Cleaning fan- Fujitsu S6231

My fan began acting up- it makes a buzzing sound, and my husband said we should clean it. Now, it seems like the entire frame has to be removed, is that the only way to open it? We eventually were unable to unscrew the last two screws and had to put everything back in...

 

The easiest way is to remove the panel, because it makes the entry into the fan a little easier. However, if you can't open it, then you can use some compressed air, and simply spray from the vent on the outside. This directs the air from the heatsink, though the fan, and out of the bottom of it, where the fan is located.

If the fan makes a noise after cleaning, and it doesn't effectively keep the temperatures of the notebook down, then you will probably have to replace it.

 

This is defect know to happen on S6231's. I had one myself with same problem. The fan craps out after a year or so, low buzzing sound gets worse and worse until you cannot even bear the sound. Compressed air will not help you at all to fix this.

Send it in for warranty repair i.e. fan replacement - and ask them to clean out the dust from the CPU heat sink while they are at it.

 

Well... I chatted with a Fujitsu rep and he gave me a repair shop address in Manhattan. I dropped off my laptop specifiying what the problem was (overheating, chugging noises, please clean fan). They called a few days later and said they replaced the CD ROM, which was making the noises. I said great, but did they clean the fan? The guy hemmed and hawed and said they blew dust in it. Well, I really needed the computer back so I picked it up this morning...after ten minutes it was already overheating.

So you think I should send it out for fan replacement? Blah...

 

Told you already what the problem is. You're wasting time with this other stuff.

 

Skagen: If you don't mind me asking, do you know how much sending in a laptop to get the fan replaced would cost without the warranty?