How to clean your laptop from dust yourself. How to clean a laptop fan from dust: how to lubricate the cooler, how to disassemble for cleaning Acer and HP, cooling system What is a cooler in a laptop

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If you regularly use your laptop computer, then you have probably noticed that it quickly starts to heat up and it is almost impossible to put your hand on the back of the device, as it is very hot. Many people begin to think that the laptop cooler is malfunctioning. Perhaps it is also not enough for complete cooling. Full cooling will be provided by a cooler-stand for a laptop, but if you have never had to choose a device of this type, then many questions will probably arise. Since there are currently a large number of similar products, making a final choice can sometimes be extremely difficult, so today we decided to talk about it.

Important!

During operation, even if you are doing simple tasks on the laptop, it begins to heat up very much, and, accordingly, the cooler simply does not have the ability to perform full cooling. The processor and video card heat up the most in a laptop, so they should receive more cooling, because if you turn a blind eye to this, the system will not work fully. With personal computers everything is much simpler, because you can install a professional cooling system with large and serious fans. But it is simply not possible to install such a system in a laptop.

Periphery equipment

In order for the laptop to receive additional cooling, a special laptop cooler stand is used, which is actually a very important element in operation. Let's now look at the most important parameters of stands for portable devices, and perhaps, based on these parameters, you will be able to make the final choice of a stand for your laptop. First, let's talk about size, since first of all, the stand is selected according to the size that is suitable for the device. Naturally, you need to choose the size based on the dimensions of your laptop. It can be determined that most laptops have standard dimensions, so most manufacturers who produce cooling pads start from these dimensions. The stand can be made of either plastic or metal, but most often these elements are combined during production. The Lenovo laptop cooler stand can also be made with combined elements. The plastic option will be lighter, but its heat transfer is worse, and from this we can determine that the optimal choice is a stand made of lightweight material (aluminum is often used).

Diversity

Now let's talk a little about the type of cooling. At the moment, there are only two main types - active and passive cooling. A laptop cooler stand with active cooling can be equipped with one or more fans, the maximum number of which is no more than four. If you decide to purchase a stand for your device with active cooling, then you will definitely need to check its noise level before purchasing. You shouldn't immediately turn your attention to active cooling with multiple coolers; as a rule, one large cooler will be much quieter, and the cooling level can also be better than a stand with three or even four fans. A cooler stand for an HP laptop may, for example, have two large coolers, but in any case you need to test the noise level in advance.

Connection

The stand is powered via a USB port, although newer cooling devices may be equipped with a special adapter. The passively cooled stand does not have a single fan in its design, since the body itself is designed to dissipate heat. Accordingly, you can immediately determine that absolutely no sounds will come from a stand with passive cooling, but the cooling level may be lower than that of a device that uses active cooling. If a laptop cooler stand has high characteristics, then, accordingly, it will cope with tasks at a high level.

Cleaning the cooler is not such a complicated procedure that you need to take your laptop to a specialized workshop. You can clean the fan from dust yourself if you have certain tools and a little knowledge.

You will need:

Tweezers;
Cotton buds;
A needle, scalpel or any other sharp object;
Alcohol;

You should also purchase a special substance to lubricate the cooler - spray or silicone grease.

Disassembling a laptop

First you need to disassemble the device to gain access to the cooling system. Remember, if your device is under warranty, you should not break the seal yourself, as you may lose it. Typically the warranty period is 1 year, so it is not recommended to go inside during this time.

If the warranty period has already expired, you can safely remove the cover using a regular screwdriver at home. Don't forget about the latches that hold it in place. Do not break the cover - you will still need it when you put the device back together. After you have removed the cover, you need to disconnect all the components that block access to the cooler. Each laptop is designed differently, so it is recommended to find a video of your specific device on the Internet.

Disassembly instructions

The fan is disassembled in several stages:

How to clean and what to lubricate

The process is discussed in more detail in this video.

youtu.be/feo5bLjP-jE

Lubrication of a non-separable cooler of an Asus laptop requires special knowledge and skills, so it is recommended to carry out this procedure exclusively in a specialized service center. Experienced craftsmen know very well how and with what and how to lubricate a fan of this type.

Cooler assembly

Reassembled in reverse order from how you took it apart:

The blade part is put on;
Two rings are placed on the rod using tweezers;
The retaining ring is put on;
After which the mechanism is closed with a plug and the fan is turned on;

The fan cleaning is done and you can continue to use the device without any problems. If this procedure does not help get rid of overheating or excessive noise, then most likely a complete repair is required.

