My 2020 MacBook Air Overheats and the Fan Gets Loud—What's Going On?
I've got a 2020 MacBook Air (13 inch) that used to run smoothly without any overheating issues for the first few years. Lately, it gets really hot and…
maintenance
Can Using Haircut Razor Oil on a Laptop Fan Cause Issues?
Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I recently decided to oil my laptop fan and used haircut razor oil. I'm a bit worried now that this…
What legacy telecom equipment from the early 2000s still causes problems in EU networks?
I'm an engineering student looking into how FPGA-based emulation could help extend the life of older telecom hardware still in use across European networks. Before diving into development,…
Do Gaming PCs Slow Down Over Time, or Is It Just Software Issues?
I've had my gaming PC for about five years now, and aside from the fans, everything else is solid state, so there's no mechanical wear and tear. I'm…
How Can I Tell if My UPS is Making a Weird Smell?
I noticed a sulfur-like smell coming from my room when using my UPS-connected PC last night. It wasn't a strong odor, more reminiscent of the smell of cigarette…
Is It Difficult to Maintain Water Coolers?
I'm considering upgrading from my current fan cooler to an all-in-one (AIO) water cooler, but I travel a lot for long stretches. I'm wondering how much maintenance a…
How Can I Fix Thermal Throttling on My Laptop?
I've been dealing with thermal throttling on my Acer Nitro 5, which has an i5 9300h and a GTX 1650. Despite using ThrottleStop to alleviate the issue, I'm…
How long is 99% isopropyl alcohol effective for cleaning a CPU after opening?
I have an old bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol that I opened a few years back. I'm curious about how long it remains effective for cleaning a CPU…
Advice Needed for Upgrading My 10-Year-Old PC
I've built my PC about a decade ago, and while I've made a few upgrades like changing the graphics card and CPU, I'm starting to face some performance…
Why is my CPU cooler making noises after installing new RAM?
I recently attempted to upgrade my PC by adding another 16GB of RAM, but it seems the new memory was incompatible. This has led to some issues, and…
My APC SM C 1500 UPS is Making a Buzzing Noise – What Should I Do?
I've got an APC SM C 1500 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that's started making an intermittent buzzing noise. I'm worried it could be the transformer or something else…
What Could Be Causing My Laptop's Cooling Fan Error?
This morning, my laptop notified me that "the system has detected that the cooling fan is not operating properly." I initially brushed it off and continued my usual…
Why is my laptop still overheating with a cooling pad?
I've been noticing that my laptop gets really hot, even when I'm just using it for light tasks like browsing or watching videos. I already have a cooling…
Is it safe to clean old PC fans by submerging them in water?
I recently replaced the fans in my PC and now I'm left with my old, dirty ones. I'm not planning to use them anymore, but I'd like to…
What should I do after my laptop got wet in the rain?
I'm not really tech-savvy, so I hope I'm explaining this right. I was out and it started pouring rain. I tried to keep my backpack dry by using…
How to Handle App Maintenance After Launch?
After launching my first app, I thought that building it was the hard part. I reached from zero to launch within a few months with a freelance team,…
Can I Use De-Ionised Water to Clean My AIO Cooler?
I'm trying to clean out my NZXT AIO cooler because I think it might be clogged. The seller mentioned it failed, and it sounds like there's gunk inside.…
What are the most functional PC cases without glass panels?
I'm looking for recommendations for a PC case that focuses purely on functionality. I don't want any glass panels or anything fancy to hide unsightly components. My main…
Do PC Components Go Bad If Left Unused for Years?
I bought some Corsair radiators, a Seasonic power supply unit (PSU), and a Noctua cooler about two years ago, but I've never actually used them. They've just been…
Is it safe to use my GPU without reapplying thermal pads?
I recently took apart my GPU for some maintenance, mainly because the old thermal pads had a bad smell. I did remember to put on new thermal paste,…