else, but I pressed F1 and it was doing it's thing - taking forever - and when done said same thing. Figured I'd just shut down and look next day.
I unhooked everything, put the tower on it's side and opened it up - oh my goodness for dust - got out the air duster (have done it a few times without opening it up - then phoned the local comp. place and they asked which fan had quit - I said I don't know - didn't know they had more than one and he told me they can have up to 8. Said bring in will take look. I struggled with it and took it down and he opened it up and WOW! I thought I had air dusted it, but it didn't look like it! He figured which fan and took it out - they have some, but not what I needed and they'd have to order it as Dell has a diff. end to the kind they sell. Then points to something inside and said to look at it, it had a hole one of the little posts. Said if it was him he wouldn't put any money into it as it was an older comp. and I could have a look at what they had and one of them would answer any questions I had. OK. They figured I was going to leave it with them and I said NO, I'll take it and decide what I'm going to do as I'm not stuck as I also have a laptop (didn't mention my husband has a destop too!)Later last night after my hubby and I get homek, I asked him to put it up on the table and I was going to open it up and have another look. Well, even more dust again (WOW). I set about to really clean out the dust and the fan (I discovered he didn't hook it back up and I wasn't sure where it went.). It took me a bit to get it good and then had Ray put it back at the comp. desk. I said OK fingers crossed - hooked everything up and it runs like a charm! I'm on it right now!
I had been wondering if he was trying to make a sale! (When he had told me to have a look at what they had and he'd be over shortly to see if I had any questions - the girl - who I think has been there much longer - said something to him I didn't catch, but then he said "yeah, one of us will be over to see if you have any questions.
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So glad you got you computer running again. I wouldn't know where to begin with mine, first of all I don't even know how to get into it. I know it's full of dust and probably ready to die - it's just a question of when.
26316I have been talking with my techno-geek son about this subject tonight. First of all, lots of you have a dust problem in your computer because there is a higher than normal lint problem due to the sewing machines, fabric, etc. I personally share my sewing space with the washer and dryer as well, which wreaks havoc on my computer. BUT, there is an inexpensive solution to this, regardless of the type of computer that you have. Dust filters. They cost a couple bucks each, screw on to the vents, and are easily removable to then vacuum off (or wipe off) and then replace. If you need to remove dust, use canned air BUT DO not tip the can. Keep it upright. Otherwise, you will be spraying dry ice in to your computer. Bad, bad for computers!! Vacuum cleaners WILL create a static electricity that will fry your computer. So even you, yes, YOU, can install dust filters on your computer, and have it run happily and merrily, until it becomes outdated and needs to be replaced to keep up with technology.
But before you start tinkering, please back up your very valuable data just in case there is a very small blooper. Better safe than sorry there. You know, the old "ounce of prevention, pound of cure" saying. Good luck!
16302Never ~ Never ~ Never ~ Ever use can air in your embroidery machine or computer. It forces the dust further into the parts/unit and can cause damage. So before you all decide to clean out the dust put down that can of air. I put a knee high or piece of pantyhose over the vacuum end and let it gently suck out the dust.
1 comment
by justonlyme
22 Aug 2011
Vacuum cleaners can cause static electricity!! I don't know as I would use that either. My dad tried the pantyhose and vacuum cleaner trick with a mainframe once and blew the whole thing by mistake. If you don't believe me, try wiping some dust on the hose when the vacuum is running. It will cling like crazy. Static electricity. Deadly to CPUs.
89895My computer shows de f1 button when I have to turn the computer down manually...My other computer was making a lot noise, my granson took it apart, I thought it was the end of my computer, but after that it works great...******
60484I open my tower and vacuum it ot once a year, because I had the same thing happen many years ago. They sold me a new computer, and probally cleaned mine up and out and resold it. I got wiser though and it really does help the computer run smoother when you keep it vacuumed out.
22354You are more adventures than I am - not sure I would even know what to do - if I opened mine up - but I am sure it needs a vacuuming.
