Computer Housecleaning

I finally got around to checking the air filter on my computer, juno, last month. It had been two years since I built juno, and I should have inspected the filter after just one. After removing the front cover, this is what I saw:

It was actually worse than it looks. Dust fell off as I removed the front cover, and what you see is what was left!

Juno operates on the "positive pressure" principle. A fan pulls cool air into the case through a filter (seen above), creating a positive pressure inside. This fan ensures that the heated air inside is pushed out through the ventilation grilles and seams in the case, while the intake filter keeps the dust outside. With a "negative pressure" setup, also common, a fan pushes hot air out of the case, causing the cooler outside air to be pulled in through every grille and seam, carrying dust with it.

As you can see in this photo, the filter did its job, even as clogged as it was ... the interior of juno had little dust.

I'm definitely moving to a once-a-year schedule, perhaps more often if I detect the filter turning grey again.