Cleaning laptop fan?

bonzodog2

The main problem is not the dirt on the fan blades, but a load of compressed fluff on the copper-coloured thing with fins to the left of the fan on your picture. The fan needs to come off to remove this, its like trying to breathe through a carpet. Is the screw problem on the ones securing the fan assembly?

bonzodog2

That cable will just pull out easily enough, and should only go back in one way

TheShizz

No the stuck screw is on the other side of the laptop, on the underside of the Disc tray place.

Still working on disconnecting the fan.

TheShizz

This is annoying me, and I don't want to pull it.

bonzodog2

Needle-nosed pliers or tweezers on the cable should be OK, or fingernails/small screwdrivers on the white plug. Its not stupidly fragile.

TheShizz

Incidentally, this is what came off the copper part.

Is that a standard amount of dust or a lot?

bonzodog2

On the low side of typical; it is often actually like a little carpet. While you have the fan off you may as well clean the blades, although the fluff carpet is the major problem.

TheShizz

I got the fan off yes. What's the recommended device for cleaning them

bonzodog2

Small paintbrush/Q-tips/anything not too sharp. It doesn't need to be super-squeaky clean

TheShizz

Running into a bit of trouble getting it to switch on so I can't see the fruits of my labour just yet.

TheShizz

Ok we're on the home stretch I think there's a problem. Big problem.

It turns on okay. But there is no visual on the screen and I can't turn it off. And I'm afraid to touch anything incase I electrocute myself.

Any ideas?

TheShizz

What are those two cables connected to the WLAN card? Are they for visual? If so that explains why I can't see anything because I've been having problems re-connecting them.

I've took the battery out in the mean time.

bonzodog2

The cables to the WLAN card are for the wifi antenna, usually in the lid behind the screen. The connectors can be a little tricky to put back, I usually hold the cable with a needle-nosed pliers to get the connector oriented correctly then push down with a finger.

No video - recheck the video cable connection

TheShizz

I thought they were connected to the touchpad, because the mouse doesn't work.

The keyboard does, and it switches on and off, I have visual. I have everything but the mouse, and internet.

TheShizz

Also, the fan is making noises for no reason - but it's not overheating so bit of good and bad news there I think.

bonzodog2

TheShizz wrote: »

I thought they were connected to the touchpad, because the mouse doesn't work.

Recheck the trackpad ribbon cable

TheShizz

Which ribbon is for the mouse? I thought I put all the ribbons back correctly; keyboard, screen and power switch.

TheShizz

Is that ribbon, which is closest to the mouse pad, the one which connects to the touch pad?

hearny

yes disconnect the ribbon cable and try to reattach it.

Also double check the cables going to the wifi card (This image https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/667836/294827.jpg

they clip back on just be gentle with them.

TheShizz

Doesn't work mate. Maybe I'm not attaching it correctly, but it's as firm as you can get it so who the f*ck knows.

There's also an issue with the fan itself. I don't think I re-connected it correctly, because I'd be at the login screen on windows and all of a sudden it starts off. Doesn't get hot as I said, but it still shouldn't be making a noise when nothing is going on.

I'm happy it doesn't get hot but I'm starting to feel out of my depth.

hearny

Did the cable come loose on the other side by any chance or can you access that side.

It may be disabled is there a switch or a keyboard combination like Fn and one of the F keys you will have to look for an icon that looks like a trackpad.

Failing that it may be damaged, if you are sure its connected.

Did you disconnect the heatsink, if you did the thermal paste needs to be removed and new paste applied, something like this:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/ARCTIC-SILVER-5-3-5g-CPU-THERMAL-PASTE-GREASE-Artic-/390776694103?pt=UK_Computing_Thermal_Compounds_Supplies&hash=item5afc1b2557

TheShizz

What's the heatsink? The big copper yoke than I cleaned a bit of dust off? If so, no I didn't take it out, just the fan itself.

I'm a broken man. I think I'll just get a professional to re-assemble it properly because I'm clearly out of my depth. Shame, because I think I was making headway, but f*ck it I'll concede defeat.

Thanks to everyone who helped along the way. Really appreciate it.

TheShizz

Hello again,

Are my documents, like Word files etc, on my laptop or hard-drive?

If I give the bloke the laptop to repair and keep the hard-drive will I have access to my work on Word if I slot the hard-drive into a different laptop? This is really quite important because I'm working tonight.

Cheers.

bonzodog2

Your documents are stored on the hard drive. However the hard disk is unlikely to boot Windows properly on another laptop unless they are very similar. (If thats what you were thinking...) You'd really want to be using a caddy to make an external drive.

TheShizz

Got it fixed. Probably the easiest €40 the bloke will ever make but I was toying around with things beyond my understanding, and eventually I would've broken something important had I kept at it I think.

Most important thing is the system doesn't overheat anymore so happy days.

sfbonner

Always take the battery out first before opening/removing components from a laptop!