I've written about this subject in years past, but it's so important I feel obligated to repeat myself for those who might have missed it. Your laptop may be choking to death. You see, like desktops, laptops can suck up lots of dust. And because everything in a laptop is packed together so tightly, dust is even more dangerous. When the cooling fans have to run constantly, it's just a matter of time before the machine start to overheat. When that happens, it may lock up. It may damage system components. And it might even kick the bucket. Fortunately, as I've mentioned before, this is easy to fix. All you need is a small screwdriver and a can of compressed air (or an air compressor—though tread lightly with that, as noted below). Turn off the laptop, flip it over, and remove the battery. I recommend unplugging the AC adapter, too. Look for an air vent on an outer edge of the laptop; there should be a nearby access panel on the bottom. Unscrew that panel and remove it.

You should see the fan right underneath. Your mileage may vary, but the three laptops I have here all have panel-accessible fans. Now it's time to blow out the dust, something you might want to do outside. Hit the fan in short bursts from lots of different angles, making sure to blow most frequently in the direction of the air vent. best way to clean mahogany furnitureIf you're using an air compressor, as I did, keep the pressure relatively low, and don't get too close with the nozzle. miele vacuum cleaner best pricesToo strong a burst and you could damage the fan or something else.best way to clean buildup on wood floors After you've blown out all the dust, replace the access panel and battery, then power up the system. best wood polish wax

I'll wager that it runs much quieter (and cooler) than it did before. If your laptop is more than a year or two old, it's long overdue for such a cleaning. (Same goes for your desktop.) Don't wait until it's too late. And add a reminder to your calendar so you remember to do this again every couple months.best way to clean wooden rocking chairs Contributing Editor Rick Broida writes about business and consumer technology. air duct cleaning key west, or try the treasure trove of helpful folks in the PC World Community Forums. Sign up to have the Hassle-Free PC newsletter e-mailed to you each week. To comment on this article and other PCWorld content, visit our Facebook page or our Twitter feed.Laptops are more likely to have problems with overheating than desktop computers.

This is because everything in a laptop is packed closely together, meaning that it is harder for air to circulate. Keep your laptop from getting too hot by adjusting the fan settings for your system so that your fan is running more often, even all the time. Often the default fan settings have been designed to make the laptop quieter, so adjusting your fan settings can cool your laptop but will make it noisier.Restart your laptop by clicking on the "Start" button and then "Restart" in the Start menu.Press the "F10" key on your keyboard while the computer is restarting to open the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) interface.Find where the "Fan Settings" section is located. Change which option is highlighted using the arrow keys on your keyboard, and press the "Enter" key to choose that option. Exactly where the fan settings are located varies depending on your computer, but it will be under either "CPU," "Advanced," or "Overclocking." Find one of these and press the "Enter" key to look for the fan settings.

If you wish to go back to the previous screen, select the "Go Back" option and press "Enter."Select "Fan Settings" and press "Enter" to see the fan settings. This shows the "fan high temp." and "fan high voltage," as well as the "fan low temp." and "fan low voltage."Change the "fan low temp." setting to a lower temperature to make the fan start working earlier. If you set this to a suitably low temperature, your laptop will always be above this temperature and so the fan will run constantly. The exact temperature needed for this to happen will vary with your laptop. 30 degrees will, in nearly all cases, be low enough.Change the "fan low voltage" setting to a higher voltage to make the fan start running at a higher voltage and therefore faster. The "fan high voltage" will be set to the fan's maximum voltage setting, so do not set it any higher than that voltage or you will risk breaking the fan.Select "Save Settings and Exit" and then press "Enter" to go back to the main BIOS page.Select "Exit" and press "Enter" to leave the BIOS page and let your laptop restart.

Your fan will now work according to the new settings.Show All ItemsIntroduction: Computer (Laptop) Cooling BasicsCPUCPU CPUGPUCPUCPUGPUThe ProblemRemember:CPUsGPUsCPUThe SolutionStep 1: Preparing for the ProcessShow All ItemsThis 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. However for specific environmental usage temperatures for your system, refer to your User's Guide or Owner's Manual. Below are laptop and desktop specific ventilation tips: An out-of-date BIOS can cause loud fan noises by having an outdated temperature table for the system.