ICt Technician query

[tonyuk83]

This is question is for more the technicians that work in schools. Do you in school holidays go round and clean inside all computers, getting rid of the build up of dust etc? Currently we do not but just wondering what others did in the same job?

 

Your thoughts?

[fairm010]

This is done here once a year in the summer holidays and applies to Servers (Although in a semi-dust free server room(, PC's, projectors. Anything that sucks air basically!

[abillybob]

Pfft no, that'd be a bit time consuming with 500 laptops and a load of Macs! It does take years and year for dust to build up to a level where it can actually damage the hardware!

 

Edit: Scratch that I do, do it on Projectors twice a year and on servers once a year! But not every single computer,

Edited July 3, 2014 by abillybob

[Callum]

We don't. In the words of the Network Manager, "as if we don't have enough to do".

[siuko]

Generally we dont clean them out here on a regular basis...

 

But every few years if we notice any 'OMG how much dust is in this computer' we will then do clean of all the computers in that room lol

[hardtailstar]

I dust projectors termly or when Im replacing bulbs,

 

We use laptops so thats not really an issue of dusting.

[elsiegee40]

Servers get done if I ever have cause to shut them down. Projectors get done in the holidays. Everthing else collects dust bunnies

[sonofsanta]

Only if we're otherwise moving the PC or upgrading it. We did go through a phase of tidying cables in a lot of rooms (some were a mess) and cleaned them out then, but by and large: it takes forever. No thanks.

[Meldrew]

IMO, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

Meldrew

[APMerry]

Only the projectors, they get done in the summer. We don't generally clean the PCs unless they are obviously filthy.

[pete]

Desktops: If we notice (or the art dept sheepishly walks in and say "so.......we spilled a lot of X near a computer"), but generally no.

 

Laptops: We'll eyeball the intakes when they're in for some work as part of the "so, has this been abused since we last saw it" check.

 

Servers: The room has positive pressure, so it's not an issue.

[Norphy]

We have over 1500 computers... yeah, not gonna happen

[MatthewL]

Nope unless I have a PC in and I happen to notice it.

[robjduk]

projectors get a quick squirt of air once a year and machines if we know there may be an issue due to age. Saying that I am surprisingly low on tasks this summer (thank you Chromebooks) so may be opening machines to have a tidy this year but its an exception to my normal schedule.

[daveyboy]

We do every computer in the school in the holiday. Gives us a chance to tidy things up, replace broken / stolen bits, clean and disinfect mice / keyboards / monitors & more importantly - give the bill for damage to our finance team who automatically deduct the responsible departments budget for September....

[MatthewL]

For those of you that use cans of air, I would recommend getting a small compressor, works out a lot cheaper and you can get a bit more power out of them for a cleaner looking PC. I was going to buy one till I found out my mate around the corner has a nice little one which does the job nicely.

[johnat1121]

Just don't use the compressor on the projector when its on

[FN-GM]

Only projectors really here. Just because the filters do get a little clogged. Our PC's don't seem to drag dust in. What would the point in cleaning them out anyway? If they break get it fixed under warranty.

 

Just don't use the compressor on the projector when its on

 

Did that with canned air once. The year 11 class was impressed with my flame thrower!

[matt40k]

go round and clean inside all computers, getting rid of the build up of dust etc?

 

Though that was what work experience was for? Failing that, one of the tasks of a apprentice

 

Still could just be me though, I don't drink tea\coffee, so they need to do something

[Fazza]

The only things we (have time to) air dust are our Servers and Data Projectors and we only do those when we move them. Just like a few other people, we don't use cans of air any more since we came across the Datavac Electric Duster which we paid around £49 for which in under a year saved us money on expensive air duster cans.

[jonawd]

We used to do this to projectors, fairly regularly (couple of times a year).

Those in CDT got done much more regularly.

 

PC's were only done if they were in my office getting looked at. Otherwise the only one that got done was mine when i was adding new bits.