Quote:
Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy
If you do decide to open the casing please bear in mind a couple of issues:
1) Stay safe! Don't attempt this unless you are capable of working with live electrics and please consider anyone else who might arrive on the scene while your busy pumping several hundred volts into your right arm 
2) Opening the case could invalidate any warranty and/or service agreement you might have, although from what you've told us so far I guess this isn't the case. |
Yes yes yes Stay Safe! Always unplug everything, and even then the power supply can deliver a lot of volts. Always good to have someone who knows all that electric stuff. They can even test your Power Supply for you.
Be careful cleaning inside the computer, canned air gets very cold and has been known to fry components and even brushes can carry a static electric charge. I know someone who lost their memory that way. Er, their computer memory.
Using one of the small vacuums made for use with electronics is a good way to clean. The anti-static bags that computer hardware is usually wrapped in is good have around. I put screws and such on it. One of those wrist bands that grounds you is good as well. I have a spray bottle filled partly with liquid fabric softener and the rest with water that I spray all over carpets and furniture where I'm working, and all over the place I live because its so darn dry here in winter everyone gets shocked grabbing door handles and the like. I haven't had any problems with it staining anything but your mileage may vary.
As for voiding warranties......I keep forgetting that part because I build my own systems. They have no warranty, other than what the hardware comes with.
If it comes down to it, I've probably voided the warranty on my laptop. I'm sure I downloaded a driver for a piece of hardware that came from the manufacturer and not the retailer. It was for the touchpad.
Thanks for bringing up all that additional information MC.
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Rhiannon