For more products, please select a category from the top of this pageAlthough it doesn't happen often, a good zap of static electricity can kill a PC, either while it's running or when you're or working on it. You've probably heard it before, but in this video, Patrick Norton and Michael Hand from DIY Tryin put the warning to the test. You've probably heard that you should ground yourself while working on computers, or wear an anti-static strap while you build that new rig you just spent several hundred dollars on. Truth be told, most of us don't bother. The odds of a static discharge are so low, many of us will build tons of computers and never zap anything. However, it's important to go into the risk with both eyes open, and using a Van de Graaff generator as the source for their sparks, Patrick and Michael proceed to zap their PC's critical components to see what lives and what dies. The end result, if you can't watch the video, is that sadly just about everything dies, most of it pretty quickly.

Obviously if you're in a high humidity, static free environment (like a PC building lab or a datacenter) you have less to worry about, but if you're assembling your new PC on a carpeted floor, you may want to at least try to remember to ground yourself on the metal of the case every now and again if you don't feel like wearing a strap. If your home is specifically prone to static electricity, we have some tips to keep your PC safe, and to keep you comfortable at the same time. Can Static Electricity Kill Your PC? | Long story short, my server room is a bit ... dirty. Just had a little construction done, and there is pretty nice layer of dust on a few systems. From my knowledge, I can either: Use an Anti-Static vacuum Use an air compressorAny recommendations on particular Anti-Static vacuums? (I don't want a little belkin "wand", I want a real vacuum if I'm going to buy one.) EDIT: Below pauska posted a comment. Is anyone else willing to verify this statement?

There are special anti static vacuum cleaners aviable, but I really do not see the point of using that instead of a normal vacuum cleaner with a plasticJust make sure youre grounded with a wristwrap and it really shouldnt be any problem. I have always been told to never use a normal vacuum on a computer. I've never seen evidence. It's just what I've always been told. Personally I'd use a combination of the compressed air with a regular vacuum in close proximity to "inhale" the dust after it has been blown off the boards. an air compressor will just blow the dust around to settle elsewhere in the data center. I'd vote for a vaccumm solution. As a follow up, we ended up buying a 3M ESD Safe Toner Vacuum. It works great, and I've had no problems during the clean up process. It comes with many attachments, and is the single tech product that sucks on purpose. Vacuum cleaner with a plastic endpiece (anti-static like you said) is the way to clean stuff when you can't blow the dust away with compressed air.

Using compressed air inside a server room is not very clever as the dust will circulate and eventually drag inside the servers.upright vacuum cleaners dyson We have a local company named DPEnvironmental that comes in to clean our room. where to buy hoover vacuum cleaner beltsThey somewhat oversell themselves, talking about how terrible dust can be, but they don't charge too much and they do a good job, quickly vacuuming the whole room and the servers and switches w/out ever damaging anything.belts for hoover vacuum cleaner There is a company around here that does server room cleaning. It's not really worth it, but in terms of saving my time or a co-workers, having a couple people come in with good HEPA vacuums seemed reasonable every couple of years.

If I had to do it myself in the next little while, I'd get the company to buy a decent consumer HEPA vacuum and use that. We have an A/C that keeps the humidity high enough that I wouldn't worry about static. Well, now that I've read this thread, I probably would worry about it, but we have grounding straps in the company's electronic lab, so I'd probably use those. I tend to use a specialist company for this sort of thing, who wants to explain to their directors why their servers are broken when you're caught holding the dustbuster ;)Browse other questions tagged server-room cleanup or ask your own question.Cleaning your computer is essential to keeping it in good shape. Learn all about computer clean up in this free lesson. Keeping your computer physically cleanDust isn't just unattractive—it can potentially damage or even destroy parts of your computer. Cleaning your computer regularly will help you keep it working properly and avoid expensive repairs.Watch the video below to learn how to keep a computer clean.

Cleaning the keyboardDust, food, liquid, and other particles can get stuck underneath the keys on your keyboard, which can prevent it from working properly. The basic cleaning tips below can help keep your keyboard clean.Unplug the keyboard from the USB or PS/2 port. If the keyboard is plugged into the PS/2 port, you will need to shut down the computer before unplugging it.Turn the keyboard upside down and gently shake it to remove dirt and dust.Use a can of compressed air to clean between the keys.Moisten a cotton cloth or paper towel with rubbing alcohol and use it to clean the tops of the keys. Do not pour alcohol or any other liquid directly onto the keys.Reconnect the keyboard to the computer once it is dry. If you are connecting it to a PS/2 port, you will need to connect it before turning on the computer.Dealing with liquidsIf you spill liquid on the keyboard, quickly shut down the computer and disconnect the keyboard. Then turn the keyboard upside down and allow the liquid to drain.

If the liquid is sticky, you will need to hold the keyboard on its side under running water to rinse away the sticky liquid. Then turn the keyboard upside down to drain for two days before reconnecting it. Please note that keyboard may not be fixable at this point, but the method above is probably the best option.To prevent this situation altogether, we recommend keeping drinks away from the computer area.Cleaning the mouseThere are two main mouse types: optical and mechanical. Each is cleaned in basically the same way, although the mechanical mouse requires a bit more work.Optical mice require no internal cleaning because they do not contain any rotating parts; however, they can get sticky over time as dust collects near the light emitter. This can cause erratic cursor movement or prevent the mouse from working properly.Mechanical mice are especially susceptible to dust and particles that can accumulate inside the mouse, which can make it difficult to track—or move—properly. If the mouse pointer does not move smoothly, the mouse may need to be cleaned.

The basic cleaning tips below will help keep your mouse clean:Unplug the mouse from the USB or PS/2 port. If the mouse is plugged into the PS/2 port, you will need to shut down the computer before unplugging it.Moisten a cotton cloth with rubbing alcohol, and use it to clean the top and bottom of the mouse.If you have a mechanical mouse, remove the tracking ball by turning the ball-cover ring counter-clockwise. Then clean the tracking ball and the inside of the mouse with a cotton cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol.Allow all of the parts to dry before reassembling and reconnecting the mouse. If you just want to give the mouse a quick cleaning, place it on a clean sheet of paper and move the mouse back and forth. Some of the dust and particles should rub off onto the paper.Cleaning the monitorDirt, fingerprints, and dust can make your computer screen difficult to read; however, it's easy to clean your screen when needed. There are monitor-cleaning kits you can buy, but they may damage your monitor if they're designed for a different type of monitor.

For example, a monitor cleaner that is designed for glass screens may not work with some non-glass LCD screens. The safest method is simply to use a soft clean cloth moistened with water.Do not use glass cleaner to clean a monitor. Many screens have anti-glare coatings that can be damaged by glass cleaner.Turn off the computer.Unplug the monitor from the power. If you are using a laptop, unplug the laptop.Use a soft clean cloth moistened with water to wipe the screen clean.Do not spray any liquids directly onto the screen. The liquid could leak into the monitor and damage the internal components.Tips for cleaning other computer surfacesFrom time to time, you should clean your computer case and the sides and back of the monitor to avoid a buildup of dust and dirt. Here are a few tips you can use when cleaning these surfaces.Dust is your computer's main enemy. Use an anti-static cloth to lightly dust your computer casing. Do not use furniture cleaners or strong solvents.Use a can of compressed air to blow out debris from the air intake slots.