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GETTING DUST OUT OF YOUR NEXT:
A GUIDE TO CLEANING DUSTY OPTICAL DRIVES AND OTHER CUBE INNARDS


DISCLAIMER: Cleaning the NeXT or installing filters is potentially
	hazardous and may void your warranty. With this
	understanding we do not accept any responsibility,
	financial or otherwise for any damages or injury
	that may result from the above instructions or
	installation and use of our filters.  Although we
	ourselves use the above cleaning methods and have
	attempted to make the instructions as explicit and
	accurate as possible and we have extensively tested
	our filters, we cannot guarantee you will have the
	same successful results.


Before installing the filter, you will probably wish to clean the
optical drive, as it undoubtedly has accumulated quite a bit of
dust. You will definitely wish to clean the OD if it has failed due
to dust buildup. You will also probably wish to clean the inside of
the cube, as dust accumulates there as well. This pamphlet describes
two methods -- one fairly simple, the other more radical -- for
cleaning the OD, and the way to clean the inside of the cube in
general.





CLEANING THE OPTICAL DRIVE -- EASY METHOD

You will need:
		
	a flashlight
	several (probably at least 10) long (~8 in.) Q-tips
	a pen

Insert the pen in the optical drive door about 1/2 in., until the
door flap is wedged open. Angle the flashlight so that you can see
all the way into the drive. Insert a Q-tip in the door and remove
any dust you see by rotating the Q-tip gently. (NOTE: the Q-tips
should be entirely dry, not soaked in water or alcohol.)  Change
Q-tips as they become dirty. When you have removed most of the
visible dust, locate the laser platform, a black rectangle behind
the silver, round spinner mechanism. Using a clean Q-tip, rotate as
before, GENTLY touching the laser platform to remove the dust
accumulated there.

This method will remove the worst of the dust buildup. It also has
the advantage of not requiring a major disassembly of the cube and,
because of its simplicity, it is highly unlikely that anything will
go wrong. This method can also be used on the partially disassembled
cube when cleaning the cube (described below), at which time you
will have a slightly better view into the drive.

CLEANING THE CUBE

We will describe cleaning the cube before discussing the second
method of cleaning the optical drive, since both procedures require
disassembly of the cube.

Even though some disassembly is required, this procedure is not
technically very demanding. Cleaning the cube is highly recommended
for everyone.

You will need:

	FOR DISASSEMBLY:
	a large clean towel
	the NeXT screwdriver tool (in the tool kit accompanying the NeXT)

	FOR CLEANING:
	a vacuum cleaner with soft bristle attachment
	2 small clean cloths, 1 slightly damp

Lay the towel on the floor or other large flat surface. Put the NeXT
cube on the towel. Disconnect all the cables from the back of the
cube. Then, using the NeXT tool, remove the four screws on the back
of the cube, and gently pull the back panel off and let it drop onto
the towel. Put the screws aside in a safe place. The back panel
contains the fan. Remove the cord to the fan by pulling gently.
Using the vacuum cleaner with bristle attachment, vacuum the fan
and the inside of the back panel. Then put the back panel safely
out of the way. Grip the metal strips on the edge of the mother
board and GENTLY pull out the mother board enough to expose the
cable(s) (about 1/4 of the way out). There will be an initial
resistance as it snaps out of place, after which it should move
easily. Do NOT touch the components of the mother board. There will
be a cable attaching the board to the optical drive, and another
attaching it to the hard drive if you have one. Gently pull out the
cable(s) by tugging on the strap in various locations. Carefully
remove the mother board, again making sure that you do not touch
the components, and put it safely aside. Now, again using the NeXT
tool, remove the two silver screws at the bottom of the middle
section, inside the cube. (They are slightly out of view.) Place
one hand on top of the cube and two fingers in one of the holes
under the top of the middle section (they are also slightly out of
view). Tug with your two fingers until the middle section ``pops''
out, and then gently pull the middle section entirely out. Vacuum
the OD entrance or wipe it with the dry cloth. Then put aside the
middle section aside for now, and vacuum the inside of the cube.
Also turn the cube over and vacuum the vent on the bottom.

At this point, you may clean the OD, either by the easy method (just
take the middle section, place it on the towel, and then follow the
instructions given above) or by the radical method (described below).
The radical cleaning is preferred if you desire a thorough cleaning
of the OD, or if the easy method has failed to restore a
non-functioning OD to operation. If you ordered an internal dust
filter, this is the time to install it (after the OD cleaning, if
you intend to clean the OD. Installation instructions are included
with the filter.)

