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Removing that bad dumpster smell :D

J

JT64

Experienced Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
402
Location
Sweden
:) many advice about yellowing but how get rid of that terrible dumpster smell from computer :mrgreen:

Just hope it is working so i can put it on a couple of hours and let the smell of warm components and insulators kill of thos bad smelling dumpster germs.

JT
 
wmmullaney said:
What didja snag? :)
Click to expand...

A contura 430c, memory and HD even fine looking battery. I think it could be ok, but no AC adapter unfortunatly.

I think it could be a memory expansion with it, i do not think it is a original memory.
I looked around but can not find out the size of the memory card it is a Viking 9442192.

Well even if it do not turn out to work, it is a rather nice computer 486 DX with 100 mhz processor. Someone maybe want for spareparts.

JT
 
I think most of my classics have their own distinct aroma about them, although thankfully not eau de dumpster, as is your case. A good strip down, clean out and rebuild can work wonders, although even a thorough spruce-up usually leaves at least some trace behind. I just attribute it to character; something familiar to remind you how the machine was when you rescued it, every time you work on it.
 
I once renovated a PC that had been used by a bunch of mice as their shared toilet. Mouse pee and droppings all over the main board, etc...

Smelled like a sewer that PC, but after a good cleaning session (contact cleaner cleared the muck out) it worked ok. During the first test sessions some RAM chips were protesting, but after several sessions of picking, cleaning and testing the full 640k was back again.

So some thorough dismantling and subsequent cleaning should take care of the dumpster smell. You can always hang one of those air freshening pine trees on it :)

pine-tree-car-air-freshener.gif
 
Geez, Teeza had a bad case of mouse pee vs. the motherboard too. In my case, it was mouse pee vs. the simulated real wood book cases here in my mobile home. I took regular steel wool sheet (like SOS without the pink soap) and stuffed every tiny hole I could find in the entire 66 feet of trailer. Their teeth can cut thru just about anything but they don't like chewing on steel wool. Now, they are OUT there and I am IN here and everyone is happy.
 
Actually that's where a lot of folks take the electronics out and do the dishwasher trick (keyboards and cat owners probably know a good amount about this ;-).

I was going to say if it's just a regular metal case I'd strip it out and use some lysol spray but in general it's wiping off the components and compressed air and then I dunno.. running it behind an air freshener for a while lol
 
1. Find a room with poor ventilation.
2. Place the machine in the center of the room.
3. Light up a cigar.
4. Place the cigar on an ashtray near the computer.
5. Leave the room and don't forget to close the door on your way out.
6. Check in every now and then to make sure the cigar is still lit.
7. Repeat steps 1 through 6 for the next 2 hours.

Guaranteed to rid of the dumpster smell.

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for new smells your computer *may* acquire using this procedure...
 
What a waste of a good cigar! Stay in the room, enjoy the cigar, and get acquainted with your new find; you won't notice the smell after a few minutes.
 
I won't mess with animal poo and pee, but for most nasty smells a good wash using dish washing liquid leaves them nice smelling and squeeky clean (I scrub them in the basement shower).

I don't recommend using a dishwasher if you have poo on your computer and you expect to wash dishes again in it.

Oddly enough I have a house full of cats and none have ever watered a keyboard or computer. One did puke up a wet hairball over the vents of an external power supply to a router I had (it was behind a desk on the floor), killing it very badly and stinky.

I did get a keyboard from a lady with cats that had been peed in and destroyed, junked as soon and I smelled it.

Rat poo can have some deadly stuff in it, so watch out.
 
Vlim said:
I once renovated a PC that had been used by a bunch of mice as their shared toilet. Mouse pee and droppings all over the main board, etc...
Click to expand...

Many of my Apples were like that. A stint in the dishwasher did the trick.

Tez
 
Well there you have it..and eerie glimpse into the life of some members. MikeS would lock it in a room with a single hanging light, pace back and forth with a cigar and play good cop bad cop with the computer. UnknownK takes a little shower with his favorite pieces. I enjoy the hallucinations from disenteria with my morning breakfast after a nice computer dishwashing session and some cereal in my newly cleaned dishes.
 
barythrin said:
...MikeS would lock it in a room with a single hanging light, pace back and forth with a cigar and play good cop bad cop with the computer...
Click to expand...

MikeS: "You think this is a joke??? You find this funny, don't you???"

Computer: "..."

MikeS: "Oh, so now mice ate your tongue, uh??" *SMACK* "How about now???"

Computer: "..."

MikeS: "THIS ISN'T A GAME, MAN!" *SMACK* "I know you dove into that dumpster all by yourself... What I need to know is HOW... And you're going to talk, or so God help me..." *SLAMS door shut on his way out the room*

Computer: "He he he... If you think he's mad, wait until you see what I have planned for the *good* cop..."
 
No, no, no... wrong image altogether:

>You are in a dimly lit room. In the center of the room there is a large comfortable leather chair; beside it is an ornate antique ashtray on a pedestal. In front of the chair is a small pedestal table, illuminated by a single spotlight directly above it. In the center of this table is what seems to be a computer, and beside it a box of cigars and an intricately decorated silver lighter. There is a very unpleasant smell in the room.

mike: Take cigar
>You hold the cigar

mike: Light cigar
>You do not have any matches

mike: Take lighter
>You hold the lighter

mike: Light cigar
>The cigar is lit. It is a pleasantly mild but very aromatic Cuban.

mike: Inspect computer
>It is a rectangular blue box with several rows of red LEDs and corresponding toggle switches below them. Although it is plugged into a receptacle in the floor it does not show any signs of activity. There is cryptic text below the LEDs but there are no make or model labels to be seen anywhere. There is an on/off switch on the rear panel.

mike: Turn on computer
>All the LEDs light briefly, then form a specific pattern. Suddenly there is a muffled 'bang' from somewhere within the computer and a bit of smoke curls up out of the vent holes. The LEDs have gone out and the room now smells even more unpleasant.

mike: Damn!
>Unrecognized command: "Damn!"
 
Only on occasions. :)

I did hose the mouse-droppings-infested circuit boards off first before putting them in there.

Didn't want the drainage pipe blocked up. :)
 
It's rat wee-wee you've really got to watch out for (breathed, swallowed or taken intravenously), I'm still awaiting the onset of Weil's disease after cutting myself in the sewer outside the house.

I tend towards a good shower, a soft-bristled brush and some nice smelly soap (wash it out well afterwards, much liquid soap is laden with salt), I tend to take it completely to pieces first as it lessens the places water and "contaminants" can hide. then make sure it's COMPLETELY dry before powering on.
Psychologically speaking, I avoid using floral soap products, as the relationship with the device can be compromised if you haven't got rid of all the contaminants, & as it warms up, you get the evocative smell of incontinent granny. shudder...
 
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