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Atrocities microsoft digital sound system just died... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif I don't know what happened, it worked, then it did not. I rebooted and it worked again, but now it is not... I am so sad.... Atrocities has no sound now... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

I did install my 120 gb hard drive though... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif But no sound. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

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I have to say it but you really do live up to your name. I don't know if it is just that no one else tells us all the bad things that happen to them (no bad feelings intended) or you are simply the most unlucky person, here but I can hardly believe these bad things just keep happening to you.

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Does it need a fan? Some stuff does that if it's getting overheated.

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While we're on the topic (sorta). My case has a bit of dust in it covering the boards. Not too much just a fine layer. I can read the board. Should I consider opening the case and using a hair dryer to remove the dust?

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The stuff they use in shops is a spray can of some sort of coolant. Mostly cold air type of thing. If you end up using a hair dryer, turn the heat off, but dust isn't usually problematic (unless it keeps the fan blades from spinning).

The sticky residue from spilled soda pop however will definitely short circuit a Soundblaster card.

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Why not a vaccuum?

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A thin layer of dust isn't a big deal, but if it builds up to more substantial levels, especially on the heat sinks, it will disrupt proper heat dissipation.

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I found the problem. The cable leading to my PC had been eaten through by a mouse.... Looks like the cat dropped the ball. Replaced cable and sound has returned.

BTW, I share my bad luck with you so that you all don't go around thinking your lives are so bad. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I am very lucky many times over, I just like to make other people feel luckier. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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Get an infared mouse. Then you need not worry about mouse cord problems. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif. yeah I know it's a dreadful joke, sorry.

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Narf, did you have to kill AT's sound system?

And Angle_Wyrm, I hope you have no experience with spilled soda pop.....?

A little bit of dust is not a disaster, in fact every time I open up my PC it's got dust all over the place, but that does not keep it from running. Fyron is completely right. Also, I think that you should watch out for too much dust on your processor; I don't know for sure, but I think that if the dust on your CPU builds to substantial levels, it doesn't matter whether or not the fan is working, you'll get an overheated CPU because of the heat insulation. Again, I don't know this for sure, but I think it's important to keep an eye on this.

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It is a good idea to clean up inside your case every now and then. Take a large soft bristled paintbrush and a hose vacuum. Brush off all dust that collects on the motherboard and expansions and use the vacuum to suck it up. I do this about once a month.

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I didn't do it!

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What, me? Accidentally spill a Coke on my old SoundBlaster Pro? Naw, I needed an upgrade, I just wouldn't admit it. Had a little help from the subconscious ghost of advertising. "Get an audigeeeeeee....get an aaaudddiggeeee" (splash).

New card works nicely, BTW http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! I just typed a message which for no obvious reason erased itself.

Anyway a friend of mine had random hangs and crashes he couldn't trace. Figured it was just windows doing its thing, however it was actually dust clogging the heat sink so the processor was overheating and cutting out. So the lesson is either check for dust occasionaly or get a motherboard that has temperature alarms and turn them on.

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Good thread, I've had my PC lock up on occasion which I assumed to be a memory related issue, but now I'll have to check for dust on the motherboard. I've never been into my PC's case once I put in the second CD shortly after purchase.

Anyhow, I've got a bad luck high-tech story, too. Both of my VCR's went on the blink on the same day, inexplicably. After fiddling with them for a while, I began to pull them out to check the cables and found my son's apple juice running out the cases. Seems he thought they needed a drink. Now the VCR (and DVD...thanks to the kiddo for an excuse to upgrade!) is located ON TOP of the tv.

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I could be wrong, but as I dunderstand it vacuum cleaners can generate a lot of static, and static is bad for chips.

ALso, my wife vacuumed my laptop a while back, and sucked the "G" key right off the keyboard!

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I laughed out loud at this.

I know it isn't funny though.

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many notes:

the air in cans actually has no coolant. its compressed. when it re-expands it gets cold. In fact, they would prefer it didnt because people have a habit of spraying directly into a hot computer which can cause more damage than a ballpeen hammer

you can actually wash a keyboard. Stick it in a shower and then blowdry it. Good as new.

Infrared mice and keyboards are bad. At least for me. There is nothing keeping them from hitting the wall when I get pissed

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Cool! I didn't know you could do that safely. The built-in keyboard on my laptop has been getting really grungy, I'll take it into the shower tonight. Ought to get the TFT screen nice and shiny too.

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NOoooooooooooooooooooo dogscoff! Noooo

Anyway
The reason you don't use vacum cleaners is that if you have them on too high or the wrong place you;ll get the fan to rotate too fast and/or the wrong direction which could break it. Or that's what I was told

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You can use a dishwasher too. One of my friends picked up a bunch of old computers (486 thru PIIs) at a surplus auction or something. All the boards were coated in dust, so just put them in the dishwasher, started it up, and made sure to let them dry completely before plugging them back in. I would say "good as new", but really it just made them shiny and helped the ones that still ran to spread heat better.

And yeah, compressed air just gets cold when you let out a lot of it. Simple chemistry, ideal gas laws... PV=nRT, you change the P (pressure) so it is lower, and the only thing on the other side of the equation that can change is T (temperature). V (volume) stays the same, since that's the can itself.

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That has my vote for post of the day. Hilarious stuff. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

To make this post somewhat on topic I will give my two cents. I just use compressed air to clean out the computers we have. It seems to work well.

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I laughed when I first heard it also but then I found out that many computer techs do it. Water doesnt hurt things like mice, keyboards, circuit cards, etc. Only letting it air-dry, or worse yet not completely dry before using it, hurts it. Dishwasher, hair dryers, anything that can dry it fast is actually a good thing. Its definetly the recommended routine for coke spills.

I only tried it the first time when I found out that replacing the keyboard would cost less than $20 so I figured I had nothing much to lose. It worked great.

Note: microwave drying is NOT recommended. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

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Yeah I have cleaned alot of computer boards like video cards in the sink with water. Works great its the best thing for getting that 5-6 years worth of dust off with minimal effort.

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I've never had a board that's needed cleaning if I'm honest, apart from occasionaly de-dusting the processor and graphics card fans.

The oldest board I had and used was an old ISA Sound Blaster 16 which managed to hang around for years, before being shunted off to a different machine when I got a new motherboard that lacked an ISA slot. It was a true beast, one of the full length ones that filled the entire length of the motherboard. Not the oldest card I've got lying around, that honour goes to a unbranded 1Meg video card, but certainly my favourite

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Had a boss that spilled wine onto his Compaq laptop. He was one of those guy's who thought he knew everything when in reality knew nothing. (He was also trying his best impression of a human pickle, the man drank so much). Me and another guy had to pull his laptop completely apart and clean up every bit of spilled wine. Washed it out with water and dried it out some. He started harassing us to get it back, so we assembled it, gave it back to him and told him not to turn it on for another day or so to make sure it was dry. Dork turns it on same day, pop fizz, nothing. Dead laptop.

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You can clean a keyboard at a carwash!

Remember this site that Ruatha posted a long time ago? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif