How often should i clean my GAMING PC

How long between cleanings varies.

What environment is the computer in. Dusty, sandy or areas with pets will need cleaning more often.

Do or do not all the intake fans have filters and are the filters kept clean.

Because you don't have the experience doing such a thing you have three choices.

1. Taking your system to a professional shop for cleaning.
2. Ask a experienced friend to help and guide you.
3. Watch several videos on line and learn how to do it yourself.
Then go forward carefully. It's really not hard to do once one learns the basics.

The first aftermarket cpu air cooler I installed many years ago scared the hell out of me but it worked well when I was done. That led me down the road to building my own computers.

Jack

Megahertz07 said:

Thermal paste doesn't need to be replaced if you don't take the heat sink out.

Clicking noise is a sign of a damage bearing from a fan or from HDD.

Agree and by clicking is the click a rapid or slow or an intermittent one?

Just by the by the PSU how old is that?

Just a tip when you are cleaning fans of one sort or another and are using compressed air to blow off the crud make sure the fan blades are kept still either by holding them or using a cable tie (not done up) to prevent them spinning a a speed that they were not designed to take it could be the last straw for the bearing and I have seen it mentioned that spinning fans that way may induce a voltage in to the system and that you do not want.

Edit: The thermal compound for the GPU chip only needs to be done if the temps are really quite high. However it is generally an easy job but very fiddly. For the temps use this Speccy - Free Download - Piriform

ICIT2LOL said:

Just a tip when you are cleaning fans of one sort or another and are using compressed air to blow off the crud make sure the fan blades are kept still either by holding them or using a cable tie ..

Agree. I find a plastic drinking straw inserted and maybe held between the the fan blades is a simple way to stop the blades spinning when using compressed air. You obviously don't attempt cleaning when your PC is on.
I find the cost of compressed air cans a rip off and can't source a suitable small compressor. They may be more available in places like the US.

It may help to keep your PC raised off the ground a little.

Hi,
I added real air conditioner filter material to my screens
They work very well
I had to add a tin or sheet metal grid on it so the filter material won't get sucked in but that was easy :)

Yep like TZ I use a sheer material some net curtain, a material called Organza (very fine) it really doesn't matter and instead of cleaning the material I find it just as easy to cut a new piece as the materials I mentioned are very cheap.

As for the air well I use a vacuum cleaner with a reduced piece of clear ploy tubing taped to the large cleaner tube and I run an earth wire from around the rim of it to an earth point for collecting ant static that it may cause. In my mind static is caused by air passing over and disturbing dust particles and therefore it seems of no consequence of which direction the air is flowing as to how much static is set up.
But I stand to be corrected of course.

ICIT2LOL said:

As for the air well I use a vacuum cleaner with a reduced piece of clear ploy tubing taped to the large cleaner tube and I run an earth wire from around the rim of it to an earth point for collecting ant static ....

I wouldn't recommend this. Even with an earth wire you'll still get a potentially strong electrostatic field which is more of a problem because you need to move the plastic vacuum tube close to the dust area giving a potentially (sorry for the pun) high conduction path.

With a blower you can operate some distance away and minimize charged particles.
At least that's how I see it.

Here is a hobby forum comment
Should I vacuum my PC? — Ask PC Gamer | PC Gamer