The following tips may prevent overheating and prolong the life of your desktop computer:

Remove Dust. Dust is the number one enemy of electronic equipment, and your computer collects more than a fair share of it during its operating lifetime.

Remember proper placement. Keep the unit in a location that allows the least contact with dust and the best airflow. This means:

Position your computer a few inches from the wall.

• Do not put the computer directly onto the floor. Although tower models are designed for placement anywhere, particularly near foot or knee level, they should not be directly on the floor or carpet. Buy a computer stand and elevate the unit several inches off the ground to reduce dust accumulation. Make sure the stand does not block air vents.
  
• If you have a pet, be aware of powercord placement as they may become a favorite chew toy.

Watch the environment . Since your desktop computer is probably stationary, it is crucial to monitor atmospheric circumstances that can affect a computer's performance:

• Keep draperies and other fabrics away from the fan.
  
• Keep a comfortable room temperature. Your computer is even more sensitive to room temperature than you are. If it is 85 degrees (Fahrenheit) indoors, it is probably closer to 110 degrees inside your computers hard drive case. Experts recommend keeping the room at 75 degrees to 85 degrees maximum to avoid equipment failure (and possible permanent damage).
  
• Avoid too much (or too little) humidity. This is especially important if you live in an area where humidity level is a part of everyday weather. Humidity should be kept low - at about 35 percent to 40 percent - but not completely absent or static becomes a problem. There are sensors and software that can monitor your computer’s temperature and humidity levels, as well as devices designed for measuring levels throughout the house.
  
• Do not smoke around your computer.

Peripherals. Lastly, consider the number of accessories that you are using in your desktop computer. The more parts and peripherals that you add to your system, the hotter it will run.

Related Topics:

• How do I know if my computer is overheating?
  
  
• What do I do if my computer is overheating?

Operating System:

OS Independent

This applies to:

Intel® Celeron® Processor Family Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor Intel® Core™2 Extreme Processor Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor Extreme Edition Intel® Pentium® 4 Processors Intel® Pentium® D Processor Intel® Pentium® Processor Extreme Edition Intel® Pentium® Processor for Desktop