Now, you start reassembling the cube. Take the middle section and
wipe it with the damp cloth to clean it, then dry it with the dry
cloth. Then gently place it on the grooves visible on the bottom of
the cube, and gently slide it back into the cube. It should click
into place when it is all the way in. If it does not, make sure that
the two holes near the bottom screw holes of the middle section are
aligned with the pins of the cube, and then push a little harder
(and perhaps tip the cube forward a bit), until it clicks. Replace
the two screws at the bottom with the NeXT tool. Next, take the
mother board and slide it in along its grooves about 3/4 of the way.
Reconnect the OD cable (and the hard drive cable, if you have one)
being very careful NOT to bend any pins, to the mother board, and
then slide the board the rest of the way in, until it clicks into
place. Take the back panel, reconnect the cord to the fan, and the
replace the panel. Replace the four screws with the NeXT tool. Using
the damp cloth, wipe the outside of the cube. Dry with the dry cloth.
Then reconnect all the cables at the back, and you are done.





CLEANING THE OPTICAL DRIVE -- RADICAL METHOD

Warning: Although this method definitely gets the OD cleaner than
the easy method, it does require a good deal of complicated, and
possibly difficult, disassembly. There is also more risk of damage,
should you make a mistake. This method is only recommended for those
who are confident in their ability to take apart the NeXT and put
it back together.

In addition to the tools for cleaning the cube, you will need:

	a Phillips screwdriver
	a pair of needle-nose pliers
	a lot (probably around 30) regular Q-tips 
		(long Q-tips are not needed)

Go through the disassembly described under ``Cleaning the Cube'' up
to the point at which cleaning the OD is suggested. At that point,
put the cube aside, and place the middle section, top side up and
with the OD entrance facing you, on the towel. At the back of the
middle section, disconnect the black power cable (on the left) and
the black rectangular cable (on the right) from the optical drive.
There will be two screws on either side of the OD, in holes marked
``O'' (for optical drive, as opposed to the H-hole for the hard
drive). Remove the rear screw on each side using the NeXT tool.
Then, insert two fingers in the OD entrance to support it (these
four screws are what holds the OD up, so when they are all removed
it will fall a bit unless it is supported.) Next, remove the front
screws on either side, making sure that you do not let the OD drop.
Then gently pull the OD out. Put the rest of the middle section
aside for now.

Place the OD right side up on the towel (this is the side with the
sticker and with four screws on top forming a rhomboid, rather than
a rectangle as on the other side). Using the Phillips screwdriver,
remove the four screws on top of the OD, and then lift the front up
and back all the way. Prop it in this position (the NeXT tool is
quite useful for this), being careful as it has a tendency to snap
shut. Be very careful NOT to touch any of the components attached
to the top. Take a Q-tip and remove dust by gently rotating it.
(NOTE: As with the easy method, the Q-tips should be completely
dry.) Change Q-tips as they become dirty, and make sure to get
between the cables at the back (although, again, do not touch the
components on the top.)

After you have finished removing dust, you must disconnect two orange
ribbon cables at the back left of the OD which connect the top to
the bottom. Using the needle-nose pliers, gently pull out the two
white tabs on these cables, then gently pull the ribbon cables out.
Then slide the tabs off the ribbon cables. Put the tabs aside and
gently lower the top, making sure the ribbon cables are entirely
inside the OD.

Turn the OD over (leaving the entrance facing you), and remove the
four screws on this side (now the ``top'') with the Phillips
screwdriver. Gently lift up the front of the top facing you. You
will not be able to lift it very far, as the top is connected to
the inside by two cables. Lift up the top enough to expose the
cables, and then gently disconnect the 5-pin connector on the top
left and the 3-pin connector on the bottom middle. Now you can remove
the entire top. Prop it open with the NeXT tool, and remove the dust
from top and bottom by rotating the Q-tips. Gently touch the laser
platform (a black rectangle which will be attached to the ``top'')
with a clean Q-tip to remove dust.

When you have finished removing the dust, lower the top most of the
way, re-attach the 5-pin connector to the top and the 3-pin connector
to the bottom (do this very gently, being careful NOT to bend the
pins). Close the top and replace the four screws using the Phillips
screwdriver. Then turn the OD over again, and lift the top back up
(again propping it open so that it does not snap shut). Pull out
the ribbon cables. Slide each tab over the appropriate ribbon cable
(size will make it obvious which tabs and cables go together), and
then carefully push each cable back into its slot, until there is
no silver metal showing. Then gently push the tabs back in. Again,
do NOT touch the circuit board on top. Close the lid, making sure
that the ribbon cables are inside, and replace the four screws with
the Phillips screwdriver.

At this point, put the middle section back on the towel, again with
the front facing toward you. Wipe the top of the power supply (at
the bottom of the middle section) with the damp cloth to remove
fingerprints. Then dry with the dry cloth. Then slide the OD back
into the middle section. Again with your finger inside the OD
entrance, move the OD until the front screw hole in the OD is aligned
with the front hole marked ``O''. Then replace the front screw using
the NeXT tool. Now repeat this process for the front screw on the
other side. Then replace the rear screw on each side. Reconnect the
power cable (4-pin connector) and the rectangular cable to the back
of the OD (again, do NOT bend the pins.) Now, you should reassemble
the cube, as described under ``Cleaning the Cube''. (If you have an
internal dust filter, you will probably want to install it before
reassembling the cube.)


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