I Lost Something In My CPU!

[Mr Light]

So I was burning a CD this morning when my drive suddenly started making a really loud buzzing noise. I opened it and took my can of air, y'know with the long tiny straw sticking out. I stuck the end in the drive, gave it a toot... and the straw shot right off the can and disappeared into the CPU!!!

I accidently hit the close button and it closed just fine. I opened it and looked inside but couldn't even see the straw. I put in a CD and it worked just fine. But then the third CD I burned started making the sound again.

So I guess my question is, is it okay that that straw is sitting inside my CPU?

 

[Jadzia]

unpredictable, and potentially unsafe.

Plastic straws don't usually harm electronics, but mechanically it might be a problem in a cd drive. If it moves while a disc is spinning, it might jam something... and that would mean a broken drive or a destroyed disc. In fact I'd be surprised if the straw didn't have contact with the disc somewhere.

 

[FordSVT]

Most computer cases are very easy to open, have you tried just opening it up and taking the straw out? I can't imagine it's actually inside the CD/DVD rom drive itself...

There should be a button somewhere on the side or top of the unit that will allow you to open it up. Just turn the power off first.

 

[backstept]

Most computer cases are very easy to open, have you tried just opening it up and taking the straw out? I can't imagine it's actually inside the CD/DVD rom drive itself...

There should be a button somewhere on the side or top of the unit that will allow you to open it up. Just turn the power off first.

at the most it'll be just a few regular phillips screws

 

[Lindley]

Check the photos on your wall. The straw might be in 1977.

 

[Brent]

Nothing can get inside the "CPU" trust me.

Things can get inside your computer case though, or inside the optical drives.

If it is inside the optical drive it could potentially cause a problem, or if it is inside your case. I would try to find it.

 

[Capn Flukie]

Yeah, I'd just open 'er up and find it. While you're in there, might as well clean out the dust balls.

 

[Mr Light]

That's actually why I bought the can of air, because in the other thread I started someone said I really needed to clean out my CPU. I keep putting it off So when I do open it and it's unplugged do I have to worry about "grounding" myself or something if I'm going to be reaching in to grab the straw and potentially touching something?

 

[Jadzia]

If you leave it plugged into the wall but switched off at the wall, so that the earth connection remains, then the metal case is grounded. Then by holding onto the metal frame of the case, you're ok.

 

[Brent]

FYI, the case is not called the CPU. The CPU sits underneath the heatsink/fan on your motherboard. A pet peeve of mine, I hate hearing the case referred to as the CPU.

 

[Garrovick]

That's actually why I bought the can of air, because in the other thread I started someone said I really needed to clean out my CPU. I keep putting it off So when I do open it and it's unplugged do I have to worry about "grounding" myself or something if I'm going to be reaching in to grab the straw and potentially touching something?

Just keep one hand on the metal case and look around with the other hand. If you are just looking for the straw and not pulling things out, the chances of hurting any thing are about zero.

And if your optical drive is making noise all on its own, and not with just one disc, time to get a new drive. Some commercial discs can be out of balance and will "vibrate", but a noisy drive is a broken drive.

 

[Jadzia]

FYI, the case is not called the CPU. The CPU sits underneath the heatsink/fan on your motherboard. A pet peeve of mine, I hate hearing the case referred to as the CPU.

Someone I know makes a habit of calling it the hard disk, and somebody else thinks it's just a monitor stand.

 

[Garrovick]

FYI, the case is not called the CPU. The CPU sits underneath the heatsink/fan on your motherboard. A pet peeve of mine, I hate hearing the case referred to as the CPU.

I've been doing computers since the Atari 800 days. Everyone I know calls the case the CPU. As in hold the CPU while I move the monitor. Technically though, it is that little square plastic thing under that fan and heat sink.

 

[Brent]

FYI, the case is not called the CPU. The CPU sits underneath the heatsink/fan on your motherboard. A pet peeve of mine, I hate hearing the case referred to as the CPU.

I've been doing computers since the Aatri 800 days. Everyone I know calls the case the CPU. As in hold the CPU while I move the monitor. Technically though, it is that little square plastic thinig under that fan and heat sink.

err, the CPU isn't plastic

 

[Mr Light]

Hurum, I tried using that plastic "L" thing to open the side but couldn't get it open. I'll have to dig up the manual I suppose.

 

[K-Star]

I call the CPU "the processor." The case is still a case, and the motherboard is still a motherboard.

Got to help dad install the processor on the computer we built together during Christmas break. He was freaking out that we were gonna ruin it somehow!

But yeah... sucks that you got a straw in there. Cases are fairly easy to open, unless it's a laptop.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Don't ouch anything in there. All it takes is a small amount of static electricity -- an amount you may not even feel -- to kill circuits in there.

 

[Captain Ice]

Keep yourself electrically grounded and you should be fine opening up the case and taking it out.

Also, don't just turn it off by shutting it down through the operating system. Reach around to the power supply and turn the switch off before opening the case.

 

[Trekker4747]

He must have either a really big CPU or a really small wand for his air can.

 

[RoJoHen]

FYI, the case is not called the CPU. The CPU sits underneath the heatsink/fan on your motherboard. A pet peeve of mine, I hate hearing the case referred to as the CPU.

Someone I know makes a habit of calling it the hard disk, and somebody else thinks it's just a monitor stand.

I call the whole thing "my computer" because I honestly don't know a damn thing about the hardware.