Freezing A Computer, Is It Safe?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Mulsiphix, Feb 7, 2021.

  1. Mulsiphix

    Mulsiphix Private E-2

    My friend an I want to freeze this mid-tower PC for 24 hours. Contains both an M2 and several HDDs.

    Questions
    1. Will doing this repeatedly, say every two weeks indefinitely, cause harm to electronics within in any way, assuming they are allowed to dry sufficiently before being turned on again?
    2. If it is safe to freeze them, what is a good amount of time to let them dry before turning the PC on again?


    BACKGROUND STORY (optional read)
    Friend asked me to help with a computer problem. I diagnosed it as a dead PSU over the phone, and when I investigated in person I found he had a horrible roach infestation in his home. Unfortunately, he has an autoimmune disease and using pesticides isn't a solution. He has consulted pest control experts and he is using all non-chemical roach methods recommended, but he cannot rid his house of them, only control their numbers. Unfortunately, electronics are perfect hive locations, because of constant warmth and being tight cut off spaces. His PC PSU was no exception. I cleaned it out, tried a PSU I had handy, and his PC is fine.

    At this point the question is how to save this PC from dying and reduce the potential for roach assisted (dropping, dead bodies, egg sacks) short circuiting. To the roaches, the PSU is a closed ecosystem. If a single roach gets in, it lays eggs, the eggs hatch, and that generation lives inside the PC, likely feeding on the remains of other dead roaches. They never have to leave in order to thrive. Despite his best efforts to prevent access into the PC itself, they always find a way. So he has accepted that for the time being, roaches aren't going anywhere.

    He relies on a PC for everyday work, so he needs to protect it from failure. He has a solid data backup solution, so this conversation is only about protecting future hardware failure. We read online that freezing roaches and their eggs will kill them off. After that, he can blow any remaining bodies out with compressed air. If he does this every two weeks, it should prevent any real hives from establishing in the future.
     
  2. Replicator

    Replicator MajorGeek

    Dont freeze you PC, water and electronics dont mix.......they hate each other!

    If its a mid-tower PC, pull one of the side covers of and clean it with some canned compressed air, or a feather duster daily, weekly, when needed.

    Keep the entire area around the computer as cool and dry as possible and remove any rubbish, cardboard boxes etc from around the tower.
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2021
    Mulsiphix likes this.
  3. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    I'm confused by what you mean by "freeze". Subjecting the computer to freezing temperatures will not harm the computer. Electronics can handle being stored in sub-zero temps - as long as they are allowed to slowly become acclimated to room temperatures over several hours before applying power.

    But you talk about "letting them dry out". What do you mean by that?

    If talking about condensation that will form, that's why I said to let it acclimate for several hours. If you are suggesting dunking the computer in water and then freeze, no. Don't do that.

    HOWEVER - there's a reason cockroaches have been around for more than 250 million years - including through multiple ice ages. Freezing cold does not kill them. They just take a nap.

    I recommend you take the computer and put it in your shed or your garage, open up the computer as much as possible, then set off a couple bug bomb/foggers near the computer, close up the shed or garage and come back tomorrow. Upon return, don a quality dust mask and blast out the computer with dusting gas or better yet, a properly equipped air compressor.

    Note that cockroaches and other pesty critters don't just take up residence in electronics. They also like to eat cable insulation and other tasty components.

    And for the record, I also have an autoimmune disease. And I suffered from severe allergies for many years - even taking immunotherapy (allergy) shots for 35 years before I finally outgrew most of my allergies.

    One of the worst allergens (thing people are allergic too) is cockroaches and the "stuff" they leave behind. So just trying to control their numbers is not the solution. My advice is for your friend to leave - go to a friends or stay in a hotel and have the entire place totally fumigated. Most bug bombs allow re-entry after 4 - 8 hours. So waiting 24 should be more than enough for him. If that is not an option, there are methods exterminators can use that don't involve such harsh chemicals - including tenting and baking the entire house.

    And for the record, if this is a rental, in nearly all jurisdictions in most countries, it is the landowner's responsibility to take care of this. Of course if he is the own, then its on him.

