# How to Clean CPU Fan?



## jimipiere (Nov 3, 2003)

*How to clean CPU fan?*

I have an AMD 2500+ Barton on an Asus A7N8X. Having huge cooling issues. 

Computer reaches 71'C when graphics are present, or too many programs and shuts off ( no warning) and then I have to turn it back on. Right now I am running minimal programs, with the side panel open at 40'C CPU (motherboard temp is stable. 

If I put on anything intensive i'll be burning at about 60'C and rising slowly for about an hour then ciao, my computer comits suicide. Faster if the graphics or computation is high.

My firts step is going to be to clean out my CPU fan. I've got all kinds of dust in there.

Its a socket A chipset ( I know this only because its written on the box)

Can anybody explain to me in basic terms how to take off the fan and clean it?

I'm good with software, but in the harware department, im only learning to crawl.

Don't have any air cans or anything, but i do have a healthy pair of lungs.

"Who does not ask, remains stupid..."
-oh so true!


ASUS A7N8X
AMD athlon 2500+
512 DDR RAM
geforce4 ti4200 AGP8X
80Gig WD caviar
onboard sound
xp home
Altec lansing speakers
365W power supply
crappy case, with crappy airflow.

j.:bandit:


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## V0lt (Sep 14, 2002)

Well, I would recommend you use a cotton swab to clean the fan blades. If you need to use a liquid to clean anything in your computer, make sure it isn't water-based, as that might ruin your electronics (I hear rubbing alcohol might work, but don't do anything until you get a second and third opinion). 

The heatsink and fan should come off together. You can use pressurised air in a can to blow out the majority of the dust.


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## cypher-neo (Nov 5, 2003)

*"#1"* may sound like an unusual solution for some of that heat, but it works...

*#1* If your are using the flat-style IDE cables, I would replace them with rounded cables. Not only are they lighter, but they also improve airflow inside the computer. I replaced my cables with rounded ones and the temp inside my case dropped about 20°F.

*#2* Drill a round hole in the side of your case and install a fan there.

*#3* Or buy a bigger case with more airspace inside. Bigger cases frequently come with bigger fans, or more fans.


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## SuperCub (Sep 28, 2003)

A word of caution: 

Stop the fan from turning if you use a blower because you can accelerate the fan up to a tremendous speed way past it’s design limits this will shorten the life of the fan if it doesn’t do permanent damage


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I wouldn't attempt to remove it, I just hit them with canned air, the dust flies!


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## Dveeder (Nov 2, 2003)

I would say a vaccuum cleaner/canned air combo is your best bet. what kind of heat sink/cpu fan do you have?


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## jimipiere (Nov 3, 2003)

*Sounds good*

Not removing them seems like my best option. Is there a bad side to that? I don't feel comfortable taking it off right now since im not sure if it is my problem, and wouldn't want to compound the situation.

Do i need canned air? can i just blow? or is that too bad. Just wondering.

anybody think that that is a bad idea. Just blowing on the thing while its still in place and maybe getting the rest out with a q-tip. lol sounds like an old wives remedy.


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## Volt-Schwibe (Jan 12, 2003)

i have a little brush that i bought at fry's for about 2 dollars.

i usually just reach in and scrub the heat sink and fan with the brush, and then i use some low pressure air, or canned air to blow it out.

blowing with your lungs is better than nothing, but unless you have it in your hand, its going to be hard to blow into there.

if you have a small plastic paint brush, or the little brush that comes with an electric razor, then you can use that, i have an assortment of these brushes.

the only thing i dont like about q-tips is that they snag.

a friend of mine used to convert his lung power to a more quickly usuable pressure by blowing up a balloon, and then using a straw and using it like a can of air.

it seemed to work pretty good.
(watch for slobber though)

make sure and check the entire machine for a blanket of dust, this can insulate quite well and raise temps.

~BoB~


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Well, you can blow on it, but the canned air with the little extension really does a MUCH better job. I also like the fact that the canned air is dry, no need to be concerned about moisture.


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## Volt-Schwibe (Jan 12, 2003)

yeah, canned air is about the best thing out there.

i dont like to stick it in cd roms though.

dunno if it hurts them or not, i just dont like the idea of it.

~BoB~


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

bob vila said:


> *yeah, canned air is about the best thing out there.
> 
> i dont like to stick it in cd roms though.
> 
> ...


It might not be a good idea to use it on CD's... that stuff can get pretty cold coming out of the can.... :brrr: ... and you might get instacrack cds! :O


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## Mental_Myopia (Oct 10, 2003)

Use the swab to clean the fan, and then canned air to clean the heatsink and other places in your case.

The round cables are an excellent idea! I use SATA drives now, so my cables are already small. LOL

As for cooling, how many fans have you got in there? Look for places in the case where you can mount more fans. Perhaps you see a grid on the back of your case with screw holes in the four corners of the grid. There may also be a grid or two in the front of your case. Buy some good 80mm fans to fit in these if you can. Set the rear fans to blow out, and the front fans to blow in.

If you don't have extra fan mounts, this Cyclone Blower, made by Antec, is quite nice! It clips into a PCI slot bracket, connects to a standard 4-pin power cable from your power supply, and provides great cooling! It runs between $12 and $15 retail.
Cyclone Blower 

And no, I don't work for Antec, and they don't pay me. LOL


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

FWIW, I think if you have more than three-four case fans, it's overkill for most systems. The most any of my machines has is two exhaust and one intake. I don't have any systems out of the 10 here that have more than a 10C MB temperature rise over the room ambient, most are only a few degrees.


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## V0lt (Sep 14, 2002)

> I would say a vaccuum cleaner/canned air combo is your best bet.


whoa, are you insane? A vacuum cleaner is one of the most dangerous ways to clean a computer, period. It produces TONS of static electricity and is an excellent way to fry a motherboard


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## Dveeder (Nov 2, 2003)

I dont like use the brush attachment to clean the mobo. lol. I hold the vaccuum about 8 inches away from the case to hopefully suck up some of the newly stirred dust. Never hurt my mobo that way.


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