I saw this on PC Advisor and thought you should see it too. Like PCs, laptops use fans to blow air on components that would otherwise overheat. Typically a laptop will have one or two fans cooling the main processor and graphics chip or chipset. Many designs use a so-called heatpipe system to draw heat away from these components, with a single fan cooling a heatsink which is attached to the heat-pipes. The heatsink will have lots of 'fins' to dissipate the heat, and dust can also build up between these fins, reducing cooling power enormously. What you need to know is that the fans in a laptop are even more critical than in a PC. With everything packed in to make the laptop as slim as possible, there's very little room for airflow. And that means that even small amounts of dirt and dust can hamper a fan's effectiveness. The first signs of a clogged up fan are random Windows crashes as the system overheats. Or, if the vents are blocked with dust rather than the fan blades, you'll notice the fan running constantly or at a high speed than usual.

You can try various techniques, with the easier methods having a lower success rate. If you're not confident using a screwdriver to dismantle your laptop, grab a can of compressed air or try a camera lens air duster if you have one. Vacuum cleaners are not recommended: they're quite ineffective at removing dust and they can also cause a build-up of static electricity which you don't want around a laptop. Obviously make sure the latop is powered off before you start. Insert the nozzle of the air duster into the vents (or as close as you can get it) and start blowing the dust out. Try and stop the fan blades turning using a long plastic object - you'll have a hard time removing dirt from a spinning fan. For those that are happy to wield a screwdriver, turn off the laptop, flip it over, and remove the battery. If there is one, remove the plastic or metal panel in the base and hopefully it will reveal the fan. Your success here will depend entirely on your laptop model. If you don't see the fan at all, you'll have to go one step further and remove other parts.

There are many YouTube videos that show how to take laptops apart: just search for your make and model.The best way to do this is with a can of compressed air. If using compressed air, press the button in short bursts from lots of different angles. Don't get too close with the nozzle and stop the blades moving as per method 1. You'd do well to unscrew or otherwise remove the fan at this point and check for any other dirt clogging up the heatsink or air vents. After you've blown out all the dust, replace the panel and battery and you should find that the fan runs much quieter when you power the laptop on again. The plastic bearings in laptop fans don't last forever and if your fan is emitting a loud whine (which it didn't when you first got the laptop) it's probably time to replace it. Here, ebay is your friend. It helps if you have a popular make of laptop: we found a lot of Dell, HP, Acer and Asus fans but you'll be able to search for your exact laptop model. It helps if you have your laptop's fan for reference, and check with the seller if the photos are of the actual item if you're not sure.

Edit ArticleHow to Clean the Cooling Fan in Dell Latitude D600 Laptop PCbest leather cleaner in chicago If your laptop runs slowly, or shuts down on its own without any warning, most likely it happens because of overheating. best vacuum cleaners 2015 for hardwood floorsThe overheating is usually caused by dirty fan or dust-clogged heat sink. best price on shark vacuum cleanerThis article will show you how to remove and clean the cooling fan and heat sink in a Dell Latitude D600 laptop.best leather cleaning conditioning products

Remove 9 marked screws. Lift up the switch cover with a flat screwdriver, and continue to remove the switch cover with your fingers.best canister vacuum cleaner reviews Remove 2 marked screws.cleaning the fan on a hp laptop Lift up the keyboard, and disconnect the keyboard cable from the motherboard. Remove the 3 red-marked screws, and remove the yellow-marked screw and disconnect the LCD cable from the motherboard, then remove the whole LCD assembly. Remove the 3 red-marked screws, then disconnect the yellow-marked touch pad cable from the motherboard. Remove the top cover. Loosen the 4 marked screws with the sequence from 1 to 4. Lift up and remove the heat sink. Remove the 2 red-marked screws, then disconnect the yellow-marked fan cable from the motherboard.

Lift up and remove the fan. Clean the area using compressed air. Clean the fan and the heat sink using Q-tips and compressed air. Re-assemble the laptop with reversed sequence from step 1 to 13. This video shows how to remove and clean the cooling fan and heat sink in a Dell Latitude D600 Laptop. Group the screws and label them by the step number, so it's easier to put them back when you re-assemble the laptop. Discharge yourself by touching any grounded metal before working on the laptop. Static electricity could cause damage to the motherboard.This article provides information about fan noise and proper usage environment. Fans can become loud or have abnormal sounds due to: Proper ventilation can be one of the most important things for your system. Improper ventilation can increase fan noise and increase heat to the internal components to a degree that potentially can cause damage. It is generally recommended to use the system in a room temperature of 0°C to 35°C (32°F to 95°F) with a humidity level no greater than 90 percent.