My computer is going to hell in a handbasket! - Hardware & Software

So over the past day my desktop has gone from awesome to hell. At first games started freezing a bit. Weird but not a huge deal. Then more and more started happening. I downloaded AVG (it's a gaming desktop and I never browse with it, so I thought I didn't need AV) and did a scan, found nothing. Installing AVG was tough because the download stopped a few times for no reason, and the install took way too long. Anyways, I restarted my computer after Steam froze just using IM and then it took like 30 minutes to load windows, I kid you not. Here are my specs E8400 @ 3.3Ghz 4GB DDR2 HD4870 512mb By no means is it a slow system. A few theories: Overheating I live in a college dorm, and it's dusty as hell. My computer has sat next to an often open window all year, maybe it's getting dusty in the CPU? I'm overclocked on air at 3.3Ghz instead of 3. Are my problems consistant with overheating? Harddrive failure Is my hard drive beginning to fail? The long load times can suggest this... I already opened my computer and found a fuck ton of dust, so I blew some out. I have no canned air here at the moment, so I couldn't clear the dust on the heatsink that well... Any suggestions on how to fix this?

if you dont have canned air use a vaccum, it's just as effective. could very well be overheating. what kind of motherboard do you have

A vaccuum sounds dangerous. I have a small one... I'd rather go buy a can of air. I don't remember the exact model, I know it's Biostar though.

[QUOTE=Jessesmith1;21660765]if you dont have canned air use a vaccum, it's just as effective. could very well be overheating. what kind of motherboard do you have[/QUOTE] I'm pretty sure a Vacuum cleaner creates static when it moves the particles.

wouldn't compressed air do the same then?

Yes I got air now. While I was out, I let my CPU idle. It's at 44 degrees C. Is this okay?

[QUOTE=playelite;21661099]I'm pretty sure a Vacuum cleaner creates static when it moves the particles.[/QUOTE] It does, but I haven't ever cleaned my computer with anything but a vacuum. So far, no problems.

Air compressors work far better and are much cheaper in the long run than buying canned air. Vacuums don't really get all of the nooks and crannies (especially in the fans and PSU) and eventually big globs of dust will form where the vacuum can't reach.

[QUOTE=Nyaos;21661967]Yes I got air now. While I was out, I let my CPU idle. It's at 44 degrees C. Is this okay?[/QUOTE] That seems about right, I would still dust everything off to rule it out and to do some good housekeeping.