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Best way to clean inside of Mac Pro?

I got a can of compressed air, but I sprayed it to see how powerful it was before i actually used it to clean, and it covered my hand with the propellant. It doesn't always do that, but if it did spray that stuff inside my MP, what's the chances of damage? It evaporates in seconds, but what about any residue it leaves? Obviously my MP would be switched of at the time...

What the danger from static using a hair drier (on the cold setting) to blow dust out?

I would recommend taking the fans out to clean, I did it for the firs time (and stuck a dust filter in the front while I was at it) and there was a HUGE amount of dust hidden in there that I couldn't see, and under the CPU cover. My northbridge now runs almost 10ºC cooler!
 
big_malk said:
I got a can of compressed air, but I sprayed it to see how powerful it was before i actually used it to clean, and it covered my hand with the propellant. It doesn't always do that, but if it did spray that stuff inside my MP, what's the chances of damage? It evaporates in seconds, but what about any residue it leaves? Obviously my MP would be switched of at the time...
Click to expand...

i was told that the best way to avoid residue is to always shake the hell out of compressed air, and never spray the can at more than a 20 degree angle (from vertical)
 
That isn't propellant, its refrigerant. R-134a or R-152a specifically.

When you pull the trigger the pressurized liquid refrigerant vaporizes into moisture-free gas. When you hold it at an angle or upside down you're getting liquid refrigerant which can cause freeze burn if it contacts skin.
 
big_malk said:
I got a can of compressed air, but I sprayed it to see how powerful it was before i actually used it to clean, and it covered my hand with the propellant. It doesn't always do that, but if it did spray that stuff inside my MP, what's the chances of damage? It evaporates in seconds, but what about any residue it leaves? Obviously my MP would be switched of at the time...

What the danger from static using a hair drier (on the cold setting) to blow dust out?

I would recommend taking the fans out to clean, I did it for the firs time (and stuck a dust filter in the front while I was at it) and there was a HUGE amount of dust hidden in there that I couldn't see, and under the CPU cover. My northbridge now runs almost 10ºC cooler!
Click to expand...

I had this problem too. Made me very wary of using the compressed air method...
 
jhcodafa said:
well, now you guys are making me weary of the compressed air
Click to expand...

General consensus across the internet is that compressed air from a can is the way to go.
I think the issue might just be that I bought the cheapest, highest capacity can I could find. Paying an extra pound/dollar or two for a higher quality can is probably worth it.
 
With the can vertical you won't get propellant expelled - use the tip to bend, not the can.

It's the safest.

Don't use a normal air compressor - has amounts of oil and contaminents in the air.
 
hank-b said:
I must admit, I used my Dyson to clean the inside of my iMac G4 when I had it in bits on the kitchen table last year (I was installing a new hard drive). The suction is powerful enough that it could be held several inches away from the circuit boards (i.e. hopefully out of range of static sparks) and still suck up all the dust.

HB
Click to expand...


....Don't use any of the brush attachments, just use the long narrow thing.

But then again I don't vacuum the actual PCB,
just all the nooks and crannies, plus various flat surfaces. :D


Kinda feels like my MacPro vacuum my room, filters all the air!
Then i vacuum the MacPro... :rolleyes:
 
I use sopping wet bathroom tissue paper.

I think it works the best, I used to use paper towels but they don't fall apart as easy. :eek:

Joking.


Just run to best buy or whatever and grab a can of air, I use "Dust Off" by falcon.
 
I use a scuba tank with a fitting attached to one of the low pressure hoses.

The air in our scuba tanks comes from a O2 clean system and is filtered and doesn't have any oil or other hyrdocarbons in it like you might get from a normal auto air compressor. I got lots of scuba tanks lying around and got sick of buying those little cans :)

My 2 cents,
 
subaqua said:
I use a scuba tank with a fitting attached to one of the low pressure hoses.

The air in our scuba tanks comes from a O2 clean system and is filtered and doesn't have any oil or other hyrdocarbons in it like you might get from a normal auto air compressor. I got lots of scuba tanks lying around and got sick of buying those little cans :)

My 2 cents,
Click to expand...
If someone has a compressor system set up for painting, the filters catch the oil and moisture. ;)
 
I just used this electric vac which is a small mains powered compressed air blower - no cans required amd you don't get Water residue like u do with using expensive cans.

http://youtu.be/OMtxFKKjZmw

Ive heard however that it's not fit for industrial usage - ie will be fine if you use now and again per year vs every other day in a big it dept.

