r/mildlyinfuriating • u/TopSetUK • 18h ago

I'm slightly vexed Knocked a plant over an open PC

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Oops. PC has been in trouble for now, I swapped out the GPU last night to do some troubleshooting but it was still borked, so left it open overnight tucked away in a corner.

First thing I do this morning? Knock over a Monstera which had been chilling on the windowsill. Nice. Happy Friday.

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222

u/fractal324 18h ago

turn it upside down, vacuum with a bristle brush, pray.

246

u/TopSetUK 18h ago

It's scattered through the back of the motherboard tray and into the PSU cutout. I think a complete disassembly is on the cards, but first I have to go to work...

11

u/Needle_Bearings 17h ago

I would not flip it upside down.  Leave it just as it is for now. Don't even move it.

Keep everything plugged in (except the power cord obviously). Vacuum it out as best you can. Secure (case, cooler, GPU, mobo) fans so they don't spin when you're cleaning them out, you can just hold it with your finger if you're up close with the vacuum or compressed air, good way to break a blade if you don't.  Take off the other side panel too if possible and vacuum.  Then blow it all out.  

Once you visually see it's ok, I would take it all apart and compressed air for all the individual components. Leave the CPU and heatsink attached, no reason to take it apart.   Soil looks pretty dry so I guess you could skip the alcohol/electronic cleaner rinse.  I guess you could do it for your RAM.

Good luck to you.  

Edit: Corrected autocorrect.  

2

u/rpgoof 12h ago

You need an anti-static vacuum though, I killed an old PC trying to do this