How To Rejuvenate Your Laptop in One Easy Lesson

[GabethePilot 1]

I've had a laptop for just over a year, and it has - for a while - been running at 50-55 degrees at idle and hitting 80 degrees under load - HD vids, encoding, etc. Full HD vids are also running a little stuttery, and it certainly couldn't do anything else at the same time.

I happened across a guide to taking apart my 'actual' laptop the other day, on a forum suggesting it was down to blocked fans (poor design) and possiblt thermal grease depleted.

So, it took 4 hours to strip it down - yes really! The fan is under the m/b, so everthing had to be taken out.

I cleaned the fan, and replaced the thermal paste on the heatsinks for the CPU The paste was mainly hard and encrusted ! Fan was pretty bunged up.

Took 3 hours to put back together.

Now running at 40 degrees idle, and 60 at load playing 2 HD movies at the same time. And, they run smoother than just one did last week.

And, it's a heck of lot quieter - not heard the fan in 2 days, wheras it used to be on all the time, pretty much. Should also extend its life somewhat !

Think I'll do it every six months, and next time may try and find a more efficient and quieter replacmeent fan.

I can only think that laptops spend a long time sat on shelves and boats, before we actually get them... so that thermal paste really needs re-doing ASAP.

Thought I'd share that for anyone having similar issues and burning thighs !!!!!!!

:001_th_smiles89:

One thought though... why do laptop manufacturers use so many different types and sizes of screws to build them ?

There must have been 6 or seven differnet types - I needed 4 different screwdrivers. Madness. :001_th_smiles48:

[mutley 4,487]

Food for thought Gabe, I have got a new laptop only today, the fan has been on quite a bit but it is very quiet. The exhaust air though could probably cook a chicken in an hour, doesn't bode well?

Cheers

joe

[needles 1,010]

Hi Gabe,

Thanks for sharing your ideas about laptops.

I am going to do mine tomorrow (Monday), just one question.

To whom do I make out my lawyers letter, when it goes belly up and I have several bits and screws left??:001_th_smiles89:

I like to have all the legal stuff in place before I undertake your ideas/instructions.:icon_thumbup:

Looking forward to your reply:icon_bowdown:

My Very Kindest Regards

Needles

[allardjd 1,853]

In my experience, laptops produce the most heat when plugged in and charging. At other times, the heat load seems pretty minimal, regardless of how busy the processor is.

John

[MarkJones 0]

I was round a mate's place today and his laptop was doing a good impression of a 1-11 winding up. A quick inspection revealed the HSF clogged up with cat hairs... Yuk!

[needles 1,010]

Hey Gabe,

You never took the bait......Well Done.

I was hoping for a reposte but was left wanting.

I never did my laptop any damage but I am thinking of doing it at some stage soon.

It is running quite hot and noisy, perhaps a clean out is what's needed.

Thanks for your post.

Regards

Needles

PS tried sending you a PM but forum says you can't recieve any at the moment. Is your conversation allocation full by any chance??

[GabethePilot 1]

Dunno, I actually thought I'd replied a few days ago. My posts don't seems to be posting all the time. Wierd !!!

I actually said, that you can try to sue me, but I only exist in your imagination... :th_smiles73:

I has made a massive improvement to my temps and the fan is rarely on now.

As my high temps and burning thighs have been a problem since buying it, I can only imagine that a lot of lappies after being chcucked around on ships from china, and in and out of warehouses, can result in "dodgy" heatsinks etc. and, if they are quite old, the thermal paste may well be past its best by the time you take delivery !

The only problem is that certianly with my HP, it was a total nightmare tkaing it apart. I have built quite a few PCs. But, I'd rather build ten PCs than take apart 1 laptop.

[needles 1,010]

HI Gabe,

Likewise, I too have built several hundred PCs for myself and various clients but I am not looking forward to a laptop refurb'.

Whenever I used to pull my siblings toys apart to see how they worked, I always had a bunch of screws and other bits left when it was reassembled:stars:

I will get around to it soon though as I think it may well be the answer to several weird things happening with my laptop.

Cheers Gabe,

Regards

Brian

[MarkJones 0]

I had a bolt left over once.... but I was putting together a motorbike engine... :biggrin:

[GabethePilot 1]

I would recommend Googling your Laptop make. I found a pictoral guide to dis-assembling (huh ?? - wierd word that !) my exact brand of lappie - I wouldn't have tried witohut it to be honest.

But if you like living dangerously... :001_th_smiles89:

[allardjd 1,853]

"If I can't fix it, I can fix it so you can't fix it!"

John

[needles 1,010]

"If I can't fix it, I can fix it so you can't fix it!"

John

That is what I call being devious John.

My wavelength though!:icon_thumbup:

[GabethePilot 1]

I have heard stories of people walking into their local PC Repair shop, with a box... full of bits.

If I'm honest, I did invisage that as a distinct possibility on numerous occasions during my 7 hour marathon.

It would have been very embarrasing, not to mention expensive.