• How to Clean
  Your Monitor
  
  
• How to Clean
  Your Keyboard - Part 1
  
  
• How to Clean
  Your Keyboard - Part 2
  
  
• How to Clean
  Your Case
  
  
• How to Clean
  Your Motherboard
  
  
• Featured Discussions
  Difference between
      WinRescue and XP
      Recovery Maker
  ISP and spam
  A1Click PC Cleaner
      suggestion
  adding virus
  Adding memory
  
  
• Questions on our
  Discussion Board
  
  

How to Clean your Monitor

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        Even if you never touch the screen of your monitor, it somehow has a tendency to collect dirt, dust, and fingerprints. Here are instructions on how to clean it.
        When cleaning any computer componet (this includes the monitor) the standard advice is do not spray any liquid on the component and do not use so much liquid on the cloth that it runs off the cloth. Instead dampen a cloth with the liquid and then wipe the component with the damp cloth. The reason for this is that the liquid could seep inside of the case through cracks or vents and short out or ruin the electrical circuitry. As added protection against this happening, you should unplug the component before cleaning and not plug it in until any liquid that may seep inside has a chance to dry (like overnight).
        If you clean the screen when it is off, you will be able to see the dirt and smudges better.
        Before cleaning, you need to figure out what type of screen you have. Either the screen has a hard glass surface or it is soft. If the screen surface is soft to the touch or if it changes color when you touch it, it is soft. Otherwise, it is hard. CRT monitors (which are the old type of monitor and TV that is not flat), most touch screens, and most tablet screens are hard, while most LCD or flat panel display screens are soft.
        There are some special don'ts for cleaning a soft screen. Don't use a paper towel or any cloth that could scratch the screen. Don't use ordinary glass cleaner (ammonia based liquids, like Windex). And don't press hard on the screen. Pressing hard anywhere on the screen could damage it (I know because my laptop screen has a pernament light spot on it because of this).
        First try cleaning the soft screen with a dry, soft cotton cloth. If that does not clean it good enough, put water or rubbing alcohol on the cloth. Only dampen the cloth. Do not get it so wet that the liquid runs down the screen.
        With a hard screen made of glass (as on a CRT monitor) you can use ordinary glass cleaner, but if the screen has anti-glare protection or some other special surface the ammonia in the cleaner could ruin it, so it is best just to steer clear of those types of cleaners. Water or alcohol should work fine. Hard screens do not require a light touch as the soft screens do.
        Once the screen is clean, turn your attention to the rest of the monitor. Wipe off the back, top, and sides or better yet, vacuum it off being sure to suck out any dust that has accumulated in the vents. Be careful not to let any cleaning solution run or drip through the vents. While we are talking about the vents, never let books or papers stacked on the monitor obstruct the vents. The vents are there for a reason. Obstructed vents can cause the monitor to overheat or even catch on fire.
        Even though the inside of a conventional monitor (CRT) can get quite dusty, it is not recommended to clean the inside unless you are an experienced technician because the picture tube contains high voltage even after the power has been shut off.
        A dusty, smudgy monitor may not harbor dangerous bacteria which could make you sick or even kill you, but still, don't you think it is important to be able to see the screen? So, come on, get up off your chair, find a soft cloth and water, and clean your monitor now.


How to Clean your Keyboard - Part 1

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        I know most of you will not heed this advice, but KEYBOARDS CAN MAKE YOU SICK (how's that for tactfulness?). Germs live on your hands and fingers. When you type, many of them jump on to the keyboard. When someone else types on your keyboard, those germs transfer to their fingers. Or when you later type on the same keyboard, those germs reconquer your fingers. Regularly disinfecting the keyboard can prevent this.
        To disinfect the keyboard, turn off the computer. Then spray disinfectant on a cloth. Be sure to use disinfectant and not just any type of cleaner because not all cleaners disinfect. Also do not spray the disinfectent directly on the keys. Spray it on the cloth. Wipe down the top and sides of the keys. Give the keys a few minutes to dry off before turning the computer back on.
        Now that you know how to do it, you should make it a regular practice to disinfect the keyboard. It's one step towards a healthier you.
        So you have your keyboard disinfected and life is great. Then your child spills koolaide all over it. What do you do? There are certain steps that you should take when something, like pop, beer, wine, coffee, milk, or kool-aide, is spilled on the keyboard.
        The first thing to do is immediately unplug the keyboard from the back of the computer and turn the keyboard over so that its keys are down. This will allow the liquid to drain out. You will probably want to put a cloth under the keyboard or at least make sure that the surface you have put it on is washable.
        Then use the mouse to shut down Windows and turn off the computer (this is important because later you will have to plug the keyboard back into the computer and you should never plug any device into a computer while it is on).
        While the keyboard is upside down use a cloth to dry as much of the liquid off as you can. If you have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, while the keyboard is upside down blow or vacuum it out. Then let the keyboard set upside down for at least a night so that it can adequately dry out.
        If the liquid that spilled on it was sticky, you may want to follow the extensive cleaning procedure explained in the next article, How to Clean your Keyboard - Part 2.
        Liquid spilled on a laptop keyboard can easily reach the hard drive, so turn it over immediately and leave it in that position until it dries.
        Keyboards are quite resilient and so it should work when you turn it on again. But if not, another attribute of keyboards is that they are cheap and so it won't cost too much to buy another one.
        With these pointers in mind and a quick reaction, you just may save your keyboard from total destruction the next time it gets coated with coffee.