Available for around £82 from amazon uk with uk 3pin plug or $50 from America (it's actually a USA made product)!!

I also find its good for clearing air filters for vacuums etc..
 
Last edited:
pprior said:
No reason to be taking out any fans. Just blow some compressed air over the heat sink area and more importantly over the video card fins, which generally get clogged faster.

Blowing the case with a can of compressed air every year or so should be all that is needed unless you live in a very dusty/hairy (cats!) area.
Click to expand...
My Mac Pro 1.1 quit running from heat build up, so I thought dust/ hair might be the culprit. I managed to get the front fan out and discovered dog hair built up at the front of the processors. Looked like crud had come in the front ventilation holes and dropped down and settled in. In my case, I don't think compressed air would ever have lifted the dust enough to blow it out the back.

I used my compressor with one of the air jet accessories.
 
I need to clean my mac pros, but I never disassembled them. I am afraid I will break something, and they are critical to me. Does anyone have any information regarding the disassembly/re-assembly process ?
 
steveOooo said:
I just used this electric vac which is a small mains powered compressed air blower - no cans required amd you don't get Water residue like u do with using expensive cans.

Click to expand...


That would be about the worst way to do this, so please ignore this clip!

Daniel Santos said:
I need to clean my mac pros, but I never disassembled them. I am afraid I will break something, and they are critical to me. Does anyone have any information regarding the disassembly/re-assembly process ?
Click to expand...

Not taking the dust out is the main reason why Mac Pro's break down!


Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 20.24.47.png


It's so easy to take out the Processor Board Tray, not doing that will prevent you to clean it properly.
-Just push the levers in front of the tray and you will be able to take them out.

Especially the PSU is very sensitive for dust and the Optical Bay/ Superdrive prevent dust to blow out.
Like above it is very easy to take out the whole Optical Bay so you can clean the PSU.
Make sure the lever to open the Mac is in the up position, than you can easily pull out the Optical Bay.





Screen Shot 2017-09-01 at 20.28.24.png


I'm using an airbrush compressor with a water collector, the safest to use.
 
Daniel Santos said:
I need to clean my mac pros, but I never disassembled them. I am afraid I will break something, and they are critical to me. Does anyone have any information regarding the disassembly/re-assembly process ?
Click to expand...

You don't really need to disassemble the computer to clean it. You can just do a "field strip" (pop open the side cover, pull out the optical bay, and lever out the CPU tray). Those three steps should reveal everything you need to clean. None of it requires tools, or nuts, or screws, or bolts.

I miss my MP. :(
 
carpsafari said:
That would be about the worst way to do this, so please ignore this clip!

Why?



Not taking the dust out is the main reason why Mac Pro's break down!


View attachment 715491

It's so easy to take out the Processor Board Tray, not doing that will prevent you to clean it properly.
-Just push the levers in front of the tray and you will be able to take them out.

Especially the PSU is very sensitive for dust and the Optical Bay/ Superdrive prevent dust to blow out.
Like above it is very easy to take out the whole Optical Bay so you can clean the PSU.
Make sure the lever to open the Mac is in the up position, than you can easily pull out the Optical Bay.





View attachment 715492

I'm using an airbrush compressor with a water collector, the safest to use.
Click to expand...
 
Why?

Only you would ask! :cool:
You can't see anything wrong with blowing into a MP, with everything inside?

So you would just move a lot of dust around.
Very bad for the fans.
Very bad for the whole system.

Proves you know little about a MP, well computers.
 
carpsafari said:
Why?

Only you would ask! :cool:
You can't see anything wrong with blowing into a MP, with everything inside?

So you would just move a lot of dust around.
Very bad for the fans.
Very bad for the whole system.

Proves you know little about a MP, well computers.
Click to expand...

I bow down to you oh great one...

Sent from my still working MacPro 6 years later...
 
In the Land of the Blind, sure....

So you even admit doing such a 'smart' thing? WOW.
And you even see 'proof' in the fact yours is still working??

Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result, proves exactly the same!!!
 
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