When speaking in regards to your computer, dust bunnies are not welcome creatures. Dust bunnies lurk inside of your PC, normally go undetected for months. Just like real bunnies, these dust bunnies also multiply over time if not checked and kept under control.
These computer dwelling dust bunnies actually can cause an effect on your system, and usually not a welcome one. It can cause overheating of your internal environment. It can clog up vent holes and slow the air flow necessary to keep your system cool.
Dust bunnies may also end up on the CPU (Central Processing Unit) Heat Sink. The Heat Sink's only job is to pull heat away from the CPU chip, which gets really hot, REALLY fast. The Heat Sink works just like to teaspoon in your morning coffee; it draws heat away from the coffee which allows you to drink it without scolding yourself. Keeping the CPU cool is great; however, keeping the Heat Sink cool is job for the CPU Heat Sink FAN (i.e. CPU FAN).
The problem lies in the fact that air is forced through the Heat Sink fins by the CPU Fan. When Dust Bunnies manage to clog the fins of the Heat Sink, then keeping the Heat Sink cool is not as efficient. PC's normally shut down when the CPU reaches a certain temperature. It works as a safety measure so as not to burn out the CPU.Having the computer system shutdown as a safety measure is fine, but normally is very inconvenient because it shuts down without warning. You can't save your work, send that last e-mail, post your latest blog or even update your FaceBook entry. It literally just shuts down, you won't have a choice.
A clean Heat Sink should allow clear view of the CPU and motherboard through the Heat Sink fins.
Keeping your system clean is something that should be performed at least once every six months. If every six months you clean your system and it is highly populated by Dust Bunnies, then clean it every four months. However, if your system is clean at the six month interval, then clean your system every nine months. Your working environment will dictate how often to clean your system.
Even if you perform this routine preventive maintenance to rid yourself of Dust Bunnies or have a professional clean your system for you, this should be a normal and routine operations such as changing your oil every 3,000 miles.
Remember, not all bunnies are "cute and cuddly".
Carlos Soto
Geeks On Call
1-800-905-GEEK begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-905-GEEK end_of_the_skype_highlighting