How to clean a laptop cooler without disassembling it

If you want to clean the cooling system, but cannot disassemble the laptop and the fan, respectively, you can do the following procedure. We look for ventilation holes on the laptop and, using a vacuum cleaner, the power of which should be set to the minimum level, collect the existing dust. Of course, this is not as effective as complete disassembly and cleaning, but it also produces results. However, in this situation the question “How to lubricate the fan?” remains unanswered.

Recommendations on how to avoid frequent disassembly and cleaning of your laptop

Using a USB cooler. This device is a special stand equipped with a cooler. It prevents the PC from overheating, providing active cooling.
Do not use the laptop on a sofa or bed because the fabric will block the ventilation holes, thereby preventing proper cooling.
Do not eat food over the keyboard because crumbs will get under the keys and contaminate all systems of the device.

Now you have information on how to properly clean and what oil to lubricate, and also avoid excessively frequent cleaning. This manual is suitable for devices from a variety of manufacturers: hp, asus, acer, lenovo, Samsung, dell, msi.

When actively using any laptop, especially in the summer, their users may often encounter the problem of overheating. Such an “embarrassment” can lead not only to minor slowdowns of the operating system, but also to damage to the main parts of the system unit - the processor (read our article about that), video card and motherboard. In order to lower the temperature inside the laptop, you can force the fan to turn on as needed. Read our article on how to do this.

Please note that before performing any manipulations with the laptop, you must first make sure that the cooler as a whole is working. Also, do not forget to check the fan for dirt, because due to excess accumulated dust, debris can interfere with the operational operation of the blades.

So, let's start by considering the issue of forcing the fan to start using the BIOS system. In practice, when starting a device, regardless of its model or brand, the cooling process first starts, which can be easily confirmed by the presence of corresponding noise.

It is worth noting that in some cases the fan may be installed incorrectly due to polarity connection problems. This can be checked again by starting the cooling system when turning on the laptop. Hold a thread or piece of paper near the vent and watch for the object to vibrate. In this case, the system works correctly. Otherwise, the object will stick to the hole, which will confirm cooling problems.

The ability to control fan functions using commands in the BIOS is quite common.

Obviously, for better cooling of the laptop you will need to enable Turbo mode. However, you should also understand that the wear resistance of the fan itself will be significantly reduced during constant operation and can lead to failure.

On a note! Not all laptops have the ability to configure the fan using the BIOS, so in some cases you have to use special programs, which will be discussed below.

Starting the fan using the SpeedFan program

So, if your laptop does not support setting the fan speed and operating time through the BIOS, you can use the free SpeedFan program. To set the ventilation speed using this software you will need:

Download SpeedFan from the developer's website or other reliable source.
Install SpeedFan on your laptop following the installer's instructions.
Launch the program via a shortcut on the desktop.
Go to the “Indicators” section. In this section you will be given the opportunity to set the percentage of fan power.
In addition, this program allows you to configure the operating criteria of other components of the laptop. In the “Configuration” section, you can specify the operating temperature of the hard drive, processor and motherboard, as well as specify the temperature parameters at which the system will notify you of overheating.

Note! It is worth noting that in addition to SpeedFan, you can find other similar programs on the Internet. For example, the AMD OverDrive utility will allow you to configure any system operation criteria if your laptop has an AMD chipset installed. There is also specially developed software for Intel processors - Riva Tunes.

Starting a fan on a laptop using Windows commands

Windows operating systems, starting from version 7, also have built-in utilities for managing the power criteria of a laptop. To configure them you will need:

Open “Control Panel” and select the “Power Options” section.
Select any power plan and you will be taken to the settings section, where you will need to find the “Change advanced power settings” option.
In the list of settings, select “Processor power management”.
In it, select the “System cooling policy” sub-item.
Set all settings to Active. Click Apply, then OK.

Now the fan will be constantly on, which will allow you to avoid unnecessary overcooling of the system and various “slowdowns”.

Video - How to set up automatic cooling on a computer or laptop?

Like a personal computer, its portable counterpart is equipped with a ventilation system that protects the device from overheating. It is the cooling system that is the weak point of the laptop. Tiny debris and dust accumulate inside and penetrate far under the body. The rate at which dust accumulates will depend on the design and how carefully the user handled the laptop. The layer becomes thicker; As a result, it resembles felt, or “felt boots” in other words.

Signs that cleaning is needed

What happens to the PC:

gets very hot;
the processor makes noise that increases;
the fan does not cope with its task;
programs freeze;
keys stick;
switching on takes a long time;
When the device overheats, it turns off unauthorized.

