Ever destroyed a GPU by dusting it?

[FoxEye]

Just put my old 7850 (backup card, been boxed for a year) in my main rig after using it to test a rig built from spare parts. In the spare parts machine it was fine, showing no artefacts at the BIOS screen. Did not go to Windows as no OS installed.

Anyhow, put it in my main rig, but before I do I decide to dust it. Firstly with the compressed air can then with the hoover to suck up the now loosened dust.

Anyhow, it now artefacts like crazy, and continues to do so when put back in the spare parts rig.

I guess blowing all that dust around has killed it?

The only other thing it could be is either the PSU in my main rig is killing GPUs, or the motherboard is. The 280X I've been using for the last year started artefacting a couple months back too.

On the other hand, they're both MSI cards, and neither appear to have VRM heatsinks. Is the mem on MSI mid-range cards prone to dying?

Before these two cards I've never had any GPU artefact, and I've never killed one :/

Intel integrated graphics for me now, yay!

 

[Rroff]

Its possible at some point during the cleaning/handling there was a static discharge that has done some damage (it isn't always noticeable).

 

[FoxEye]

Could well be. I didn't earth myself and the (plastic) hoover nozzle did touch the back of the card, as I was bumping loose bits of dust off of it

Will be a first for me if I've killed it with static. Never done that before

Apart from giving it a decent burial with full honours, I don't suppose there's much else I can do for it

 

[Drollic]

Those air cans can leave a residue. Better off with a blower for camera equipment.

 

[FoxEye]

Those air cans can leave a residue. Better off with a blower for camera equipment.

How good are they at shifting stubborn dust? The air can (when new) at least produced a decent blast of air (after about 50% used it was pretty anemic tho).

 

[Simon Belmont]

Those air cans can leave a residue. Better off with a blower for camera equipment.

I've been using air cans for years. I dust my rig once a week for years and years and never had this issue. I do earth myself when ever I take anything out of my rig. It's also best to be safe handling components.

How good are they at shifting stubborn dust? The air can (when new) at least produced a decent blast of air (after about 50% used it was pretty anemic tho).

I use a fine paint brush with air.

 

[Drollic]

How good are they at shifting stubborn dust? The air can (when new) at least produced a decent blast of air (after about 50% used it was pretty anemic tho).

They're fairly decent, but won't match a can of compressed air for power and would take longer to use. You may never get an issue with using the cans, but having seen the residue they often leave, I wouldn't ever use one. Cans are almost too powerful in the sense you could arguably push dust into areas you wouldn't want it to be. Ask about using compressed air cans in the photography section to clean lenses/sensors and see the reaction you get

 

[stooeh]

Only killed one GPU in the past - and that was by touching the molex pins the wrong way round on my X800 Pro - BZZZZT

 

[theforce]

... then with the hoover to suck up the now loosened dust.

I think using a hoover created static electricity that can damage electronic components. I would stick to a blower or air cans.

 

[FoxEye]

I think using a hoover created static electricity that can damage electronic components. I would stick to a blower or air cans.

You're right. A hoover was the wrong tool for the job. Given the amount of dust my PC sucks up, a jackhammer would have been more appropriate I don't know where it all comes from, but it must be drawing 99% of the world's dust into itself as part of some infernal scheme.

 

[Meaker]

Have you ever used a hoover around the little balls in polystyrene? It sends them flying up the walls with the amount of static charge it generates. That's what killed it.

If you are getting excessive dust build up in the case you should:

A) Use fan filters to reduce the dust intake

and

B) Make sure you have more air coming into the case rather than leaving it, this will produce positive pressure and reduce getting dust in the case from other areas.

 

[FoxEye]

I ballsed up when I bought my last CPU cooler... (Tranquillo) it stops the side of the case being put on, due to being too big So any thoughts of positive pressure, etc, are wishful thinking

I keep meaning to buy a new case... I just don't like the fact that they all now have the PSU at the bottom :/

 

[Begbie]

My 9800 Pro died because I never dusted it, the cable burnt through and pretty much destroyed the fan. Rigged up an Akasa Orange with some cable ties and it lasted for a few months before going on fire again though!

 

[chaparral]

Shattered the fan on one my 780ti's when it spin far to fast after blowing it with my air gun from my air compressor..

 

[BlackMaster]

I normally once every 6 months or so take my PC in the garden and use a hair dryer to remove the dust from the PC. The hair dryer does have a cold air setting, before anyone mentions the heat issue with that

 

[bru]

Don't ever use a household vacuum cleaner, they are ridiculous static generators.

 

[Caracus2k]

Don't ever use a household vacuum cleaner, they are ridiculous static generators.

This... its electrical component cleaning 101 don't use vacuum cleaners on computer components!

 

[V F]

Don't ever use a household vacuum cleaner, they are ridiculous static generators.

The nylon bristles.

 

[henson0115]

This... its electrical component cleaning 101 don't use vacuum cleaners on computer components!

or any other electrical equipment that you like

 

[FoxEye]

This... its electrical component cleaning 101 don't use vacuum cleaners on computer components!

/shrug. I've been vacuuming inside my PC for years and never broke anything, until this...

Probably the problem was that I was being extremely lazy, and actually rubbing the nozzle on the card to dislodge bits of stubborn dust, instead of holding it a few cm away like I normally would.