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03-07-2021, 06:58 PM - 2 Likes   #1
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Finally stopped my computer from crashing...

I got an old desktop computer a HP Elite Zxxx( I forget the model number) , I bought back in 2010. That computer kept crashing from the day it arrived. Back then, it was considered state of the art with 1T byte Hardrive, 8GB RAM , TV tuner, plenty of USB connections, but there was nothing "Elite" about this computer !

After spending hours and hours with HP tech support, I had to send the computer in. I got it back in about 3 weeks only to have it start crashing again. Frustrated, I spent another half a day with HP Tech support only to find out I had to send it in again for repairs. The computer would crash 10 or more times per day, sometimes wiping out all the work I had done. The second time I got it back the computer stopped crashing as much. It would only crash once or twice every 3 days or so. I asked the tech what was wrong with it and he told me they installed a new Mother Board.

Well after 10+ years this computer is still working, although it spent about 5 of those years in storage. I hate to get rid of it, because it came with Windows 7 and my monitor, printer and scanner are all based on Windows 7. The other day I noticed that the computer started crashing again for no reason, or so I thought. I Googled "Why does my computer keep crashing" and came up with a variety of reasons from downloading "special software", to de-fragmenting disk partitions, to messing with the Registers, to excessive HEAT.

OK I wasn't going to start messing around with Registers, or downloading dubious software, so I concentrated on the "heat" issue. I opened up the computer and saw that the 2 little fans were spinning normally ? However one of the fans portholes was a little clogged with dirt, so I used one of those Air-cans to dislodge the dirt. Then I took it one step further. I took one of my USB powered Personal Fans and placed it right in front of the Mother Board. Of course I had to keep the computer open. My computer hasn't crashed since ! I should have done this a long time ago....

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Last edited by hjoseph7; 03-07-2021 at 07:06 PM.
03-07-2021, 07:56 PM   #2
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Now, if one could just keep the hard drive alive forever...
03-08-2021, 02:45 AM   #3
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At work some of our industrial computer system racks require large floor fans pointed directly at them
to increase cool air flow and prevent crashing, especially in summer or during peak processing periods.

If you look at custom PC cases for system builders you will find they offer options for multiple fans, sometimes six or more.
Branded prebuilt computers usually have a single smallish fan for the power supply only, and perhaps a small one for the CPU.

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03-08-2021, 08:02 AM   #4
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Airflow is one of the most important points when buying a case to house "serious" components. Even though the miniaturization of components has led to greater efficiency... the smaller size just means they can put more transistors on a chip, and so you end up using almost the same amount of energy, and just a little part of that does not get converted to heat in the process - heat that somehow has to be removed from the mostly closed system - otherwise you'll encounter throttling (you lose processing power) or worse - like you did - the system will crash. I'm still using a very old case with modern components, where one of the "exhausts" is the power supply which sits at the top of the case. Nowadays power supplies get their place at the bottom of the case in a compartment separate from the rest. Then the graphics card blows out its heated air to the back, and I've got another fan sitting at the back of the case getting air out. And at the front of my case there are two fans that get fresh air in. In between there's a massive cooler that makes sure the cpu can operate at temperatures below those at which it would throttle. A fan curve in the BIOS makes sure the fans are barely noticeable in normal use and successively ramp up when the load gets bigger, for example when converting a batch of RAWs or playing a game.

Dust can be an issue for systems with otherwise good airflow. Make sure to remove dust from the system every once in a while. I've got some filters in front of my intake fans that I can clean under running water, but some dust still gets in. Make sure not to use a vacuum cleaner because of potential static energy that you could introduce with it. Especially make sure you don't make the fans spin by that - they are basically little dynamos: by spinning you could induce electricity into the board.

03-09-2021, 02:33 PM   #5
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I might be able to squeeze another 1 or 2 years out of it, maybe more but sooner or later I'll have to upgrade. thanks
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