All of these things may indicate that your laptop needs cleaning. There are also programs for diagnosing temperature conditions. Indicators above 70 degrees are a sign of possible overheating due to contamination.

Possible consequences of heavy pollution

Over time, constant overheating of a laptop can lead to more problems than an emergency shutdown, including a failure of the cooling system, a radiator that has come unglued from the video processor, a fire in the chips and the laptop itself.

Types of cleaning

There are two types - superficial and deep. When deep, the device must be disassembled, thoroughly wipe all parts, completely removing dirt.

Superficial implies external care of the laptop. Keyboard on the outside, monitor, blowing dust through the fan and radiator grille. This type of cleaning is mostly preventative. The device will remain in service longer. Superficial “cleaning” is important not only for aesthetics, but for the user’s health, because a huge number of microbes accumulate on the keyboard.

If there are all signs of serious contamination on the face, complete cleaning cannot be avoided. It's easier to spend time removing dirt than to pay for repairs.

Tools

What tools to choose when preparing for “spring cleaning”:

Vacuum cleaner/hair dryer for sucking/blowing dust. If the vacuum cleaner has both functions, you can only use it.
A can of compressed air. The aerosol performs the same function as a hair dryer.
Soft brushes, small brushes for cleaning the keyboard and other parts. For the same purpose, you can use cotton swabs or swabs.
Microfiber cloth for wiping.
Screwdriver Set. Screwdrivers of different diameters will be needed during disassembly.
Machine oil for lubricating the cooler.
Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning microcircuits.
Pliers. Special pliers are used to remove the screen.
Thermal paste. After cleaning the parts, you will need to replace the thermal paste to better cool the computer.

How to clean a laptop from dust without disassembling it?

Superficial “cleaning” without disassembly is a fairly simple procedure that can be easily done at home. To get rid of dirt, you can arm yourself with a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer or spray can. Special cleaning wipes won't hurt.

The ventilation grilles are located on the bottom, they suck air inside, there is another grille on the side, from where the air is blown out. These are the places that need to be cleaned first.

If the device becomes too dusty and has not been cleaned for more than three years, it is dangerous to clean it superficially, since a large amount of dense dust will settle on the fan, rendering it inoperable.

Before “blowing out” the laptop computer, you can clean the ventilation grilles with cotton swabs.

Procedure:

Turn off the laptop.
Place it edge-on, like a book.
Place the vacuum cleaner on the ventilation grilles one at a time, holding each for about 2 minutes.
Repeat the procedure with a hairdryer near the radiator.
Go through the vacuum cleaner again.

Due to the long thin spout, the can is well suited for the inlet ventilation hole. Just insert the spout inside. The air will “start” the fan, blowing debris away from it. How to do this using an aerosol:

Turn off the laptop.
Place it edgewise.
Blow out the outlet ventilation grilles.
Return the device to its normal position.
Blow out the inlets.
Blow out debris between the keys.
To consolidate the effect, you can use a vacuum cleaner.

All that remains is “cosmetic” beauty - tidying up the display and keys. The benefits of such events are purely individual, determined by the design of the laptop.

Complete cleaning at home

When starting “spring cleaning”, it is important to have at least basic disassembly skills. It is necessary to clean the case, motherboard, radiator, processor, video card. If the user is not sure that nothing will be damaged, it is better to entrust the task to specialists.

Before the cleaning procedure, any equipment must be completely de-energized. To do this, you need to shut down the work, disconnect the laptop from the network, and remove the battery. Otherwise, you risk injuring yourself and damaging the device.

If the user is not very experienced in disassembly, then it is worth filming the process. With the help of photographs, the reassembly process will go faster; the main thing is not to skip any steps when taking photographs. It’s worth looking online for a video with the design features of the same model in order to do everything correctly and not damage anything.

Keyboard

The keyboard is almost the dirtiest item in the house, so you should start with it. If it is not very dirty, it is enough to wipe it from the outside. To do this, you can use cleaning wipes for equipment. You can replace them with regular cloth and soap; they will cope just as well with dirty prints.

Dampen the cloth and squeeze to prevent water from running off.
Lather lightly.
Wipe the keys, removing external dirt.
Dampen a clean cloth and wring it out.
Wipe again to remove soap.
Wipe dry with a napkin.

Instead of soap, you can use cleaning products or diluted alcohol, as long as it does not damage the key markings. Such products can erase the paint. If this trouble does happen, special stickers will come to the rescue.

If the keys are too dirty, you can remove them with a knife and soak them in water and detergent. To position them correctly after drying, you can take a photo of the keyboard.

