How to clean overheating laptop

[NumLock21]

Friend brings laptop and it's overheating. So I took a look at it.

 

Just 1 minute of cpu stress testing, this mobile Sandy Bridge Core i3, decides to go back in time and wants to be a Intel Prescott.

 

 

CPU cooling assembly removed from CPU. Can't wait to see what's under that fan cover! Thermal paste looks dry as a desert.

 

Same with the CPU. Both of them needs to be cleaned and reapplied

 

Dust build up from over the years, eventually clogs up the exhaust vent, preventing hot air from escaping. This is mostly the main cause for the CPU to overheat. And I don't want to know where that piece of hair is from.

 

Closer examination.

 

All cleaned! Dust is so thick, it can be pulled off in one piece.

 

Thermal paste is removed from CPU. After using proper cleaning applications. This cpu is now clean and shiny. Heatsink on fan assembly is also cleaned and shiny, but I forgot to take pic.

 

New layer of thermal paste. Try to get it as even and smooth as possible. 5 minutes later... this is the result. It's good enough.

 

2+ hour of cpu stress testing. Great success!

 

Decided to clean your laptop as well? Follow the instructions according to your model. You're responsible for your own mistakes and damages.

[Guest]

But any i3 with a 2 and 3 can be a sandy bridge. That's not specific much

 

But then yeah. Nice guide. I will try to open up my laptop and clean it. Hope I won't end up RMAing it

[m0k]

Good stuff, what laptop was this?

unfortunately not all laptops are easy to disassemble, my gateway nv58 is next to impossible =[

[NumLock21]

1 minute ago, dexxterlab97 said:

But any i3 with a 2 and 3 can be a sandy bridge. That's not specific much

 

But then yeah. Nice guide. I will try to open up my laptop and clean it. Hope I won't end up RMAing it

That will depend on how it was built. I can easily access my netbook cpu cooler by popping off the bottom cover. This one, I had to take the whole thing apart, including the motherboard, which was held with only 1 screw!

[Guest]

Just now, NumLock21 said:

That will depend on how it was built. I can easily access my netbook cpu cooler by popping off the bottom cover. This one, I had to take the whole thing apart, including the motherboard, which was held with only 1 screw!

I will see.

[MageTank]

You could also do what I recently did to my brothers XPS 13. If your heatsink is copper, put some CLU on it. Managed to take his Core i7 6560U from 73C (XTU load) down to 59C (XTU load). 

 

Since most laptops have the bare die exposed, CLU does wonders. Just be very careful not to get any on any of the circuitry or gold contacts. Using clear nail polish to cover these sensitive areas is ideal, as it prevents any chance of damaging them. 

 

Still, nice results. 

 

EDIT: I should also clarify that people should not use CLU on Aluminum. Only on Copper or Nickel-Plated Copper. Gallium makes Aluminum extremely brittle, to the point in which it crumbles to pieces like chalk. Definitely not a good idea to use CLU if you are uncertain of your heatsink's material. 

[NumLock21]

4 minutes ago, mok said:

Good stuff, what laptop was this?

unfortunately not all laptops are easy to disassemble, my gateway nv58 is next to impossible =[

HP, this one had to be fully disassembled in order to get to the cpu cooler and clean it.

1 minute ago, dexxterlab97 said:

I will see.

Can't, not going to open it back up again. Number of screws depends, some can be 3 to 6 or more.

[NumLock21]

Just now, Andydandyfiddy said:

Some business class Laptops like Some Dell Latitudes have 1 screw to remove the entire chassis, You can get to the fan etc. Oh I wish that was on every laptop, So I don't have to spend 2 hours figuring out how to take it apart and tearing all the stickers 

Have to push the battery release all the way back and the bottom cover pops off, letting me get to the fan on my HP netbook. No screws needed. Great design, but crappy cpu performance.

[GSTARR]

Surface pro 2.

RIP