Overheating laptops? here is my ghetto soultion

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
I have the perfect cure for eliminating overheating problems associated with laptops. Here is my story:
About 5 months ago I bought a Toshiba satellite p-35 17 inch screen laptop with a powerful Pentium 4, 3.46ghz chip inside. Needless to say, the laptop worked like a desktop for the first few months but then the honeymoon ended quickly. The laptop began to make loud fan noises and started to heat up my lap and then the whole laptop until came a time it actually shut off from over heating. At first I thought I might have blocked the vent holes (fan intake) from keeping it on my bed or from placing it on my lap. Then I soon realized that the problem was getting worse and the fans were blowing at full speed and my lap started to burn up. If I perform some heavy multitasking on my laptop, it would simply shut off. I knew I needed a cure fast or I was going to destroy my machine.
I looked through the net and to my surprise I found out in the forums that almost majority of the Toshiba buyers were complaining of same symptoms. I know for fact 2 members or possibly 3 members on this website (dr1) own Toshiba satellite laptops. So please listen up because this post will save you plenty of headaches.
If you won?t cure the problem in time, you will burn the chip and possible damage the motherboard. The solution was simple on the net: if you have warranty, take it to authorized dealer and have it fixed in a week?s time. Well, I live in DR so I would have to travel to USA to have it fixed. Maybe there are dealers here in capital who are authorized by Toshiba but I wasn?t it the mood to take it that far. I was bent on finding solution for myself.
Then there was a website where they explained that the over heating problem is associated with lint and dust accumulated in the heat sink grill of the cpu chip. Thus, the fan was unable to blow out hot air to keep the chip cool. This made perfect sense because we seem to have plenty of dust and lint in DR, more than in USA and I always use my laptop at night when I am in my bed, connected through wireless. Then I had realized why the problem was complicating over time. The solution to clean the heatsink was a very complicated method which required disassembling the whole laptop. This would not only void my warranty but would actually increase the chances of me screwing it up for good; not to mention, having a whole bunch of screws left over in the end.
So I needed a quick ghetto solution. This is when I am a genius, inventing ghetto solutions.
Here is the simple method in cleaning your heatsinks of CPU chip without opening up your laptop.
Disconnect the battery and turn off the laptop.
Take the laptop to your nearby carwash, in my case, in Santiago. Then take the pressurized air hose and the powerful vacuum handy. This is what you do. Take the pressurized air and blast the inside of the heatsink while sucking the dust from the intake of the fans under the laptop. This is important to do it properly. You want to push the dust build up inside the laptop, not suck it out from heatsink air outlet. The dust will be pushed inside the laptop into fan assembly while at the same time your power full vacuum will suck out everything that comes its way. I was shocked to see how much dust and lint came out from everywhere. My laptop was instantly cleaned in 30 seconds.
Now make sure the compressed air didn?t shoot water vapors inside the unit to make it wet. Keep it in dry hot place or use a blow dryer to dry the inside of it.

That was it. Now I have connected my laptop and it works like new unit, just like it came from the factory. The laptop is quiet and doesn?t even warm up. I am a happy camper. I think I will repeat this process every few months.
AZB
 

mido

Bronze
May 18, 2002
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Thanks a lot for this one, AZB!
I have an HP and Sony laptop and they show the same "symptoms" as your Toshiba. I sent the Sony once to the US and it was replaced but I will try your way now.

Thanks again

Mido on the way to the carwash
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Mido its important that you do the steps right. in my unit, the fans are down below the laptop and the vents to push the hot air out are on the back of the unit. So you must push the air back in where it actually comes out. The vacuum hose has to be attached to the fan intake air. When you blast the air on the heatsink the dust will get blown off from the heatsink and come out from the fan area and thats where your vacuum will catch it. The dust will also come out from any opening you may have in the laptop. This worked perfectly well for me.
AZB
 

Sholly24

I'm an athiest loving Obama fan!
Mar 5, 2006
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mido said:
Thanks a lot for this one, AZB!
I have an HP and Sony laptop and they show the same "symptoms" as your Toshiba. I sent the Sony once to the US and it was replaced but I will try your way now.

Thanks again

Mido on the way to the carwash

Yes, I think that I really like the idea of an all-inclusive carwash.

Yes, Wash your car, grab a chica, fix your laptop......etc. I might just start spending my whole days there.

Muchas Gracias

Sholly
 

Eddy

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
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0
AZB The next time

you're in town, stop by and we'll go do mine. I have a Toshiba and yes it heats up. Of course I'll pay the "Presidente" normal fee.
 

Russian

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Aug 27, 2004
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www.partbeamsystech.com
Thumbs up!

AZB shall be credited with invention of ?Preventive Maintenance under Dominican Conditions", from my short observations this could be still unknown.

