One day, you turn on your laptop. Maybe nothing happens, or maybe you get some error message about fan speed, or maybe you just get a “system halted” message. Then again, perhaps your computer works just fine, but it’s starting to sound like a vacuum cleaner because the fans are running at full blast! At this point, you may be inclined to freak out. But don’t go there just yet… If this sounds familiar, it’s because you probably read my earlier post, How to Clean the Inside of a Desktop Computer. This edition is specifically for laptops. Usually, cleaning the fan and heat sink inside your laptop is a lot easier than you might think. With a few dollars and a bit of bravery, you can “dust” inside your laptop (without taking it apart, hopefully) even if you don’t know anything about how computers work. If you can dust your house, you can dust your lappy! You will definitely need a can of “compressed air”, otherwise known as an “air duster”, “air squirter”, etc.

You can buy them pretty much anywhere, and they look like this: DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner – bad idea (static electricity). Use an air duster! Note: The air duster can will become very cold as you spray. If it seems to run out of gas, put the can somewhere warm and use the 2nd can you bought. Once the 1st can warms up, it will once again have “spray power”. Right, so that was easy. Now you’re ready to carry on. All laptops have an air input, and an air output. best thing to clean suede sofaCool air is sucked in somewhere, and the heated air is expelled somewhere else. best black friday deals on vacuum cleanersNow, if you have some fancy new-fangled laptop, it may have vents that are very well hidden. hp laptop fan cleaning software

For example, sometimes manufacturers (especially Fruity ones) hide the vents underneath the keyboard, or they disguise them as a thin and supposedly esthetically-pleasing slot or something. In any case, it is a simple fact that computers produce heat as they run, and all computers must remove that heat from their innards, and channel it elsewhere to avoid overheating and either damage or shutdown. There are some fanless laptops, but they are usually far less powerful than a normal laptop. what is the best brand vacuum cleaner nzUsually, they channel heat away from their internal components by using convection (natural air flow – no fan) or by using the the laptop case itself as a heat sink – especially if it’s made from something “fancy” like aluminum. In any case, if your laptop is making noise, it’s got a fan. And if it’s got a fan, it has vents. So, find the vents on your lappy.

The following are some examples of where to find cooling vents on laptops: Well, as you can see, vents can be everywhere! Normally, the one you are most concerned with is the Side Vent, and/or any Rear Vents. You can see which Side or Rear Vent is important because you’ll be able to see a (usually) copper heat sink just inside the vent, like so: The vent with the metal fins inside is the most important one to clean!Now, fire up the laptop. It will probably run much quieter, cooler, and you’ll be a happy camper. I usually do this on my laptop every 6 months or so. If you live in a dusty, smoky, or pet-hair-saturated environment, do it more often.What this probably means is that inside your lappy, you’ve got something like this: Note that in the above photo, all that grey fuzzy stuff is blocking the metal fins of the heat sink. That means no cooling, which means the fan will spin faster, and thus you have a vacuum cleaner instead of a laptop. In the picture above, the cooling fan should be on the right where the hole in the green board is, but it has been removed.

In the following photo, you can see inside another laptop, and the arrows show where to clean with your spray can: Now, if that still doesn’t work, you’ll have to remove the fan to clean the Grey Fuzzies from between the fan and the heatsink. Of course, this level of operation is not for the faint of heart. But, for those of you with some mojo, you’re probably wondering how to open your laptop and clean it out thoroughly without damaging anything. Unfortunately, each lappy is different, and thus you need to find out exactly how to open things up if you want to avoid any major headaches! Just search for something like: There are a ton of videos on this stuff out there, and someone has most certainly already done the hard investigative work for you.  All you have to do is follow their instructions.Like I said, most of the time, all you’ll need to do is spray out the vents, all kinds of dust will come blasting out (probably in your face, which is nice), and you’re done.

But, if things have reached Dust Factor 9, you will have to do some video searching, and be prepared to use a micro-screwdriver – or two. If necessary, you can even order a replacement cooling fan on eBay, and replace it yourself. It sounds complicated, but with your YouTube instructions, it’s usually a piece of cake. Good luck, and happy cleaning!Computer fans pull cooler air into your computer. /Getty Images All computers, whether desktops or laptops, contain cooling systems for their processors. Computer processors handle millions of calculations per second, each requiring electrical charges to work. After a while, the processor will overheat if not properly cooled. Manufacturers often implement a series of heat sinks and a cooling fan to draw heat from the processor. However, if the fan becomes clogged with dust, the processor might not cool properly and malfunction. For a small business with limited resources and tight deadlines, malfunctioning computers could be disastrous.

An easy way to clean your fan in your laptop is to remove the cover, blow away loose dust, and wipe the fan blades with a soft cloth. 1. Unplug your laptop from any power source and place it upside-down on the anti-static mat. 2. Remove the bottom panel of your laptop. Different manufacturers construct different types of laptop enclosures, but most employ screws that can be removed with a small Philips-head screw driver. The processor fan should be plainly visible once the inside of the laptop is exposed. 3. Hold the fan in place with your finger, so that it does not rotate. Never remove the fan, because removing parts without advanced knowledge of the hardware could damage the processor or its heat dissipators. 4. Clean the face of the fan with the cloth, gently rubbing dust and dirt away from the center. 5. Gently blow into the fan to dislodge dust that may have fallen into the fan. Repeat the process until the fan is clean. When finished, replace the laptop's bottom cover. /Getty Images Suggest an Article Correction