Graphics Card Maintenance
See that over there on the left? That’s my old graphics card from 2013.
I had two of them running in SLI. They were Nvidia GTS 240s, they constantly overheated, and I had them replaced under warranty on one occasion. For several years (2009-2013) my computer would randomly freeze, even when my temperatures were at a fairly normal operating temperature, and the most ear piercing sound would emanate from my speakers if I happened to be listening to something when my desktop locked up.
Why bring this up 4 years later? Well, I happened upon the photo today, but also I thought it was a good idea to remind everyone to check your PC for dust bunnies, or in this case dust demons. That is a solid inch of dust covering those vents. I finally found out the fix from some obscure Youtube video that detailed how to remove a protective panel from the graphics card and reveal the ventilation, which was prone to clogging. A bunch of sneezing, and one can of compressed air later, they were spotless and never overheated again like they originally did.
Happy gaming everyone!s