To clean the inside of the keyboard, you need to carefully remove it from the case so as not to damage the cable. This advice applies to all other manipulations, since this is not the only loop in the design.

Connectors

USB and other connectors also become dirty, which can cause interruptions in connecting a mouse, phone, or flash cards. A brush with long bristles is suitable for cleaning. If the connector is narrow and it won’t fit through, you can cut a narrow strip from an unnecessary plastic card to fit the size of the port and cover it with Velcro. It is necessary to moisten the brush or Velcro in alcohol and let it dry. Using light movements, without effort, clean the connectors from dirt. Then blow out the ports with a can of compressed air.

Opening the back cover

The laptop needs to be turned over. To get to the parts that need cleaning, you need to unscrew the bolts holding the back panel. Unscrewed bolts should be placed in a prepared container or bag so that they do not get lost. You should not open the cover by force if it does not give in; it is better to double-check that all the bolts are unscrewed. After removing the panel, use a napkin to wipe it from the inside.

Cooler and radiator

After unscrewing the screws that hold the fan, put them in another place so that they do not get confused with the rest. After removing the fan, use a brush or cotton swabs to wipe the blades and blow with air. If the fan does not spin well, lubricate the rotor with machine oil. One drop inside is enough. Then return the fan to its place by turning it.

Pay special attention to the radiator, which is the largest accumulation of dust. It should be thoroughly cleaned to remove any remaining thermal paste.

Motherboard, video card

Having pulled the motherboard out of the case, we can consider that half the job is done. Proceed with extreme caution as this is the most fragile part of the laptop. Walk over the surface with a soft brush slightly moistened with alcohol and use a spray can or hairdryer to blow off all the microcircuits, not missing a single dusty contact.

The video processor should be removed from the slot carefully. Pull the socket pedal to the side and lift it up. When the pedal is in a vertical position, take the processor by the sides and remove it from the socket. Wipe the contacts with a regular eraser or an ear stick soaked in alcohol.

Replacing thermal paste

A complete disassembly of the cooling system involves replacing the thermal paste. First, use a dry cloth to remove any remaining old thermal paste. If the paste is dry, you can moisten a cloth with alcohol. Do not leave scratches on the surface of the processor and heatsink.

Before applying the composition, you need to make sure that the surfaces are clean and shiny. Apply thermal paste in small quantities, carefully spreading it over the heatsink plate and video card with your finger or a spatula, which is usually included with the thermal paste.

Reassembly

Return the video card to the connector, pressing it with your finger, and tighten the bolts. It is necessary to hold it with your finger so that no air bubbles form under it. Replace the remaining parts using the photographs taken.

Screen

Under no circumstances should the display be wiped with alcohol-containing compounds, as this will damage the screen. For gentle cleaning, you should choose wipes for LCD surfaces or sprays for TVs. Apply a small amount of spray to the display and rub with a napkin, leaving no streaks.

Features of laptops from various companies

The process of cleaning models from different manufacturers is almost identical, only the process of removing the back cover and removing the cooler and radiator changes.

Lenovo and Aser laptops have a simple design. It is enough to remove the battery, remove the cover above the fan by unscrewing the bolts.

Lenovo has developed the Lenovo Energy Management program, which, in the “Dust Removal” mode, speeds up the fan and helps get rid of debris. An analogue of the program from Hewlett Packard is HP CoolSense. The technology determines on what surface the device is used, selecting the appropriate performance mode and cooling system.

The Asus Eee PC will literally have to be disassembled piece by piece, because access to the cooler is difficult, like many Hewlett Packard models.

When disassembling Samsung and Asus K, the entire back panel and sometimes the keyboard are removed.

Cleaning in specialized service centers during the warranty period and the cost of the service

To clean the cooler, you can use the services of a service center. This is not included in the service, which is clearly stated in the warranty card of any manufacturer, i.e. the service will be paid.

Once the laptop has been disassembled and cleaned at home, the warranty is no longer valid. The center recognizes this by the damaged seal and scratched screws.

You can clean your laptop in any repair shop in an hour. Prices on average range from 500 to 2000 rubles.

How often is cleaning required?

The best time to do the first cleaning is after the warranty has expired. Acer, Asus, Samsung, HP, IBM, Lenovo recommend cleaning at least once a year. More expensive models from SONY, HP and Asus will require attention in two years. Apple will operate without interruption for up to three years. In many ways, the frequency of cleaning depends on operating conditions. If you are using the laptop on a hard surface in a clean room, you will need to clean it later. On average, the device needs to be cleaned once every year and a half.

