Keeping it cool One very important factor in keeping your PC running properly is keeping it cool. Unfortunately, this factor is overlooked more frequently than a dwarf at a NBA player's convention. Let's say it all together: "Heat is the PC's worst enemy!" If your PC gets too hot, it will eventually fail. The symptoms are usually very weird and unpredictable. It can range from programs suddenly crashing to BSODs (Blue Screen Of Death) to random rebooting. How would you feel if somebody cranked up the heat in your office and forced you to work in temperatures well above 100F? Not so good either, I bet. In the last few months I've worked on several PCs that had potential heat issues and I felt compelled to write a few lines about it to save others the headaches of running into heat problems. How can a PC get hot? There are many sources of heat that can raise the temperature in your PC. No, I'm not talking about the Tabasco sauce you dripped over your keyboard when you ate that bowl of chili at your desk, and no, I'm not talking about that Pamela Anderson (or Ricky Martin poster, depending on your taste) above your desk. Heat can come from external and internal sources. Let's take a look at those different heat sources, identify them and see what can be done to eliminate the problem. External Heat Sources Direct Sun exposure Is your PC sitting near a window where it is exposed directly to sun light? Then move it. That pale beige color of the case is natural and won't tan no matter how long it sits in the sun. Move the PC into a spot where it is safe from sun rays. Heating Systems Is your PC sitting next to a radiator? Is there a floor heating vent next to it? Do you have a space heater under your desk right next to your PC? Then move it. Other Heat Sources Is your PC sitting in between your stove, the microwave, the TV and/or your stereo? Then move it. They are all producing heat which your PC won't like. Lack of Ventilation Is your PC crammed into the corner between your desk and the wall like a cork into a bottle neck with no room for air circulation? Then move it. Air is the main source of cooling, but without it your PC will overheat. Move it out of any confined spaces and give it about a foot all around for proper air circulation. Dirt I've opened up some PC cases that were beyond disgusting. I've found ants, spiders, spider webs, twigs, leaves and dust bunnies the size of basketballs inside some PCs. Dirt clogs up the few holes in a case that supply air and can cause fans to stop working. As part of your preventative maintenance, get a few cans of compressed air (be sure to get the one that doesn't harm the ozone layer) and blow out the inside of your PC regularly. Needless to say, my tool kit now includes a 10 horsepower leaf blower, an air-filtered face mask, rubber gloves and a gallon of Iodine. Internal Heat Sources The Processor The processor (or CPU) is the most important part to be cooled. A lot of electricity flows through the CPU while it's working, and electricity means heat. The more and the harder it has to work, the hotter it gets. And with today's blazingly fast CPUs pushing the envelope more and more, heat is becoming a major issue. No matter what type of CPU your PC has, it needs a heat sink to help it stay cool. A heat sink is a weird looking metal contraption that's strapped onto the CPU to help heat dissipate faster. The best way to describe a heat sink I guess would be that it looks like a three-dimensional metal comb but without the dandruff and the hair. A lot of times the heat sink in a pre-built system is not the best. A good heat sink is at least an inch deep and has at least one fan mounted on it to blow away the hot air. If your heat sink is pretty flat and/or has no fan on it, you should consider getting a better one. But the best heat sink won't work if it's not mounted right. Every heat sink has a metal plate that fits over the CPU and ensures the best possible heat transfer from the chip to the heat sink. But no matter how careful you mount the heat sink, there is always a small gap somewhere. For that purpose, there is something called heat sink compound, a white silicon- based paste. To make sure your CPU is cooled properly, turn the PC off and take off the case. Locate the CPU and heat sink. Note: If you're unable to locate it after one hour of searching with the help of a flash light, let somebody help you since this procedure should be performed with care. Remove the CPU from its socket on the motherboard. Now remove the heat sink from the processor and look at the side that touched the CPU. You'll now see the metal plate I mentioned earlier. Was there anything between the metal plate and the CPU? White paste? Sticky tape? Nothing? Either way, here's how to do