The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Dusting a laptop?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by 4fingers97, Jun 13, 2011.

  1. 4fingers97

    4fingers97 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    70
    Messages:
    301
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Ok well I need to dust my laptop BADLY. When I play games on it the fan goes really loud and my laptop gets really hot. I have a can of compressed air. Now, I really don't want to open my laptop. Could I just spray the air where the fan blows? Or would that just damage it?
     
    4fingers97, Jun 13, 2011
    #1
  2. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    11,461
    Messages:
    16,824
    Likes Received:
    76
    Trophy Points:
    466
    It may help some but probably wont get much of the dust out, just move it to a new place.

    Most laptops let you take the bottom cover off pretty easy and from there you can probably do a much better dusting job.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Jun 13, 2011
    #2
  3. 4fingers97

    4fingers97 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    70
    Messages:
    301
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Whats the best platform for a laptop? I'm on a flat wood desk with a thin piece of cardboard underneath.
     
    4fingers97, Jun 13, 2011
    #3
  4. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    11,461
    Messages:
    16,824
    Likes Received:
    76
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Anything is fine as long as you dont scratch it up and its stable. Id put a towel under mine rather than cardboard.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Jun 13, 2011
    #4
  5. lolpsphax

    lolpsphax Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Personally, i prop the back of my laptop up on two lead boxes like the ones for mechanical pencils. I put the boxes under the little rubber feet and i find it keeps my cpu runnin 3-4 C lower and stops crashes/slowdown during gameplay. As far as the duster goes, you can put the extender that comes with the can in between the slits near your fan and blow. I have a shopvac which i press against the bottom of the fan and turn on. Only briefly though, sucks up a bunch of dust every couple months :p
     
    lolpsphax, Jun 13, 2011
    #5
  6. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

    Reputations:
    1,312
    Messages:
    3,433
    Likes Received:
    20
    Trophy Points:
    106
    One tip that I'm sure no one will notice - make sure you stop the fan from spinning freely when you are blowing air into the vent. Use a toothpick or similar object and jam it in bottom grate on the underbody of the laptop, and blow the air in and out towards the exhaust vent on the side.
     
    Amnesiac, Jun 13, 2011
    #6
  7. 4fingers97

    4fingers97 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    70
    Messages:
    301
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    A towel? Wouldn't that over heat it quickly?
     
    4fingers97, Jun 13, 2011
    #7
  8. Dreamliner330

    Dreamliner330 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    82
    Messages:
    475
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    What?! It isn't that complicated. If you take your canned air to the fan intake and exhaust holes....with the cover on, you will get 99% of the dust out of it. You DO NOT need to take the computer apart. Silly people!
     
    Dreamliner330, Jun 13, 2011
    #8
  9. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    801
    Messages:
    3,881
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    cardboard might be one of the worst possible 'bases' for a computer.

    Not only does cardboard shed a lot of paper dust, that dust is usually coated in the glues & resins that try to keep cardboard together.
     
    newsposter, Jun 13, 2011
    #9
  10. 4fingers97

    4fingers97 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    70
    Messages:
    301
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I can do that? It won't damage it?
     
    4fingers97, Jun 13, 2011
    #10
  11. Dreamliner330

    Dreamliner330 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    82
    Messages:
    475
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Yes. No.

    :)
     
    Dreamliner330, Jun 15, 2011
    #11
  12. lyj_8191

    lyj_8191 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    51
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I would usually just prop it up with 2 decks of playing cards behind the laptop.
    The canned air would clean out fine just be careful with it.
     
    lyj_8191, Jun 15, 2011
    #12
  13. Dreamliner330

    Dreamliner330 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    82
    Messages:
    475
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    It's not even that complicated. Just pick it up, aim the canned air at the vents and let it rip.

    I've been paid lots of money repairing "overheating" laptops using this method.
     
    Dreamliner330, Jun 15, 2011
    #13
  14. 4fingers97

    4fingers97 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    70
    Messages:
    301
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    With no opening required?
     
    4fingers97, Jun 15, 2011
    #14
  15. Dreamliner330

    Dreamliner330 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    82
    Messages:
    475
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Dust enters the laptop through a vent from air being pulled in and pushed out through a fan. It makes sense to remove dust in the same manner.

    Dust isn't actually collecting inside the laptop, dust is collecting in the fan assembly and heatsink. Which has a direct access through the vents...

    Are we really having a thread continue about how to blow out dust on a laptop...seriously?
     
    Dreamliner330, Jun 15, 2011
    #15
  16. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    2,844
    Messages:
    2,736
    Likes Received:
    897
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Blowing compressed air into the laptop isn't the best or brightest thing to do.

    1. Light blow moves dust inside the laptop, where it soon gathers back into the cooler itself.
    2. Harder blow breaks the bearings in the fan itself. It starts to make whirring noise afterwards.
    3. Add some human/animal hair or whatever in the dust and you'll get dustballs that block the fan from spinning when air is blown into it.
     
    KLF, Jun 15, 2011
    #16
  17. tuηay

    tuηay o TuNaY o

    Reputations:
    492
    Messages:
    3,711
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    You must suck the dust out of your laptop, not blow it deeper in to your system! Keep this as the golden rule..
     
    tuηay, Jun 16, 2011
    #17