How to avoid frequent contamination

In order not to constantly blow dust out of the device, it is enough to arm yourself with simple tips:

Use the laptop on a hard surface. By placing the computer on the lap or bed, the user blocks the air supply and small debris is sucked inside.
You should not snack while working at the computer. Crumbs will get inside. And knocked over tea or coffee will completely kill the device.
When finishing work, the laptop should be turned off so that it does not run idle.
A USB cooler will provide additional cooling effect, but will not help avoid dust.

A laptop is a powerful portable computer, and keeping it clean is key to the safety and reliability of the device.

Laptops from hp pavilion, asus, acer, dell, lenovo, samsung, packard bell, lenovo, toshiba and others become dirty and dusty during everyday use, which leads to overheating and poor performance.

Luckily, you can clean it yourself and if you do it regularly, you can keep your laptop in good condition for a long time.

When to clean your laptop fan

When a laptop overheats due to dust and dirt, it may experience spontaneous restarts, crashes, and decreased performance.

In addition, it runs louder and the body gets warmer. Even simple applications are slow (load times increase significantly).

The high temperature of your laptop should let you know that the components are dusty and need to be cleaned before they fail.

The easiest way is to observe the symptoms of dust after about half an hour of operation, when the laptop literally begins to live its own life, and performing any operation becomes difficult.

When it comes to such situations, most likely your laptop is already very dirty and the thermal paste is worn out. So you need to clean it and apply new paste.

How to clean a laptop fan

You can go to a service center and request a thorough cleaning, but you can also do it yourself using compressed air.

The air is sold in the form of a can and is not expensive (you can use a vacuum cleaner, but a can is more effective).

Before cleaning, disconnect the laptop from the power supply, remove the cover (many have a cover specifically designed for a fan, then there is no need to completely remove it) and blow it out with compressed air.

If there is little dust, then blowing into the holes in the housing may be enough. The air flow is directed into the fan inlet.

If the dust balls are firmly held in the fan shell, then you need to disassemble it and clean it with a soft brush.

Cleaning your laptop from dust will significantly speed it up and reduce the temperature, as a result it will start working faster.

How to disassemble a laptop to clean the fan

If your laptop makes a loud roar while running and its body becomes uncomfortably hot, it's likely that you need to clean it.

Components in operation generate heat, which is released from specially designed channels outside.

After some time, the radiator elements and laptop coolers accumulate a large amount of dust, which prevents heat from dissipating from the cooling system and causes overheating of the equipment and serious accidents.

In practice, there are cases where the cooling channels become clogged, which causes irreversible damage to the processor or graphics card of the laptop. It is better to prevent such an accident and clean the equipment.

The tips in this section are intended for experienced users. If you feel that you cannot afford them, do not take risks, but contact a specialist

I am not responsible for damage caused by incorrect use of the recommendations presented here.

I will show you how to do this using the example of the HP Pavilion DV7 model. This will include cleaning the inside of the laptop, the ventilation ducts, and replacing the thermal paste on the GPU.

I use a reliable brand of thermal conductive paste, so Arctic Silver 5 will be used in this case.

I will use compressed air to clean the components. Unfortunately, this laptop model has poorly designed cooling ducts, which leads to periodic blockages of the radiator and fan, so that the heat does not escape.

In order to get to the root of the "windmill" you must dismantle the entire laptop - down to the motherboard. The first step is to unscrew the small cover that hides the components of the device.

Then remove the battery and unscrew the two screws that secure the keyboard. Also, inside the battery, remove the latch. The keyboard should come off easily, but handle it carefully. Don't forget to remove the tape.

Now you need to disassemble the DVD drive to unscrew the three mounting screws.

Then unscrew all the retaining bolts and remove the upper housing. This is in addition to the latches.

The next step is to disassemble the entire cooling system - simply unscrew the connectors from the GPU system.

Before replacing thermal paste, you should remove the remnants of the old one, which is dried out and has already lost its properties.

It is important to pay attention to avoid damaging the CPU system. Do not touch the processor with your hands; it may generate static electricity.

Remove any remaining dust from the heat sink and other parts of the cooling system to allow free air flow.

Before assembling the cooling system, apply a new layer of thermal paste.

We put all the elements in reverse order.

At the last stage, check that the laptop is installed correctly and boots. If you put everything together correctly, you should be happy now.

Of course, “for beginners” it’s better to watch how everything happens on video. I will post it on my Youtube channel in the coming days.

NOTE: in addition to cleaning dust, the laptop also needs to clean up debris from the Windows operating system - this also greatly affects performance.