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Mac Pro and dust

Hi,

Does the Mac Pro get dusty inside the case?

I am sure that iMacs get dusty as well, but we can;t see that but if I got a Mac Pro, it would drive me nuts if I opened up the case every now and then and saw dust on my expensive components!

If so, what is the cleaning protocol?

Also, if I worry about such issues, is the Pro the right machine for me? Or should I just get a high-end iMac? (the price difference isn't that much once I kit out an iMac...)

Thanks in advance!

 iMac 27", 3.2GHz  MacBook Pro, 2.4GHz  iPad 64GB  Time Capsule, 1TB, Mac OS X (10.6.4),  iPhone 4 32GB  iPod touch 8GB, 3rd gen  iPod nano 8GB, 4th Gen

Posted on Aug 5, 2010 12:35 PM

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4 replies

Aug 5, 2010 6:20 PM in response to Fireball Dragon

Well, first off, you may want to seek professional help for your obsessive compulsive tendencies.

That aside, just get a can of compressed air. Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be. Just because it's a Mac doesn't make it somehow outside of the same rules that tend to govern other systems.

And a little dust won't hurt anything. Every 6-12 months you want to blow off any dust bunnies from the fan blades to make sure they keep moving air. If you want to blow out the rest of the system at the same time, knock yourself out, but you shouldn't be obsessing over these things. That is a sign of a mental disorder, but at least a treatable one. A little behavior modification therapy won't exactly cure you, but you'll learn to cope.

Aug 6, 2010 10:37 AM in response to Fireball Dragon

pets, carpets, can all contribute. some asked 4 yrs ago about putting a dust filter on the case to keep it from getting inside, too.

the new car smell does get replaced and become everyday.

It depends WHAT you need it for, and of course whether you are where there are dust storms or an environment that gets more than its share.

If an iMac can do what you need and you also would need to invest in monitor displays, but Mac Pro can also add heat to a room, the processors and components need fans to keep things cool especially under heavy video and editing loads. And you've got higher end graphics cards.

If you are the type to get out Q-tips and clean until spotless or worry about the dust... take apart or check the surface, electronics act like magnets to dust. RAM will definitely show dust build-up, though maybe iMac is sealed to the point it is harder.

Question is, when does it become an actual issue.

Take any PC, easier to tear down probably but even Mac Pro is pretty easy to do. And graphic cards probably a good idea, too.

I've had mine for 4 yrs and with pets, dust, I have pulled out the memory tray probably twice in all that time. One graphic card was so badly designed it had to be pulled and cleaned every 3 months or its air chamber would get clogged and cause the system fans work harder because it would get warmer.

So yes, check it, and clean it once a year maybe. At least we don't have to look for or worry about cooling system leaks.

And thermal sensor readings are your gas guage to how things are working inside.

Making dust into a deal-breaker though does sound... extreme.

Mac Pro and dust

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