Laptop cleaning - Should i open it or just use gas duster?

[donniezazen]

Hello,

I have a 3-4 year old Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505. It keeps running its fan even when i use a laptop cooler and outside temperature is really low. The bottom of it is really hot all the time. Should i open it and deep clean it? Is it worth considering the risk that i have no first hand experience in hardware i might kill it. Or would a gas duster be able to give me good enough result? Will this help in keeping my laptop cool? Any other tip would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Ctrl-Alt-F1]

I say open the hardware. Doing it from the outside is going to have very little effect. However, if you are super technically challenged, you should have a friend more technically inclined help.

Make sure it's unplugged, the battery is disconnected, etc. Also make sure you don't have any static electricity. You probably don't actually need to touch anything, just blast it out with a can of air.

[Brent0]

Some laptops are extremely easy to disassemble. It will probably just take a screw driver, paper towel and rubbing alcohol for removal of the old stuff, and new thermal grease.
Yesterday I opened up my 5770 and replaced the compound- dropped the temperature by 10c. Now I have some overclocking potential. :guitar:
Only attempt this if you are familiar with your hardware though.

[TheLions]

Hello,

I have a 3-4 year old Dell Inspiron 6400/E1505. It keeps running its fan even when i use a laptop cooler and outside temperature is really low. The bottom of it is really hot all the time. Should i open it and deep clean it? Is it worth considering the risk that i have no first hand experience in hardware i might kill it. Or would a gas duster be able to give me good enough result? Will this help in keeping my laptop cool? Any other tip would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

before disassemblying maybe you should look some HOWTOs, like this one: http://ahwee.com/how-to-disassemble-laptop-insp6400

or this one: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins6400/en/sm/keyboard.htm#wp1111863

just to remind you.. you only need to remove keyboard to get to fan...

[inobe]

take a piece of card board and a black marker, draw out a schematic, top bottom, back, etc..... when you remove the screws punch holes with pen and place screws in exact location, make holes small enough to secure the screws.

never put the screws in a pile, these screws vary in size, you don't want to mix them up, move fast because this will be time consuming.

before you start it's always nice to get the manufactures dissembling instructions as it will help you locate screws you may have overlooked.

[donniezazen]

OK it seems open source community lives edge of blade. lol:guitar:

I am gonna open it this weekend. Thanks.