Step 1 - Thermal Paste: Who Needs It?

Why Reapply?
Computers generate lots of heat, especially the processor. Therefore, on the processor sits on a heatsink, with a layer of thermal compound (paste or pad) in between the two. The compound and heatsink draw heat away from the processor to keep it from burning up. So having both (not just one) is very important. Not reapplying was my biggest mistake.

(Re)applying compound really is not that difficult. Most processors either come with a thermal pad already attached or provide detailed instructions on how to apply the paste/pad. Pads are very simply done. You just find the middle of the heatsink and place the pad there and then install the heatsink. Paste, however requires a bit more work. You need to place a small drop of paste on the die of the processor and then spread it around (add more if necessary) until it is about as thick as a sheet of paper. Your computer WILL NOT work if you do not (re)apply thermal compound.


Step 2 - Sharp Objects

Sharp objects don't agree with computer equipment very well. Screwdrivers are fine for the outside of the case, but for the inside, they can be deadly. Screws hold the motherboard to the case, so of course you have to use a screwdriver there, but don't use them for cleaning or some other use.

The only times when you should have to use a screwdriver on the inside are thus:
Removing the motherboard from the case
Installing/removing the heatsink retention clip
Installing CD/DVD drives, hard drives, etc.

When using a screwdriver, be extremely careful! If you slip, you can hit the motherboard and scratch or crack it (both not good). Also, if you are removing the retention clip, be extra careful. Hitting the processor can render it useless. Never use excessive force. You may need to apply force with the clip or a tough screw, but never press harder than you need to. Again, you could crack the motherboard or processor.

Screwdrivers are most likely the only sharp tools you should have to use on the computer. However, people do crazy things, so here is a list of things not to use:
Knives
Forks
Paper Clips
Pencils/Pens

You get the point. Never use anything that has not been suggested to you (by a reliable source) or something that you are unsure about.


Step 3 - Static: My Old Friend

When your friends would rub their socked feet across the floor and then shock you, you didn't like it, did you? Well, neither does your computer. Static electricity can be sent through circuits in a computer and fry them. This, of course, causes problems. So, to prevent the risk of shocking your computer, follow these steps:
Always ground yourself. Whether it be by touching the inside of your computer case or by wearing an anti-static wristband, you must do so. This will remove static electricity from your body, so you do not fry the computer.
Always work on a non-conductive surface. Working on carpet is NOT a good idea. Always work on a wooden table or set the motherboard on the box it came in (or other cardboard).
Wear sensible clothing. Nylon pants, socks, and a wool hat is not proper attire for computer repair. Cotton pants and shirt is probably best.
Wearing gloves is never a good idea (not just for static reasons, but also for decreased agility of the hands).

Mainly just using common sense will get you by, but you may not have realized the damaging effects of static. If you follow those steps you should be OK.


Step 4 - The Vacuum

Ah, yes, the vacuum. A great tool for cleaning your house, but not your computer. I decided that when I was working on my computer that it would be a good idea to clean it while I had it out of the case. I pulled out my vacuum, flipped the switch, and inevitably doomed my computer.

While vacuums may work fine for cleaning the case, and may get the dust out of all the nooks and crannies of your motherboard, they are very dangerous. Vacuums can cause a great amount of static electricity (the bad stuff we learned about earlier). This could shock your computer and destroy the circuits. In addition to that danger, there is another risk. Unless you have very small attachments for your vacuum, the hoses and nozzles are very big and clumsy. You could easily knock a capacitor loose or break it off. This would cause major problems. While this might be less likely to happen than the static shock, it is still a concern.

Don't worry, though, there are other ways to clean your computer. If you are wanting to remove the dust from the small places in your motherboard (or any other small places in the computer), feel free to use canned air. Canned air provides a very low risk of static shock and is also less clumsy. Canned air can be found at an office supply like Office Max or Best Buy. It is fairly inexpensive at about 6 USD a can (they go a long way if used sparingly). I highly suggest using canned air as opposed to vacuums.


Step 5 - Dusting the Wrong Way

There are right ways to dust, and wrong ways to dust. More wrongs ways than right and so I think you should know the difference. There are many more wrong ways than I will list, but you should get the point.

First, using a cloth. This may clean well, but you can easily break something. You can accidentally bump a capacitor and break it or break a memory card clip. Also, static is an issue. If you are EXTREMELY careful, you can use a cloth to clean, but I highly recommend not doing so.

