Cleaning fans/heat sink

Lykus · 03-09-2012, 03:27 PM

My laptop (a HP dv7) has been getting progressively hotter over the past few months.

It will no reach the mid 70's in celsius just when im browsing the internet. During videos it will reach 80.

I have a cooling pad.

I bought compressed air but im not sure how I should go about cleaning it.

Can i just stick a toothpick in the fans to prevent them from moving and blow the air into the vents? That won't clean the heat sink and will only blow the dust farther into the laptop, but could that fix it?

I'm not really comfortable taking it all apart to thoroughly clean it, but I will if thats the only option.

Should i just go straight to taking it apart or should i try to blow through the vents first, then take it apart if that doesn't work?

I posted this in overclocking first but i think this is the better subforum... sorry for duplicate thread.

**Learn2day** · 03-09-2012, 03:41 PM

don't use compressed air onto a assembled laptop, even if it solves anything, it's simply not the right way to proceed. my advice is remove AC plug, battery, and vacuum it in the holes on max power and with that vacuum corners adapter thingy to increase sucking pressure.
if the problem persists and you're not comfortable to dismantle it, take to a shop for cleaning and replace heat sink compound.

Wrench97 · 03-09-2012, 03:46 PM

Best way is do as above remove A/C power and Battery, remove the bottom panel so you have access to the fan hold it from spinning with something like a ball point pen and use the compressed air, vacuum's can sometimes cause static electricity at the tip of the nozzle

**oscer1** · 03-09-2012, 03:49 PM

Hi

i would use compressed air and blow out all the vents in both directions. have a read here. Caring for your notebook computer.. then if still not cooling then if your not comfortable taking it apart then bring it to someone that knows.

Lykus · 03-09-2012, 07:30 PM

Thats the back of it. The fan is through the vent on the top right. Removing the back panel doesn't make the fan any more accessible to me.

So should i still just remove the battery and wires and then just blow through all the vents? Or something else now that you know what it looks like?

**Learn2day** · 03-09-2012, 10:54 PM

Exactly! Yours and most hp laptops, unfortunately are not prepared for a fan cleaning procedure. That's why i recommended using a vacuum if you're not dismantling it. Stick the toothpick if you're uncomfortable with the fan spinning out for a minute or less (I'm not).
The compressed air can won't work. You need at least about 15cm (don't ask me on inches, convert it) distance from target for the liquid air to expand and to get appropriate air strength. Just test your can against a close object and see for yourself the air will still be liquid and create moist around due to low temp. Moisty dust it's a fatal combo for you if the dust doesn't spread out from the fan, it will seal even further heat dissipation.

Lykus · 03-10-2012, 01:53 PM

But i hear all the time that vacuums cause static electricity and that it could cause alot more damage than the overheating can.

So i guess my only options are to buy an expensive static free vacuum, take it into a shop, or dismantle it myself?

Wrench97 · 03-10-2012, 01:58 PM

I do them with compressed air, no issues.

**Learn2day** · 03-10-2012, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lykus

But i hear all the time that vacuums cause static electricity and that it could cause alot more damage than the overheating can.

Not overheating, over-cooling.
I never had problems. Removing battery and power source will eliminate most static problems, also, i never turned it on immediately after, and you can use the trick 'click power button without battery or power for 1min to eliminate static'. But in the end it's all your choice as much as your consequences...

My honest opinion - If you're all the afraid to further damage the laptop, don't you think it's worth a couple of bucks to take to someone who knows what they're doing?

Cheers.