211079Dell is absolutely famous for their fan failures. It is the power supply fan that is the worst. Since they have proprietary parts, then you will be paying more. Just watch the temperature of your computer. If you start hearing a whine or a sound that isn't normal, then shut it off and let it cool off for a while. I've replaced the power supply in my desktop (not Dell...custom built) several times. I can tell when it is getting ready to fail because the pitch changes, sounds like it is struggling and everything is slow. Be sure to back everything up now, while it is running right, just in case of failure. Sometimes you can tap the internal thermostat and watch the temperature of your CPU. As long as it is humming along under 120 degrees, you should be fine. I just had to replace a computer early this summer after the power supply fan gave out and the CPU reached a blistering
245 degrees F before deciding to give out and baking my data with it. Fortunately, I had JUST bought an external hard drive and backed everything up. Whew!. Lesson learned!!!!
16302Yeah, sounds like you were getting a real sales pitch there. That would be the last place I'd go after that sort of experience. Computers are dust magnets... this is a certainty. I'm bad to forget to take the canned air to mine. Fortunately, I'm blessed with an in-house computer tech... my husband builds all of our computers. I lost count of how many computers we've gone through over the last 15 years. LOL! but it's also a bit of a curse, too... there are 3 computers on our dining room table that are there and will be until one of them turns up its toes and bites the dust. But I know, as sure as the sun will rise in the east in the morning, that another will takes its place. I eat breakfast, lunch, and supper sitting right here at my computer in my work room. That sounds really sad, doesn't it?
Glad you got your computer straightened out. Watch those fans, though... they're often the first thing to give out.
2 comments
by blueeyedblonde
21 Aug 2011
couple yrs. ago I had a problem with it, but nothing another memory board and them talking me through it to put it in - never did anything like that before!
by starlizard
21 Aug 2011
Its amazing how much empty space there is inside a computer. Although, with the advancing technology, that space seems to be getting smaller and smaller... but then, computers are becoming more compact, too. It seems you've been well seasoned where computers are concerned. There's always something new to learn, though.
7419Well, everybody's trying to make a sale, especially at a computer store. Most of those young geeks can't understand why you would even want a computer that's more than a year old! If they're working there, usually they're geeky enough to want the latest, greatest, newest, etc. and can't imagine why everyone else doesn't, too. Also, they're usually young guys with no wives & kids, & have the income to spend on their "toys", hee hee hee. You need to find an "old" geek to look at your computers, hee hee hee.
But anyone who has a tower usually keeps it on the floor, where there's the most dust. Also, if you have kids and/or animals, they are real dust makers. Any running fan is going to pull cool air into your tower, and all the dust in the air with it. Dusting the outside isn't as important as dusting the inside. I get after the tower with a vacuum, like I do my sewing machine. Just a personal opinion, but I always felt like that canned air was more likely to push dust particles into and under things in there, rather than blow them out. Do be careful with the vac, though. I got a bit carried away with the Janome, and sucked out the little felt wick that keeps the bobbin oiled, and it's NOT a replacement part. Guess they don't expect you to use quite such a powerful vac, hee hee hee. It's clean, though. Glad you got your computer back up and running! Hugs, Marji
2 comments
by blueeyedblonde
21 Aug 2011
I thought about using the vac, but I've been told you shouldn't because of (if I remember correctly) the static and you can harm the board.
I have a runoff table that I have at the side of my comp. desk (an old office one with the shelving for diff. kinds of paper) that the tower and my printer sit on. Didn't like the tower on the floor - too hard to get at it to put in a usb of any kind! No animals, just my granddaughter.
by justonlyme
22 Aug 2011
Static from a vacuum cleaner WILL kill your computer. IF you vacuum, it will be a matter if WHEN and not IF.
The best thing to use is canned air. BUT, be sure to hold the can upright so that NO liquid spews out,which can cause sudden unwanted temperature differences on your components, as it is effectively dry ice in a can.
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