How to Clean your Keyboard - Part 2

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        When it comes to cleaning your keyboard there are many methods that can be used, some harder and more effective than others.
        The easiest method is the Shake Method. It is so easy that you can do it right now. Pick up your keyboard, turn it over being careful not to press any keys, and shake it. See all of that stuff fall out? It is dirtier than you thought, isn't it? You can use one of the following methods to clean it further.
        The Blow Method - You can buy cans of pressurized air at the computer department or computer store which are made especially for cleaning your computer. They usually have either a hose and nozzle or a tube extending from the nozzle. Hold the keyboard up vertically (that means that end of the keyboard is up and the other end is down), aim towards the keys and press the button. Keep blowing until all of the debris is blown out. Be sure to get around and in between all of the keys. This can be done with the computer on, but it is better if it is off so that you do not have to worry about pressing the keys and coming up with a page of aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa's.
        The Vacuum Method - This is just like the Blow Method except that a vacuum is used instead of a can of pressurized air. It is quite simple. Just turn the vacuum on, pull out the hose, and run the nozzle over the keys. Before doing this make sure your keyboard does not have any loose pop off keys that could be sucked into the vacuum.
        The Cotton Ball Method - This can be done in addition to the above methods and in lieu of the following methods. Take a cotton ball or cloth and wet it with rubbing alcohol. It should not be so wet that the alcohol runs down into the cracks of the keyboard. Wipe the tops and sides of the keys.
        The Dishwasher Method - I hesitate to tell about this method because there is the possibility that it could fry your keyboard. When I had less experience with computers, I dunked my keyboard in a sink full of water to clean it. It did work afterwards, so I don't doubt those who say this method will not mess up your keyboard, but if it does, don't complain to me. I warned you. If your keyboard is not the standard membrane type of keyboard or if it is on a laptop, do not even think of trying this.
        This is how you do it. Unplug the keyboard and place it face down in an empty dishwasher. Do not disassemble the keyboard and do not put it in a dishwasher that has dirty dishes in it. Some say to add soap, some say not to. Run the dishwasher through a regular cycle. Take the keyboard out, shake the water out, and stand it on end until it is completely dry (this may take several days). If it does not work after doing this, it may not be dry. Let it stand another week and try it again. If it still does not work, I warned you.
        The Disassembly Method - This is the most thorough method, but it should not be done on laptop keyboards or non-standard non-membrane keyboards.
        Turn off the computer and unplug the keyboard. Turn the keyboard upside down. You may want to get two books or short boards to place the keyboard on. Position them so that they hold up the keyboard on the edges when it is turned over. This should leave the keys dangling and not touching the books or the floor. This is especially needed when the keyboard's back is off; otherwise the keys will be lifted out of their position by the floor (or whatever surface it is laying on).
        Get a screwdriver and remove all of the screws from the back of the keyboard. Lay the keyboard down on the books and carefully remove the back.
        Take everything apart and clean thoroughly. It is better to take the keys out one at a time and clean them so that you do not put them back in the wrong place. Wipe each one down with a wet cloth and then with a dry cloth. Any keys that may be hard to put back in, can be cleaned in place without removing them. Wipe around the keys as they sit in place and blow any debris out with your lungs (using compressed air or a vacuum may upset the keys). If you are really brave, you can remove all of the keys at once and give the frame a good wipe down too.
        Do a once over and make sure that you have cleaned everything. Then reassemble it all.
        Don't forget the keyboard's cable. Wrap a wet cloth around it and wipe it down. It may have an accumulation of grime that needs to be scrubbed off. Also if any of the letters on the keys have rubbed off, you can use a fine point permanent marker to draw the letter back on the key.
        Use these cleaning methods and your keyboard will last a long time and be something you can be proud of.


