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    Cleaning fans

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by Rogue-OP, Apr 9, 2012.

  1. Rogue-OP

    Rogue-OP Notebook Consultant

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    So my laptop has been overheating alot more lately and started even choking up, so I figured I'd best clean out the fans. Sure enough I flip it over and there is a layer of dust even on the bottom grill. I pulled the bottom panel off and there's a ton of dust in both fans. I'm not sure a simple spraying with "dust off" or another air blaster would clean them enough. What'd be the best way to get em clean (to the point where it looks like it's never been turned off). Cheers.
     
    Rogue-OP, Apr 9, 2012
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  2. Ninefingers

    Ninefingers Notebook Consultant

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    I'd take the fan and grills out completely to give them a good cleaning, using a vacuum cleaner (hold the fans so they don't overspeed when vacuuming).

    Sometimes the dust can actually be stuck onto the fan or grill, so using a little pipe cleaner or something similar is a good way to dislodge all that, then vacuum it out.

    How long since you pasted your GPU/CPU? Doing this again can help with temps, but it is a lot more of an involved process.
     
    Ninefingers, Apr 9, 2012
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  3. King of Interns

    King of Interns Simply a laptop enthusiast

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    For the GPU simply take the fan out first and clean it with "dust off" then with the fan removed you can blow the dust stuck in the heatsink out.

    The CPU isn't so easy as the fan has to be removed with the whole cpu heatsink. It isn't difficult but it means you would need to repaste the cpu to put it back together again.
     
    King of Interns, Apr 9, 2012
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  4. otosan

    otosan Notebook Consultant

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    Best way IMO is actually by dissasembling the fan itself altogether with the GPU and CPU and do the re-paste as well..,

    it will easier for u to clean everything and also u should get much better temp after.. :)
     
    otosan, Apr 10, 2012
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