I'm using an MSI B550-A PRO motherboard with a Ryzen 5 5500, 32GB of DDR4-3200 memory, and an ASUS low-profile RTX 5060. In Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, my FPS was already below 100, so I changed the RAM configuration to see whether memory performance would improve. I also used a vacuum cleaner to blow dust out of the PC, being careful not to suck anything up, and held the fans still while cleaning. Afterward, the game began dropping from over 100 FPS to around 30–40 FPS. I unplugged the system and held the power button for about 45 seconds to discharge it. Could static electricity or the cleaning process have damaged the motherboard or another component, or is there a more likely explanation?
4 Answers
Blowing dust out probably did not damage the PC, especially if you did not touch the components or let the vacuum nozzle contact them. Holding fans still is sensible so they do not spin excessively. I would reseat the RAM and GPU, restore BIOS defaults, re-enable XMP, and verify that the game is using the RTX 5060 rather than integrated or incorrect graphics settings.
Use MSI Afterburner or another hardware monitor and watch GPU usage, each CPU core, temperatures, clock speeds, and RAM usage while the FPS drops. If the GPU is near 100%, the graphics settings or GPU temperature may be the limitation. If one or more CPU cores are maxed out while GPU usage falls, the Ryzen 5 5500 may be limiting performance in that game. Thermal throttling or a loose component after cleaning can also cause sudden drops.
A vacuum can potentially create static, but permanent damage is much less likely than a configuration or connection issue. Since you changed the memory at the same time, start by reinstalling the RAM exactly as recommended in the motherboard manual, usually slots A2 and B2 for two sticks. Then enable the correct XMP profile and check that the memory is actually running at 3200 MT/s. Also make sure the graphics card and its power connection are fully seated.
The system does not have quad-channel memory. The B550 platform uses dual-channel memory, even when four DIMM slots are populated. Removing sticks can change the channel layout, total capacity, or memory settings, so test with a matched pair in the recommended slots. Check BIOS settings and compare temperatures before assuming something was damaged.
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