How to Clean your Case

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        There is nothing wrong with leaving spills, dirt, and stains on your computer case. After all isn't that what the case is for, to protect the electronic components inside from spills and dirt? This is true, but there are still parts of the case that need to be cleaned and checked if you want your computer to live a long and prosperous life.
        Unless you like looking at dirt everytime you look at your computer, you should go ahead and clean those spills, stains, and dust off of the case. You can do this with just about any cloth and cleaner. Do not use highly abrasive cleaners that might ruin or mar the surface and do not use solvents on plastic. A wet sponge will even work. Just make sure that the cleaner or any liquid does not seep into the inside through cracks and vents. If there is any possibility that you are going to get that messy, turn off and unplug the computer first and wait to turn it back on until any liquid has had a chance to fully dry.
        After you have wiped off the outside, it is time for a little inspection. Look at the blades of the fan in the back of the computer. Also look at any vents. Is there dust there? Is there a lot of dust and grime caked on to it? If so, that is an indicator that the inside also needs to be cleaned (I will tell you how to do that in next week's article - How to Clean your Motherboard).
        Some clean environments never have to have the inside cleaned. Some need it cleaned monthly. When I lived in Russia, even though I didn't notice it, the air was not clean. The fan on the computer would cake up with dirt and grime after about a month of use. And so I would have to clean the fan, vents, and inside monthly. If I had let it go for several months without cleaning, the fan would have stopped working and the computer would have overheated. Where I now live in the US, the air is clean and I have gone years without having to clean it. Again, the indicator of this is the blades of the fan and the vents. If they are dirty, they need to be cleaned.
        You can do some of the cleaning from the outside. First, turn off the computer. Then get out the vacuum sweeper and using the hose, vacuum out the vents and the fan(s). If you have compressed air (you can purchase compressed air from your computer store), you may want to blow air in through the vents (or intake fan if you have one) to loosen the dust and suck it out using the vacuum. If there is still dust or dirt in the vents or on the blades of the fan, you can use a Q-tip to clean them.
        If you do not have a vaccum, you can use compressed air alone. Always use short bursts to avoid moisture buildup. Start with the computer off and blow into every hole and vent. Then turn the computer on and blow everything except for the exhaust fan once again.
        With the case clean, your computer will look nicer and with the fan and vents cleaned out it will breathe easier and run cooler.


How to Clean your Motherboard

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        If you have not done the inspection mentioned in the previous article - How to Clean your Case, now is the time to do so. Look at the blades of the fan in the back of the computer. Also look at any vents. Is there clusters of dust there? Is there grime caked on to it? If so, the inside needs to be cleaned. If the fan blades are clean but it has been several years since you have cleaned the motherboard or if the computer is around cigarette smoke, it probably should be cleaned anyway. Dust and particles in the air (like cigarette smoke) can build up on the circuitry of the motherboard and cause it to heat up and/or corrode.
        The first thing that you need to do is unplug your computer. Then open up the case to get access to the motherboard. Cases open differently. If you don't know how to open your case, look on the back of your computer along the edge for some screws. These screws may hold on side panels or an upside down U shaped panel that covers the sides and top. Removing the screws will allow you to take off the cover. Other cases have the screws on the front of the computer. To get access to these screws, you must first remove the front panel by pressing a hidden latch. The cover is there to give easy access to the inside of your computer, so if you look hard enough, you should be able to figure out how to remove it.
        Remember that if you touch anything on the motherboard, you should be grounded by either touching the metal frame of the computer with your other hand or by wearing a special grounding device.
        The goal of cleaning the motherboard is to remove all dust and debris from the motherboard and all components inside of the case. This can be done using one of three methods.
        The preferred method is to use a can of compressed air to blow it out. Always hold the can in an up-right position to prevent the propellent chemicals which can damage or corrode components from coming out. Dust and dirt should be blown away from the motherboard and out of the case.
        Another way to remove dust is to use a vacuum. The common advice is to only use a battery operated vacuum because an AC powered vacuum causes static and static can ruin the motherboard. I have used an AC powered vacuum (before I knew that it was not recommended) to clean my motherboard many times and it has never caused any problems, but I may have just been lucky. When using the vacuum, keep the nozzle a couple of inches away from the motherboard or any other components so that it does not come in contact with them and so that any small parts are not sucked into the vacuum.
        If you do not have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, you can use a dry cloth and brush to clean the motherboard. Be careful not to dislodge or break anything using this method.
        While cleaning the motherboard, be careful not to unplug any cables or connections or to dislodge any loose components, such as, jumpers.
        Methodically clean the whole inside of the case going over all of the motherboard from one end to the other and all other components. Don't forget to clean the fans and heat sinks. Do not open up the power supply box or stick anything in it beyond the fan. If you do, you could get a shocking surprise and ruin your computer.
        If your computer does not work when you put it back together, something was obviously dislodged during the cleaning. Open the case back up and push all connections and cards into their slots. Look for anything that may have become disconnected.
        Cleaning the motherboard is probably the most dangerous form of cleaning but it is necessary to prevent an early death of your computer.


