backing up your computer at least once a
week or more often if you’re working on a project or want to
preserve recently stored images.

o Get antivirus software to protect from malware :-

Antivirus software helps prevent viruses and malware from

infiltrating your device and messing with your data or stealing
information which could lead to identity theft. Paid and free
versions of antivirus software are available, and most programs can
be set to work automatically in the background.
o Update your software and programs :-

Make sure to update your software, especially high-use programs

such as Adobe Flash, Adobe Reader, Chrome, and Windows.
Outdated software can be vulnerable to malware, because most
updates are created to keep software safe from threats.
Downloading and installing the latest versions of your programs
might not only protect your PC, but can keep it working quickly.

o Declutter your software programs :-

While you do updates, check to make sure you’re using the

programs on your system, and consider deleting any programs and
files you no longer use. Decluttering helps ensure that your
computer doesn’t get bogged down with unnecessary data. It also
limits the number of programs malware might “hijack” to gain
access to the system.

o Clean your Windows registry :-

If you’re using Windows, there’s another step you may want to

consider: cleaning your registry. Keep in mind that this may not
make your device operate more efficiently. Your PC boot may
work faster or maybe not. Your Windows registry is a huge
repository that holds details on everything you do on your PC.
Making sure it’s clean is worth considering. But proceed with
caution. If you make an error while cleaning your registry, you’ll
need to reinstall your operating system. Be sure to back up your
registry to be safe.