Page 23 - Sept 2024 News On 7

TECH TALK

Dr. Jim's Computer Repair
Jim Sanders THE SILENT KILLER

Over the years I have encountered many different things that cause computers to die, either a slow death or by a long-drawn-out
process. The biggest cause of computer failure is HEAT. It starts with small indicators such as a jumpy mouse, screen freezes or
complete shutdown of your computer. Laptops seem to be the worse for this, first there is hardly any room under a laptop for
ventilation. Add in those that put laptops on beds (fire hazard as well). If you are experiencing freezing or shutdowns on a laptop you
may notice the case getting very hot to the touch.
Here is the progression of what happens with constant overheating.
First erratic mouse behavior followed be the screen freezing or system shuts down completely. Eventually over time you will go to
turn on your laptop and you will have no display at all, while it appears the computer is running the screen remains black. Here is
why. Over time with the overheating the components on the motherboard heat up to the point of melting the solder on certain
components mainly the video chip that controls the display. The video chip over time with overheating loses its connection to the
motherboard. There are a few indicators this failure has happened; you may notice the Caps Lock key or your Wi-Fi key on your
keyboard has a flashing light. While this can be repaired it can be a costly fix and normally it is cheaper to replace the laptop. Don’t
worry about your data though it can still be removed from the laptop and transferred to another system.
Desktops do experience overheating issues as well but normally a good cleanout will do the job. Now what causes overheating in
the first place? DUST, this gets drawn into your system to keep the components cools. Dust builds up over time and causes
overheating 98% of the time (the other times is a hardware failure of the fan). As the dust builds up the fan cannot properly disperse
the heat from the components causing the overheating. Add one more component in there such as cigarette smoke and it’s a death
note. Over time nicotine builds up on the fan blades and as we know it’s a tarry substance that is very sticky, dust attaches to this
substance and builds up even faster. This speeds up the process of system failure. One way to help alleviate this from happening is
to have your system cleaned on a yearly basis. One not though, do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean out your computer. I do offer a
service here to clean properly.
Until next time.
Dr. Jim

DID YOU KNOW THE ROBERTSON (OR SQUARE)
SCREWDRIVER WAS INVENTED RIGHT HERE IN
ONTARIO, CANADA?
Back in 1908, P.L. Robertson created it, which has become a
staple in Canadian toolboxes for its ease of use. Here’s the
twist—Robertson didn’t want to sell the complete rights to
Henry Ford, so the square drive never became popular in
the U.S. That's why if the screws included in items to hang
or assemble manufactured in the U.S. have a Phillips (or
star) screw!
Next time you reach for a square screwdriver affectionately
called the Red Robbie, give a nod to good ol’ Canadian
innovation! Have you used one before? Let us know your
thoughts!