Featured Discussions

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Difference between WinRescue and XP Recovery Maker

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Find this on our board at http://www.regvac.com/forum/m-1148303634/

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FL33496 - Can you tell me the difference in the XP recovery features between WinRescue and XP Recovery Maker? I understand that one uses floppies and DOS and the other a CD and Bart's PE, but how are they different in features and the way that I use them?

Ray - WinRescue makes backups and recovers them (among other things). XP Recovery CD only recovers. It has the same recovery abilities as WinRescue except that it does so on a boot CD. It recovers WinRescue backups and the registry portion of WinXP Restore Points. The one thing that XP Recovery CD has which WinRescue does not have is the Crash Troubleshooter.
        Since XP Recovery CD does not make backups and it is a good idea to have registry backups other than the ones WinXP makes, you should have WinRescue to make registry backups on a regular basis.


ISP and spam

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Find this on our board at http://www.regvac.com/forum/m-1149802646/

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plonkeroo - I seem to be getting a lot of hacked emails. I use Mailwasher but I am unable to bounce them as they do nor seem to have return address. Many of them end up with this link: http://beststing.com/close.htm (do not click on this). The name says it all, doesn't it?
        What I don't understand is why the ISP (in this case Yahoo) lets them through. It's criminally irresponsible.

Ray - I never bounce emails in MailWasher because a real spam email is not going to have the proper return address anyway.
        I used to think that if ISPs would block virus emails we would not have a problem with them today but then I started writing a newsletter. Many issues of the newsletter have been blocked because they had certain words in them (mainly from the articles about viruses) and now many ISPs block the account that sends out the newsletter even though it has never sent out spam. Yet I see virus emails get through all of the time. That makes me wonder if ISPs would properly block virus emails anyway?


A1Click PC Cleaner suggestion

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Find this on our board at http://www.regvac.com/forum/m-1155589613/

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Chaz - I've been a long-time fan of A1Click and have had it since you first released it. I bought it for three of my machines and have found it extremely useful.
        The latest versions are improved over the older ones slightly (they didn't need much tweaking in the first place), which is great (especially the self-cleaning part, where it clears out the old .zip files). One more thing I think you should add is put a "Perform all scans" button in - that would be very convenient.

Ray - That is what Run Settings is for. It can run all of the scans if you set up the items in Cleaner Settings to do that. In other words, all of the items of the first two scans are in the Cleaner Settings section.

Chaz - Thanks - never knew that. That's all I will do from now on.

Ray - I recommend just running Clean PC. Anything else in A1Click can have results that you may not want.


adding virus

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Find this on our board at http://www.regvac.com/forum/m-1155750485/

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tinytwo212w - i was adding a virus program witch was from computer associates and i forgot to take the old one out something happened to my computer so now i can,t get e-mail or use the internet so would anybody know what can be done to save my computer.can some one tell me what does the registry do i down loaded a free registry cleaner and it is saying i have 150 problems with the registry it only cleaned 20 i don,t seem to have any problem with my computer.

dlwolff0 - Two antivirus programs on the same computer can cause all sorts of problems.
        The registry is where the instructions for your computer are stored. Two antivirus programs mean that both are trying to put instructions in the same place in the registry.
        Your best bet is probably to uninstall both programs. Then use Ray's Regvac registry cleaner [you can download a trail version for free].
        http://www.superwin.com/regvac.htm
        Once you have done this, you can then install the program you want to keep.



Adding memory

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Find this on our board at http://www.regvac.com/forum/m-1154806329/

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pakama - I have a dead computer about to go into the closet until I find a need for a large paperweight. Since the problem was a bad main board and processor, I am sure the hard drive and memory sticks are OK. Before I assign this metal box to it resting place I thought I might remove the memory and install it in another computer. The question is How do Ido that. I know the physical process, I think, but once done is there something I will need to do to adjust the start up process? I am guessing that Windows will find the added memory, but what about the initial computer startup? As a general rule I don't open the box, but thought I might make an exception in this case. An suggestions will be appreciated.