    If your friend really is immunocompromised, living in such infestation all the time is most likely MUCH WORSE for his health than the temporary situation fumigation imposes because cockroaches and all the other pests that normally reside with them carry all sorts of diseases an immunocompromised person should not be exposed to. This on top of being such a nasty allergen.
     
    Eldon and Mulsiphix like this.
  4. Mulsiphix

    Mulsiphix Private E-2

    @Digerati I appreciate you leaving such an in depth response. Thank you very much. I am not sure what kind of AI situation you have, but my friend has enough experience with pesticide exposure in his life to know that for him personally, pesticide contact with foggers, bug bait, and sprays have all caused flair ups that result in pain and inflammation. As he has gotten older a flair up can mean the inability to walk for weeks or longer at a time. He told me he is 110% against trying anything that has to do with pesticides. Regardless of whether your suggestions would affect his AI or not, arguing this with him is a moot point. I started there first with him and it was utterly pointless. But I want to help, so here we are

    To clarify, the idea was to buy a chest freezer. Set the unit to be as cold as possible, put the PC in there for 24 hours. According to what I've read online no roach can survive an immediate change in climate like this. They can hibernate up to 10 to 14 hours (say a cold night) but further exposure will start to kill them off. At 24 hours, in temperatures of 32F or lower, they will surely die. Roaches are able to survive cold temperatures, but only if allowed to acclimate over time. A change this quick will not allow them or their egg sacs to survive.

    The PC comes out, compressed air is blow throughout the unit to dislodge dead bodies and eggs, and then the PC is left to dry on a floor with a fan blowing air inside it for two to three days to insure no water remains. The PC is placed on a large tape pad made of duct tape and power is finally restored. Large roaches get caught on duct tape. Tiny roaches can crawl across it fine. Roach eggs take two to three weeks to hatch.

    If the computer is frozen twice a month in this manner there should be very little activity within a PC at all. Tape pads are effective but over months time prove incapable of stopping every single visitor, as someone eventually gets inside, lays eggs, and an infestation takes root. My primary concern is for the electronics and whether they can take be refrozen in this matter over the course of multiple years. Twice a month is 52 times, 3 years is 156. It definitely add ups. Will the regular compression and expansion of plastics, metals, or circuitry within hurt any parts in any operational manner?
     
  5. Digerati

    Digerati Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Well, it happens with automotive and avionics electronics all the time - especially with avionics. They can go from 120°F on the tarmac in Phoenix to -50° at 35,000 feet in just a few minutes. Then back to 120° in about the same amount of time. But those devices are designed for those extremes. PCs are not.

    I cannot imagine subjecting the plastics, fan and drive motors, or transformer and inductor coils and winding to that sort of frequent, repetitive abuse and expect them to reach a normal life expectancy. It probably will not make the transformers and inductor inoperable, but I can see epoxy resins binding the plates and windings in place cracking and becoming loose to the point they hum and whine excessively and very annoyingly.

    Generally solder joints can deal with temperature changes but repetitive, rapid and extreme changes? I don't know. There are 1000s of solder joints. If one is weak to begin with, it probably would not take much for it to break-down completely. :(

    My cousin has Lupus and also cannot tolerate pesticides and other chemicals. Her home was invaded by termites. They ended up staying a week in a hotel to give the house time to air out. It worked for her, but of course everyone is different - especially if they have their mind set. Still, I think he should talk to his doctor and, if possible, work out a plan to go with a professional exterminator - but I understand you would probably be talking to a wall.

    So I guess my best advice would be for him to migrate to a notebook, perhaps a Panasonic Toughbook, which are designed for abusive environments. A notebook could much more easily be stored in a bug proof... err... resistant place.

    Regardless the path you go, I sincerely hope is has implemented a robust backup plan for any data he does not want lost and that that plan includes keeping at least one current copy at an "off-site" location. If no plan currently exists, one needs to be developed before that computer takes its first arctic adventure.
     
    Mulsiphix likes this.

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