Regularly clean your graphics card (pics inside)

[R-CON]MrD · 07-30-2006, 03:36 PM

If you have a fan in your machine, you are going to get blockages that cause overheating, interfered with gaming and even hardware breakdown. Here is some graphic (sic) images and descriptions of the situation and why you need to check out your gear every so often and not just run your gear till it goes downhill in performace and then blow up.

here is my sapphire x800gto2 256meg card with the heatsink cover swung over to show where the skin/dust/whatever blocks the channels. The card was starting to produce artifacts and resting temps were 3-4 degrees higher than after a clean

here is a basic clean to unblock. i'd clean it further but i'm wary of anti static issues so just clean using a non-magnetised small flat headed screwdriver. the difference is as above, 3-4c lower

trogdor1289 · 07-30-2006, 05:15 PM

LoL Mr.D why did you let it get that bad?

Happy · 07-30-2006, 05:23 PM

Just a note, don't touch your graphics card while it is on.

Airen Cracken · 07-30-2006, 05:25 PM

You should remove dust with a can of compressed gas/air, it works better than a screwdriver ^^.

(Be wary of dust getting everywhere though

)

trogdor1289 · 07-30-2006, 05:25 PM

Aslo touch the case while it is off but still plugged into the wall to ground yourself then unplug it then do whatever. But keep touching the case..

A.J.Sawyer · 07-30-2006, 07:33 PM

Yeah, Use an ANTI STATIC wire.

[R-CON]MrD · 07-30-2006, 09:19 PM

this was after 3 months of use. i had to use the screwdriver as compressed air wasn't working or a good idea considering i didn't want the crap to go further down the heatsinks slots and get jammed there

APoutwest · 07-30-2006, 10:35 PM

I'm a big fan of using a new toothbrush

Happy · 07-31-2006, 12:46 AM

Never use that dust off spray can thingy. Instead of spraying air, it sprayed some type of liquid, totally frying my laptop.

[R-CON]MrD · 07-31-2006, 01:22 AM

you are supposed to use one of those squeeze bubble things, i have one for my digital camera to blow the solids off the lens before i bring a clothe in. it's the same principle as when you are cleaning your car really. jet wash the solids and stones off then soap it down to avoid scrathcing the paintwork

07-30-2006, 03:36 PM	#1
[R-CON]MrD PR Contributor Join Date: May 2006 Location: York Posts: 3,228	Regularly clean your graphics card (pics inside) If you have a fan in your machine, you are going to get blockages that cause overheating, interfered with gaming and even hardware breakdown. Here is some graphic (sic) images and descriptions of the situation and why you need to check out your gear every so often and not just run your gear till it goes downhill in performace and then blow up. here is my sapphire x800gto2 256meg card with the heatsink cover swung over to show where the skin/dust/whatever blocks the channels. The card was starting to produce artifacts and resting temps were 3-4 degrees higher than after a clean here is a basic clean to unblock. i'd clean it further but i'm wary of anti static issues so just clean using a non-magnetised small flat headed screwdriver. the difference is as above, 3-4c lower
	[R-MOD]Mongolian Dude: AH man, sarcasm is so hard to get across the web, even if we are both british [R-DEV]Jaymz: That has to be...the most epic response to a welcome thread I have ever seen. [R-CON]Mr.D ladies and gentlemen!

07-30-2006, 05:23 PM	#3
Happy Retired PR Developer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: East Coast Posts: 1,812	Just a note, don't touch your graphics card while it is on.
	Proud Killer of 38 Spambots. After much intense calculation, it has been decided that your thread is already in the forum that you wish to move it to. Deep Thought should be jealous. - Moderator Control Panel

07-30-2006, 05:25 PM	#4
Airen Cracken Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 10	You should remove dust with a can of compressed gas/air, it works better than a screwdriver ^^. (Be wary of dust getting everywhere though )
Airen Cracken Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 10

07-30-2006, 07:33 PM	#6
A.J.Sawyer Retired PR Developer Join Date: Feb 2006 United Kingdom Location: Not quite sure, I left my hole for a pee and got lost. Posts: 1,768	Yeah, Use an ANTI STATIC wire.
	Thanks Nick.

07-30-2006, 09:19 PM	#7
[R-CON]MrD PR Contributor Join Date: May 2006 Location: York Posts: 3,228	this was after 3 months of use. i had to use the screwdriver as compressed air wasn't working or a good idea considering i didn't want the crap to go further down the heatsinks slots and get jammed there
	[R-MOD]Mongolian Dude: AH man, sarcasm is so hard to get across the web, even if we are both british [R-DEV]Jaymz: That has to be...the most epic response to a welcome thread I have ever seen. [R-CON]Mr.D ladies and gentlemen!

07-30-2006, 05:15 PM	#2
trogdor1289 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Classified. Posts: 5,230	LoL Mr.D why did you let it get that bad?

07-30-2006, 10:35 PM	#8
APoutwest Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 275	I'm a big fan of using a new toothbrush
APoutwest Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 275

07-31-2006, 12:46 AM	#9
Happy Retired PR Developer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: East Coast Posts: 1,812	Never use that dust off spray can thingy. Instead of spraying air, it sprayed some type of liquid, totally frying my laptop.
	Proud Killer of 38 Spambots. After much intense calculation, it has been decided that your thread is already in the forum that you wish to move it to. Deep Thought should be jealous. - Moderator Control Panel

07-31-2006, 01:22 AM	#10
[R-CON]MrD PR Contributor Join Date: May 2006 Location: York Posts: 3,228	you are supposed to use one of those squeeze bubble things, i have one for my digital camera to blow the solids off the lens before i bring a clothe in. it's the same principle as when you are cleaning your car really. jet wash the solids and stones off then soap it down to avoid scrathcing the paintwork
	[R-MOD]Mongolian Dude: AH man, sarcasm is so hard to get across the web, even if we are both british [R-DEV]Jaymz: That has to be...the most epic response to a welcome thread I have ever seen. [R-CON]Mr.D ladies and gentlemen!

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