Second, blowing really hard. Okay, this is just stupid, for a few reasons. One, when you exhale, you expel moisture into the air and getting your motherboard wet is not good. Two, it doesn't clean too well, if anything it makes cleaning worse. The moisture can makes dust and dirt stick, just making your job more difficult.

Third, using your finger. Your fingers have oils on them that can cause problems and make dust stick which puts right back where you started. You can also, as when using the cloth, knock something loose or break something. Stick to something safer.

Now for the right way. As you learned in the last section, canned air is best. It cleans well and will not break anything. That is the best way to dust your delicate computer parts, like the motherboard and processor. If you use canned air, you should have no problems cleaning your computer.


Step 6 - What's One Less Capacitor?

When handling your motherboard, processor, graphics card, etc. you must be extremely careful. If you are not, you may damage something and cost yourself some money. This next step is very important to the "survival" of your computer.

Handling Motherboards, graphics cards, memory, etc.
When handling these sorts of things, you need to never touch the connectors (as on graphics cards and memory). Doing so may cause you to damage the connector therefore making the device useless. I suggest holding the device by its edges or underside. With motherboards, graphics cards and the like, placing your hand underneath the board can be painful, with all the connectors poking through, but it is very safe (to the board anyway). You can also place your hands on the edges were there are no connectors, touching VGA ports and things like that is okay. With memory holding the edge opposite the connecting edge is the best way.

We mainly want to not hold the item by any part that if damaged would cause the device not to work. For example, if you are holding your motherboard with your hands the on the backside (with all the ports) and the opposite side, and you bend the VGA port a little, you are not doomed. However, if you are carelessly carrying the board with one hand and hit the board on a chair can knock the capacitor loose, you will have major problems. So my point is, just be careful when handling the motherboard and do not swing it all around, just hold it firmly, but not too tightly, in front of you until you reach your destination.

Handling Processors
Processors are even more delicate than motherboards. When carrying a processor, hold it only by its edges. Be sure not to touch any of the pins, as bending or breaking them will ruin the processor. Always be careful when installing the processor and always set it down gently.

Following those guidelines, you should have no problems carrying your computer parts. Again, just use common sense and think of your computer parts as a very expensive egg...you break it, it's gone and you're out of some more money.


Step 7 - It Doesn't Work!

Gee, I wonder why! I you have done any of these things in the steps above, you most likely have a non-functional computer. If so, this next step will help you find out if any thing truly is wrong, and if so how to pin-point the exact problem.

First symptoms your computer may exhibit are a blank screen and no beeps at startup. If you have hooked you computer back together, pressed the power button, watched the fans start, and then started at a blank monitor...you need to disassemble your computer and place the motherboard on a non-conductive surface (like the motherboard box.). In order to figure out exactly what the problem is, we must only use the bare-bones of the computer.

After everything is disassembled, put the processor in (if you took it out), the memory in, and plug in the power supply and monitor (if you have a graphics card, attach that too). Turn the power supply and monitor on. Then, where you would normally attach the power button from your case (the two pins on the motherboard), use a screwdriver to jump the circuit. Place the screwdriver in between the two pins to make them touch. Everything will power up.

If the computer boots normally, that means the motherboard was grounding out the case. Usually this happens when the motherboard is touching the case. To keep that from happening, plastic offsets can be bought to be placed in empty screw holes to hold the motherboard off the case. If you still have a blank screen, however, remove the memory stick and try another working one. If the computer boots normally, your memory is busted.

If the computer still does not boot, try another working power supply. If that does fix it, the power supply was bad. If not, try another graphics card (if you used one). If that does not fix it, there is one more thing we must try.

If you did not remove the processor do so and check the processor over. If there are any cracks or discoloration, your processor is ruined. Don't feel too bad, I learned this from experience, so you're not the only one who makes mistakes. If you processor is ruined, and you have access to another compatible processor, try that to make sure the motherboard is still good. If it does not work, you will need to replace the motherboard as well.

Any of the mistakes in steps 1-6 could cause this to happen. If you follow my advice, you should not have any problems with your computer not working.

Thanks to HAL9000 for the troubleshooting guide in Step 7

Author Hall

This post has been edited by RiCHBoyZ: Sep 17 2005, 03:53 PM