it right: Carefully spread a pea-sized dollop of the compound with your finger into a thin layer on the metal plate of the heat sink. I recommend washing your fingers before inserting them into your mouth. I don't think the stuff is poisonous (after all, I'm still alive - I think) but it tastes pretty bad. Anyway, now put the heat sink on, but don't secure it yet. Pull it off the CPU again - straight up, don't slide it - and look for spots that are still smooth. They will need a tad more since they did not touch the heat sink. Once this is covered, put the heat sink on and be sure to reconnect the cable for the CPU fan either to a connector on the motherboard or a free power cable from the power supply. This is very important as a improperly cooled CPU will have problems. And even if you bought your system pre-built from a computer store, please take a moment to check this. I have encountered many systems (pre-built by professionals, mind you!) that had no heat sink compound, a really cheap heat sink without fan, or incorrectly mounted heat sinks that didn't even touch the CPU! Other Electrical Components In addition to the CPU, there are plenty more chips in your PC that produce heat due to the electricity flowing through such as the motherboard, the memory, and additional cards, such as video cards, sound cards, etc. Especially newer video cards are getting so hot that they come with their own heat sink and even fan. The best way to cool these parts is by making sure that there is a steady flow of air through the case. Ideally, you should have two additional fans in the case. Look at the bottom front of the case. There might be a funny plastic contraption with no obvious purpose. Take it off and you will see that it is made to hold a fan. If there is no plastic contraption, you will see just four holes in the metal to mount the fan on. Measure the width between the screw holes so you know what size fan to buy. Now look on the back of the case. If you have a mid-tower case, there should be another place to put a fan right underneath the power supply. If you have a full-tower case, there will be a place for a fan right above the power supply. Again, measure the distance between the screw holes and get a fitting fan. Now the trick is this: The fan at the bottom front should be mounted to blow air INTO the case. The fan at the rear middle or top should be mounted to blow air OUT of the case as it sits higher up and hot air usually rises to the top. At least on this planet it does. The fan has usually a marking on it, a small arrow, that indicates the direction of air flow. Be sure that the air flow is not blocked by loose cables hanging in the way. Tie them together and out of the way with some bag ties. You should now have a nice flow of cool air through the case with fans exhausting the hot air. Drives Heat is also created by drives. Especially with hard drives now turning at 7200 or even 10,000 RPM, they produce a lot of heat. Same with CD-ROM drives. After using a CD for an extended period of time, e.g. playing a music CD or accessing a data CD for a while, take out the CD and touch it with your finger. Surprisingly warm, isn't it? To avoid heat build-up from drives, mount them apart from each other if possible. If you have multiple drive bays and don't use them all, try to leave a free bay between drives. If you have a full-tower case, you might even have some mounting points for extra fans at the side of the drive bays. Case Another cause for heat problems can be the computer case itself. A bigger case makes for better air flow. A small crammed case can cause problems. There is no reason to buy a small case, like a micro or mini tower. Sure, you might save a foot in height and a few inches in depth, but if you can't afford that little bit of extra space, you might want to consider getting a bigger apartment. Also, if you ever plan to upgrade your computer or replace parts, you'll be grateful for every cubic inch of space you have to move around inside the case, believe me. The other day I worked on a Compaq Presario that was about the size of a official NBA approved basketball. In order to add another stick of memory, I had to remove the power supply, the floppy drive, the hard drive and unhook the CD-ROM drive! Cool it This type of preventative maintenance can save you from potential problems in the future. Take the time to make sure that your PC is properly cooled. Even if you apply every single step listed above, it will cost you only a trip to the store and an hour of your time. If your PC already is cool, then great. You now have the piece of mind of knowing that it is. If it wasn't, then you might extend the life span of your PC and save yourself a headache or two. http://www.PCNineOneOne.com