Worlds Dirtiest PC

[Legit-Design]

All computers should be like those cheap ass laptops. By the time the heatsinks clog up, the GPU and other BGA devices desolder themselves. Desoldering while use leads to poor contact. Warranty repair technicians only want to replace the whole motherboard which costs more than new machine. Who wants to clean some filters when you can just replace the machine? 

I know people repair those laptops by reflowing the BGAs, but that's not something certified repair technicians are prepared to do.

[retrolefty]

yeah but they would be easy to clean, much easier than opening up the computer and spending ages with the air duster spraying away years of dust

Yes, but the standard PC user does not know how to clean a filter.
He/she does not even know that there are fans there.
He/she will call the tech service and says: my computer failed, it's still in warranty, please come asap...
Talk to some tech support people: there are lots of lesson to be learnt.

 There was a rather viral tech support story that floated on the web where a user called tech support to complain that their computer wouldn't do anything. Long story told short, turned out there was a complete building power failure still in progress. Hard to belive as most building/office pbx system need building power, but perhaps she was calling from her cell phone?

[grumpydoc]

More gunked up computers here http://www.tomshardware.com/picturestory/565-dusty-pc-clogged-fan-dirty-power-supply.html

[Legit-Design]

There was a rather viral tech support story that floated on the web where a user called tech support to complain that their computer wouldn't do anything. Long story told short, turned out there was a complete building power failure still in progress. Hard to belive as most building/office pbx system need building power, but perhaps she was calling from her cell phone?

Also reminds me of this:

(old one but just saw this first time few days ago)

[mamalala]

Well, people letting their computers "rot" is one thing. But look what self-proclaimed "experts" can do:

http://www.dau-alarm.de/gallery.html

(Yes, it's a German site, but the images speak for themselves. Prozessoren = processors, mainboards = well, mainboards, Arbeitsspeicher = RAM, Laufwerke = drives,  Transport & Verpackung = shipping and packaging, Sonstiges = other)

Makes me giggle every time...

Greetings,

Chris

Edit: These are images of what service people and businesses delaing with their customers have to put up with.

[Tinkerer]

Well, people letting their computers "rot" is one thing. But look what self-proclaimed "experts" can do:

http://www.dau-alarm.de/gallery.html

(Yes, it's a German site, but the images speak for themselves. Prozessoren = processors, mainboards = well, mainboards, Arbeitsspeicher = RAM, Laufwerke = drives,  Transport & Verpackung = shipping and packaging, Sonstiges = other)

Makes me giggle every time...

Greetings,

Chris

Edit: These are images of what service people and businesses delaing with their customers have to put up with.

Seems like they could save alot of money if they provided directions on how to ship stuff and reject it if it wasnt packed properly. Gotta hand it to the people that at least tried to provide some antistatic packing haha.

[mamalala]

Seems like they could save alot of money if they provided directions on how to ship stuff and reject it if it wasnt packed properly. Gotta hand it to the people that at least tried to provide some antistatic packing haha.

Well, i think that anyone who needs directions to figure out that stuff should be sent back the way it was received shouldnt order "single"parts to begin with. And indeed, they rejected the stuff that wasn't properly packaged. It's in the comments of the images, which are only in German. Maybe Google-Translate can get the gist of it.

Greetings,

Chris

[justanothercanuck]

I once fixed a computer in a woman's house, and she was a double chain smoker. She had at least two going at any time. The walls were yellow brown with the smoke, and when I opened her computer I could not believe it was still working at all. It looked like it had been filled, not just some layers, totally filled with brown cotton candy.

When I got home, I left my clothes outside, went directly to the shower, and then went back and washed my clothes outside with the garden hose before I would bring them in the house. Yes, the smell was that strong.

I've had to fix those kind of machines, but I smoked (3/4 PAD) in my current apartment for 5 of the 6 years I was here (switched to vaping last year, and I'm moving next week).  I think I've only had to clean the insides once, and it wasn't that bad.  Not sure what these people do wrong.

[fluxcapacitor]

This is not me.

[fluxcapacitor]

From the dailymail.co.uk ,and the headline : Even the computer mouse has fleas! Revolting gallery of filthy home offices piled high with cigarette butts and beer cans   

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2221821/Filthy-home-offices-piled-high-cigarette-butts-beer-cans-make-commuting-living-room-nightmare.html

[Terabyte2007]

This is not me.

OMG! That's just nasty!

[lpc32]

Some good entries in this "spring cleaning" thread:
http://techreport.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93563

[GreyWoolfe]

This is not me.

OMG! That's just nasty!

EEEWWWWWWWW!  I agree.  I checked the link.  I would be embarrassed of my office/workbench looked half as bad.  I am not the neatest there is but I don't have plates of old food, don't smoke and mostly drink water so I don't have soda/beer containers all over the place.  I even dust!  My main issue is that I take things out and don't necessarily put them away when I am done.  After a while I get fed up and clean up.  Next week while on vacation, I plan a re-organization of the space. 

[Tinkerer]

I have always tried to keep things hygenic. "Organic crud" like food etc grosses the crap out of me and I can not fathom how some people operate in an environment litered with food and whatnot.
My biggest problem though is dust accumulation. Things sit around a while and the dust just invites itself in.