If you’re like most people, you probably don’t want to take your computer apart. But if you’re looking to upgrade or fix something, taking your computer apart may be the only way to do it. Here’s a guide on how to take your computer apart and put it back together. First, unplug all of the cables from the motherboard, graphics card, hard drive, and any other components that you don’t need for the repair or upgrade. This will help keep everything clean and organized while you work. Next, remove the screws that hold the case together. Be careful not to lose any of these screws; they can be difficult to find later on when you’re trying to put everything back together again. Once the case is open, remove all of the internal components: motherboard, graphics card, hard drive, and RAM (if applicable). If there are any fans in the system or if there are heat sinks attached to any of these components, be sure to remove them before taking them apart so that they don’t get damaged. Now it’s time to take a look at what’s inside your computer. The first thing you’ll want to do is identify which component is causing the problem and replace it with a new one. For example, if your computer is freezing up every time you try to open a certain file or program, then your graphics card may be causing the problem and should be replaced with a new one. ..
Taking apart the occasional piece of old hardware can be fun and educational at the same time, but should you be worried that the hardware in question may contain hazardous materials? Today’s SuperUser Q&A post has the answers to a worried reader’s question.
Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites.
Photo courtesy of Taran Rampersad (Flickr).
The Question
SuperUser reader L.B. wants to know if there are any hazardous materials in an old hard-drive he should be worried about before taking it apart:
Are there any hazardous materials that L.B. needs to worry about, or can he go ahead and have fun tearing his old hard-drive apart?
So, my question is, are there any health hazards associated with the contents of an internal hard-drive (that was placed in a computer manufactured in 2004)? I am not worried about doing damage to the hard drive or the computer, just me!
The Answer
SuperUser contributors Tonny and Ex Umbris have the answer for us. First up, Tonny:
Followed by the answer from Ex Umbris:
There could be a small amount of lead in the solder (if the soldering dates from before ROHS compliancy), but it is locked up in the material. It will not escape unless you take a Dremel or drill to the printed circuit board, or heat it in any way.
And even then, the amount is so tiny. You will end up with far more lead from air-pollution by car-exhausts if you live near a highway or in a city. Same goes for chemicals in the PCB and/or electrical components. As long as you do not cut or drill into them, it is no problem at all.
People who assemble these things do not take any special precautions either. And they handle far more of them than you ever will.
Have something to add to the explanation? Sound off in the comments. Want to read more answers from other tech-savvy Stack Exchange users? Check out the full discussion thread here.
When separated by a small distance (3-4 mm), they can exert several kilograms of force, which increases quadratically as they get closer together. If you let them stick together, it will require significant force and a wedge of some kind to separate them.
I have a couple of dozen pairs in a desk drawer.