Ray - Just take them out of the old computer and put them in the other computer. That is all. Your computer will do the rest.
        They have to be the same type (but they should not fit if they are not the same type). Be sure not to touch the leads without being grounded because static can ruin them. If the computer does not startup correctly with them in there, they probably are bad. In that case, just take them back out.
        One of our issues of Ray's Computer Tips describes that - http://superwin.com/RaysComputerTips/Issue4.htm

dlwolff0 - The memory must operate at the frequency of the front side bus [FSB] of the new computer or higher.
        Older computers, prior to about 1998 or earlier, operated at 66 MHz or lower.
        Now, typical FSB frequencies are 400 MHz or higher. Obviously, old memory would be useless in one of these computers.
        So you need to determine what frequency your old memory operates at and put it in a computer with the same or lower FSB speed.

alanturk - I hope no-one will mind if I add my two-penn'orth here. People often say you should earth yourself when doing things inside a PC, such as adding or removing memory. This is basically true, but it's important to realise that the actual requirement here is to be sure that you (your body) is at the same electrical potential as the equipment you are working on. As we all readily build up large amounts of static electricity just by walking around, especially on carpets (I often draw a spark between my finger and a metal door-knob or a retaining screw for a light switch), this has to be discharged and kept that way throughout the operation. Thus it's no good at all just to touch a radiator, as some suggest. For starters, it's probably painted, and paint is usually an insulator; and in any case you can't be sure the radiator is earthed. Here's what I do: I stripped about 6 inches of the insulation from the end of a flexible wire; I attached the other end to the earth pin of a mains plug (without the other wires that carry live and neutral), and wrapped the long bare end around my wrist. With the PC plugged in to the mains (but switched off, of course), I am now sure that my equipment is safe. (You can also buy an earthing band from a shop, but why spend money when you can do it yourself?)

hpoehrli - Dear alanturk
        WARNING
        I am extremely unhappy with your suggestion of earthing the wrist on a live AC outlet.
        IF someone follows your suggestion and plugs into the hot pin, his or her memory could be lost forever! Even for careful people the wall outlet could be wrongly wired, according to accident statistics this has happened before!
        NEVER ground yourself at a hot wall outlet, just NEVER !
        I can imagine what you actually meant to say: Ground yourself at the chassis of the PC in question. So you will not introduce a differential voltage between your hand and the memory you are going to touch. This could well be done by using a mains cable connected to the PC, not to the wall outlet.
        (Now... I look at my desktop and realize, that it carries a outlet plug too. Oh my... someone could plug the writsband into that and fall dead, also not a good idea)
        So again, ground yoursefl to the chassis, find a individual way to do that, and make sure beforehand that the PC is disconnected from the mains: By unpluging the mains-cable on both ends.
        It is wise to try not to touch components and lines on the circuit board at all times.

alanturk - Thanks hpoehrli for your concern. I hear what you are saying loud and clear. Having worked in various electrical companies for many years I have become very cautious about how I connect things, and I'm sure I would never fall foul of the problems you mention. However, I should have taken into account that many others do not have my background and could be unaware of the potential danger, so I fully accept your reprimand!

Ray - Yes, always unplug the computer before working on it.
        To ground yourself, just make sure that you are touching the metal frame of the computer with one hand at all times. If you have a wrist band that connects to the frame or you make one, that makes it easier and gives you use of both hands.


Questions on our Discussion Board

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sleep mode

Program Recovery

Broadcasting Live from Web Site

do I really need a virus program & firewall?

Microsoft VM and Sun JAVA

uninstall adobe reader 7

Deleting Compress Old Files

RegVac does not run

Hosts file

Boot Straight to Desk Top

Change default PDF reader

Windows re-starts

Computer shuts down

bootable Caldera DOS CD with Partition Magic

Uninstall Invisible Programme

unable to play Literati on yahoo

totally uninstall

Discussion Board slow

EMMExclude in SYSTEM.INI

System Restore XP home edition

Am I not the Administrator?

Mp3 Theft?

RAM: more or less?

Cleaning Free Space

powerpoint attachment

File/Program Deletion

COMPATIBILITY A1 CLICK

What's the difference between Rip and Burn?

Update will not install

xp boot problem

Problem w/ W98SE networking

Norton on Vista machine

AOL Disk Cleanup

How to get rid of HP screen at Startup

Ghost Start up??

XP recognising Wireless Keyboard as laptop

My Computer will not shut down

CD Drive stopped working

Network setup

How to reinstall A1 PC cleaner

Startup screen on longer than other computer

Lost Program at Start-up

Old browser window pops up over new one

A1 version

kernel32 problem (Win98SE)

unwanted and strange fonts

RegVac in shock

Transferring Address Book in Outlook 2003



Thanks for reading,
Ray Geide