People in the internet center, where I come to connect laptop to the net, were quite surprised that with simple tools I was able to fix some of there's desktop systems, which were having problems for a long time. Seems that idea of maintaining equipment did not cross there's mind....
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
the setup has to be ideal. The compressed air hose has to be type that blasts air. they attack an attachment adaptor so it can blast out the air. Most places have the air hose with the attachment for filling air into a tire only. Then you have to have the vacuum nearby as well so the hose can reach the laptop as well as the pressurized air pipe. My carwash near my office is the perfect location for it. they have an open pressurized air pipe with a open/close latch. I opened up the latch and the air came out blasting, while I had the cacuum hose attached at the same time. All worked perfectly. So come to santiago and I will healp anyone.
AZB
 

HOWMAR

Silver
Jan 28, 2004
2,624
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For those that don't want to go to the car wash, most computer stores sell canned compressed air specifically for this purpose.
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
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HOWMAR said:
For those that don't want to go to the car wash, most computer stores sell canned compressed air specifically for this purpose.
I've had to use this "ghetto" method a few times on my Play Station, so I do it at our local dive shop on Pedro Clisante.
He has a nozzle that hooks up to the scuba tanks.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Howmar, carwash is very important because they have the strongest vacuum cleaner in the market, industrial strength. A can of compressed air alone will set you back 170 pesos in DR. I got it all done for free.
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
2,239
168
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Good Idea !
AZB, you are very inentive !
I don?t use laptops myself, but have a lot of aquaintances who do...
 

Ricardo900

Silver
Jul 12, 2004
3,269
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48
ghettooooooohhhhh!!

I'm with Howmar on the compressed air cans and what's wrong with taking a deep breath and Blowing it:rolleyes: I bet there are a lot of DR1 posters who are good at blowing things,:)

I have to admit that its creative.
 

canadian bob

Bronze
Jan 16, 2002
641
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While you are at the carwash, remove the car air-filter & clean it completely using the blower & vacuum. Put your computer in a plastic bag while doing this!! Canadian Bob.
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
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update: I have been running my laptop for 4 hours straight, doing everything I do normally. The laptop's fan is running at normal speed now (unlike full throttle before), the machine doesn't even get warm. Feels like a brand new unit.
Last night, it was shutting off every 5 minutes and fan noise was like a turbo prop. I became so concerned that I shut off the unit. I am sure if I had continued to use the unit, I would have had a serious problem at my hands by now.
AZB

P.S. canadian BOB, hahahaha, good point, when you get your oil changed in DR, they usually blast air on your air filter to clean it up. I actually thought about doing that this morning but then refrained myself becuse there was a distinct possibility I was going to ruin my work clothes.
 
Jan 5, 2006
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I smell a new business venture! The Lap Bar. Get your laptop serviced while you drink a few Presidentes and get your own lap serviced. Nice 2 for 1 deal! :p
 

Cleef

Bronze
Feb 24, 2002
1,797
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It's viable

Hipocrito Mejia said:
I smell a new business venture! The Lap Bar. Get your laptop serviced while you drink a few Presidentes and get your own lap serviced. Nice 2 for 1 deal! :p
I know someone that took this idea of computer cleaning (my idea no less) and turned it into a very successful business which he sold off.

He started out just cleaning keyboards and mice and turned it into an all-inclusive facility-wash for universities and the like in Boston.

If you blow - and suck - this business is for you.:bunny:
 

221

New member
Jun 28, 2004
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i take the cover off my tower and use a compressor @ 35 psi to blow the whole cavity twice a year
its amazing the %$^& that builds up in there
concentrate on the cpu heatsink and power supply and
wear a facemask
 

Cleef

Bronze
Feb 24, 2002
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Further FYI

Assuming you live within the .05% that has constant power in the DR, you should keep your computer running all the time.

The atmospheric conditions (especially along the coast) will make the components in your machine go haywire if they have the chance to heat up and cool down over and over.

If you keep it running it stays one moderate temperature and you'll avoid potential condensation - and the eventual condemnation - of your workstation.
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
2,239
168
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Cleef said:
Assuming you live within the .05% that has constant power in the DR, you should keep your computer running all the time.

The atmospheric conditions (especially along the coast) will make the components in your machine go haywire if they have the chance to heat up and cool down over and over.

If you keep it running it stays one moderate temperature and you'll avoid potential condensation - and the eventual condemnation - of your workstation.

well, yes, you are right. But most of us suffer (once in a while...) from black outs, brown outs and spikes... So PC's always have to reboot sometimes...

Anyway, for desktops, a UPS, and also a voltage regulator (the one included in the ups is not very efficient) will help most desktop to survive bad power.. Run also your phone line thru the ups and the voltage regulator. Of course, all that work only if the power at your house/office is well grounded (la tierra)...
 

downsouth

New member
Feb 4, 2006
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Targus PA248U Tornado Notebook Chill Pad

Or, you could drop $25 on one of these, I have one and they work great! Two fans, one pushes and one pulls the hot air from the bottom of the laptop. Powered either by the USP port or AC connection.