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GPU cleaning advice

hardcore_gamer29

Senior member
hi i have asus gtx770 oc edition now i want to clean my system.any advice on how to clean would be appreciated i dont want to damage my card so plz advice thnx
 
I use a air compressor to clean the biggest dust but it always leave a small dust layer and I remove that with a wet lint free cloth.

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Looks a little bit like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFlyMALJ6Z4

And after doing the compressor, I use a the wet lint free cloth to do a perfect cleaning.
 
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Also depends on your environment.

The computer in that youtube video is fairly clean, not much build-up removed. Also his computer case has filters, that keep the graphics card very clean in the first place.

But if you have pets, or smokers, or some other kind of dusty environment, and your computer case does not have filters, then your video card can be extra dirty.

If that's the case, and it's been over a year since your last cleaning (or never), then you should consider removing the fan/shroud from the video card to fully expose the heatsink, and then get the built-up gunk out from between the fins of the heatsink. The worst case I ever saw was a video card with a blower-style cooler (where the video card exhausts all the air out the back) whose heatsink fins were fully encrusted by bird (cockatoo) feathers that were hidden under the shroud and not visible until you removed the shroud (the immediate fan area looked clean).
 
I have carpet in the room and cats in the house, dust builds up FAST, I use canned air and a small car vacuum to suck the dust that gets blown off. Been doing this for over a decade now.

Also don't let your case or CPU fans spin too fast when using an air blower, you'll fry the bearings.
 
I also use a an air compressor for cleaning out my computer. My CoolerMaster Trooper series case is loaded with filters so most of the time I just have to pull those out and blow them off. Afterwards I do a quick clean up inside the case, which usually doesn't amount to much. As stated before be careful cleaning the fans. I usually just stick my finger or screwdriver or something to hold the fins form spinning and go all out with the air nozzle.

Air compressors are amazing for cleaning computers if used with caution. You don't need an insanely powerful one like I have in the garage.
 
Be careful with your air compressors they can spit out water. I use an air compressor to blow my computer out. I also have two water separators Inline to each air hose. Make sure you keep your tanks drained very well on these small compressors. The water from these things can damage components.
 
Strange coincidence. I just noticed that yesterday my gpu was running at 80 deg C under full load, which I had never seen before. I figured the fan was failing, but decided to clean it just in case. The load temp dropped to 55 to 60, again under full load, which is where it usually ran.

I just blew everything out with canned, compressed air, didnt even have to take the gpu out of the case. I do hold the fans with my finger or a screwdriver so it doesnt spin when I hit it with the canned air. Also have to be careful to just spray in bursts, since it can get so cold that moisture condenses out if you spray too long.
 
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