Using Old Asus Machine. Requires regular changing of thermal paste but no help this time.

So I've been using an Asus N71JQ ever since I bought it in 2010. It's been a great machine.

I was planning on getting a new machine to replace it since it's so old but things don't seem to be panning out.

I had a few cheap repairmen available to help reapply thermal paste every 2 years so that I could actually use this machine. But I don't have their help this time.

Thing is, I saw them disassemble the machine completely to do their maintenance work every time. I couldn't ask how to do it or if it was necessary for just applying thermal paste ("trade secret").

There are tutorials on Youtube of how to disassemble. I'm just afraid that if I mess this up, never something that I've done before, it may take away the remaining life in this machine (I still do use it for important tasks).

So I would like to know, has anybody dealt with machines that don't have simplified mechanisms for user-done maintenance or have any advice with regard to it? All the better if you can speak for this machine in particular.

 

Buy some Grizzly Kyronaut then you won't have to repaste again. You should never be having to repaste on a machine that isn't overclocked if you're using good thermal compound (cleaning dust out of fans and vents is a bigger problem).

Disassembly guide here:
https://www.empowerlaptop.com/how-to-disassemble-asus-n71jq/

To be fair, that thing is a complete mess to take apart, but it can be done just by following guides. Just be careful with the cables and removing the latches on them.
That would give me anxiety too. Something like a modern MSI laptop has just 5-7 screws then pop goes the bottom cover, then 2 screws for the CPU fan, 3 screws for the GPU fan, then unscrew the CPU or GPU heatsink and bam: instant easy repaste. Alienwares seem much easier to work with also.

 

Finally somebody who can help! This machine worked great for me, but I don't know what they were thinking while making this. Why use crappy thermal paste and also make it difficult for the user to service it themselves? Maybe business tactics.