Simply for what it's worth, everything that Nick has written in Post #9 (some of which is not obvious; some of which is sound advice) matches my experience exactly. The one common and worthwhile aspect of all the preventative measures he describes is that they do not require any special skills or specialist tools to perform.
The only one additional comment I would like to add is regarding cleaning out the PSU. Some of us are aware (and I must assume that some reading this aren't aware) that the PSU contains capacitors that are charged to a high voltage and that those capacitors can retain their charge for a substantial period of time, once the PC has been switched off.
A shock from those charged capacitors may not be fatal - but could be enough to result in personal injury as you recoil.
Hence, be careful! Once unplugged, some people advocate discharging those capacitors with a low resistance; some suggest leaving the PSU unpowered for 10 - 15 minutes to let the charge leak away. Personally, I prefer the former method. Anyway, a check with a voltmeter will soon tell you what you need to know.
So with thanks to Nick for his contribution, we have a crash course in preventative maintenance for your PC . . . . you now have no excuses, gentlemen!
Al. / Oct. 19, '13.
The only one additional comment I would like to add is regarding cleaning out the PSU. Some of us are aware (and I must assume that some reading this aren't aware) that the PSU contains capacitors that are charged to a high voltage and that those capacitors can retain their charge for a substantial period of time, once the PC has been switched off.
A shock from those charged capacitors may not be fatal - but could be enough to result in personal injury as you recoil.Hence, be careful! Once unplugged, some people advocate discharging those capacitors with a low resistance; some suggest leaving the PSU unpowered for 10 - 15 minutes to let the charge leak away. Personally, I prefer the former method. Anyway, a check with a voltmeter will soon tell you what you need to know.
So with thanks to Nick for his contribution, we have a crash course in preventative maintenance for your PC . . . . you now have no excuses, gentlemen!
Al. / Oct. 19, '13.
