How Does My 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.

Jason Barrett
http://www.computing-forums.com

---

What Does That Error Message Really Mean?

Surf the 'Net for about 10 minutes and chances rate... Read More

Are You Well Protected?

Winter?the official start of the cold and flu season. Though,... Read More

PDA Bible Free Download

Your Bible At Your FingertipsIt is fairly easy to find... Read More

MobiTV and Visual Stimulation Imput for Personal Cognitive Performance

Stimulus thru Caffiene or Visual Input?It appears that the Mobi... Read More

Ergonomics and Healthy Computing - Positioning Your Body For Maximum Comfort At Your Computer

Do you remember the old saw about how computers would... Read More

The Newbies Guide to Personal Computer Maintenance

When you turn on your computer, does it act like... Read More

Emulation Manual - A Complete Guide on How to Change Your Windows XP to Mac OS X

IntroductionMac OS X is the most technologically advanced operating system... Read More

If You are the Only User on Your Windows XP Computer, Do You Think One User Account Is Enough?

I am going to assume that you are running windows... Read More

Portable Technology: Getting to Know the Treo

Up until the recent past, those who wanted to take... Read More

Simple Overview Of Computer

Computer is an electronic machine work on the instructions of... Read More

Occupational Therapy and PDAs

Occupational Therapy Made EasierMedical downloads for the pda have improved... Read More

Advantages and Guidelines of Automated Testing

"Automated Testing" is automating the manual testing process currently in... Read More

Getting Started with HTML

The basic language of the internet is html. If you... Read More

Repairing A Corrupt .RAR/.ZIP Archive

Step 1:Open WinRAR and browse to the folder with your... Read More

Put Order and Information into File Names

Unless you place your faith in internal search engine software... Read More

Computer Geeks and Garden Gnomes

First and foremost before I begin my ranting it is... Read More

Cisco Certification: Building Your Home Lab, Part II

In the first part of this home lab tutorial, CCNA... Read More

Dynamite Comes in Small Packages - Tiny Personal Audio MP3 Players Pack Powerful Music Enjoyment

MP3 players are Hot! Playing music has come a long... Read More

Make Windows XP Run Faster!

A friend told me: "My computer startup seems to be... Read More

Password Nightmares

Good Morning Mr. Sampson. Please type in you Personal Identification... Read More

HTML Explained: Part 2

Get started creating web pages using text files and HTML... Read More

Top 9 Ways To Speed Up Your Surfing & Computing

It seems like fast never quite rates fast enough.No matter... Read More

Keeping the Windows Registry Operational

The registry is where the computer stores information about the... Read More

Five Simple Steps to Speed up Your Computer

Most people download and save so much information on their... Read More

Basic Computer Thermodynamics

That desk in front of you and everything else around... Read More

Your Computer Cant Keep Time

A computer needs a certain amount of information to operate;... Read More

JVCs First Three-Layer Combo-Disc Blu-Ray / DVD

JVC developed and used a high-performance reflective film to produce... Read More

Got Virus?

GOT VIRUS? Your Data is NOT lost forever!In the wake... Read More

FTP - File Transfer Protocol Explained

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a protocol that is part... Read More

Cisco Certification: What To Expect On Exam Day

Cisco Certification: Taking Your First Certification ExamYou've studied hard; you've... Read More

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 4 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More

10 Time Saving Keyboard Shortcuts

Time is money. And when you constantly have to divide... Read More

15 Good Programming Habits

1. Before sitting down for coding, you must have formal... Read More