Is your CPU fan screaming these days and you can’t understand why? Well, crack open your case and see if the fins on the CPU heatsink are covered in dust.

For the past couple of weeks, my CPU fan has been screaming and I was too lazy to pull the box out and open it up. I figured there was too much television recording going or that the newer configuration under the desk was preventing enough cool air to get down there. Of course, the latter should really have dictated that I do something quickly, but of course I did not. So, yesterday afternoon I decided to open up the case and make sure the fans were all plugged into the correct places on my motherboard. My ASUS board has some great features for controlling the CPU, chasis and power fans if they allow for mobo control.  The first thing that I noticed was that the fins on my stock P4 heatsink were completely clogged up with dust.  I got out the pressurized air and blasted away.  Then I made sure there was nothing clogging the chasis fans or the power supply fans, made the rounds inside the case and buttoned it back up.  Wouldn’t you know it, the computer is now whisper quiet. I am an idiot.

tags: computer help, cooling, cpu, maintenance

Saw this little bad boy on the plane tonight and thought I would post it here so I don’t forget about it. I don’t really have a need for it right now, well of course I do, but apparently you can’t get one anyway. Belkin has made a wireless USB hub so that you can connect up to four USB devices in a remote location (up to 30 feet away). Pretty cool if you want to put an array of USB drives in a hide-away location so that you can keep them from getting ripped off or to free up some desk space. Pretty spendy at $200, but I am sure that will change in the near future.

By the way, I sold my Tivo Series 2 with a lifetime subscription for $375 plus shipping.