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Cleaning Inside the Case

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J-Mac:
I remember about a million years ago or so I had a small handheld vacuum - battery powered - that came with a computer tool kit. It was OK; not too powerful, but then it didn't really need to be. There were better computer vacuums available but in those days I wasn’t spending a lot on those sort of things. Now, however, I don’t even see such animals around anymore.

Today I was swapping out both of my DVD drives and even though I do try to get into the case and clean up regularly, I can always find a few pockets of crud - mostly dust pulled in by the cooling fans or dust that just finds its way in through some vents - that manages to find a dead space and accumulate. I used a Black and Decker handheld rechargeable vacuum to get what I could, but those vacuums are just too large to really be able to get into the nooks and crannies where the dust hangs out. That cheap little battery-driven toy I had years ago did have a tiny little hose attachment that allowed me to get anywhere at all inside a computer case. Of course I also have an Electrolux canister vacuum with a hose, but that would be like a sledgehammer to kill a flea!

Using air dusters inside a case is kind of crazy - they just blast the dust all over the place, and none of it manages to find its way out. I save my air duster cans when they get really low-powered and I have occasionally used them inside the computer case: I hold the dust-buster vacuum, running, right up to the area I am going to dust and then aim the almost empty air duster and let 'er rip. The vacuum catches most of any dust that does kick up.

But I would love to have a little, battery-powered vacuum again that is made for inside computer cases. Does anyone know of any that are currently sold?

Thanks!

Jim

Gothi[c]:
Haven't seen those yet....
However, one thing you might want to consider is to put a filter in front of your case fans. These fans suck in a lot of dust, and putting a filter in front of them would capture all of that.

http://www.xoxide.com/lascutfangri.html
http://www.cooltechpc.com/c/ctpc/std/sku=120mm_fan_filter.html
http://www.quietpcusa.com/Fansis-Washable-120mm-Fan-Dust-Filter-P298C22.aspx
etc..

f0dder:
Be very careful when using compressed air inside a computer case - and never on a running machine. Compressed air tends to be pretty cold, and can cause water condensation, possibly resulting in fried PSUs.

If you do use compressed air, the trick is of course to combine it with a regular vacuum cleaner (which is just fine for in-case use in my experience), so you don't just blow the dust around :)

mouser:
i want to double what f0dder says -- i destroyed up a power supply by blowing compressed air into it.
i say: never never EVER use compressed air inside a computer case.

Edvard:
I clean my case regularly - every 6 months or so. My house is an older model and it tends to create dust spontaneously. So I unplug my box and let it cool down for about a half hour, then I lean it up against a fence outside and fire up the electric leaf blower!!

Dust-free in seconds and I've never fried any hardware :Thmbsup:

As for your original request, have you looked at any of the computer gadget websites?
Try the Metro DataVac line: http://www.metrovacworld.com/Shopping/category.asp?catalog_name=metrovac&category_name=computer&page=1
or this USB powered model: http://www.slipperybrick.com/2007/07/usb-vacuum-cleaner/

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