Can I clean my laptop fan without disassembling it?

[venom0706]

I have a laptop Inspiron n5110.I want to clean it's fan, but I am not very keen on hardware.Can I use a can of copressed air from the outside vent of the fan, like this: http/postimg.org/image/fdrt0ps77/ . Or I should disassemble the laptop and remove the fan in order to clean it from dust?Thank you.

 

[ldewitt]

Well the problem with not disassembling it to clean the fan is that if you use to much compressed air the fan will actually spin so fast it might break(doesn't happen is all cases just know its possible). So i suggest blocking the fan from moving then blowing the air, spinning the fan slightly to access other blades of the fan then blocking it again and blowing....ect ect. I find the easiest way to do it is to just disassemble the laptop its fairly easy and youtube has alot of walkthroughs on how to do so:
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=muJVRvJV6Hs

hope it helps

 

[venom0706]

Thanks!How long can a laptop survive without even one cleaning?

 

[gopher1369]

Thanks!How long can a laptop survive without even one cleaning?

The main issue I've found with laptops is that after around 4 years of so of regular use the thermal paste between the CPU and cooler starts to degrade and the laptop starts overheating.

 

[C12Friedman]

Thanks!How long can a laptop survive without even one cleaning?

That depends upon the environment it's used in. A smoky, dusty environment, I'd suggest cleaning about every 6 months, it will likely not last past a year without thermal problems. Household with pets I'd say every 9 months for cleaning, perhaps up to 2 years of use without cleaning. In a very clean environment, a laptop may last 5 + years without cleaning.
For cleaning your laptop, disassembly really is the way to do it. The problem comes from dust bunnies that will not be cleared with compressed air. They'll move some and your temps may be lowered temporarily but they'll be back very quickly bringing problems back with them.
I will suggest that you find a video that shows disassembly for your machine and give it a good cleaning - I think your laptop will appreciate it and respond well.

 

[venom0706]

The main issue is that I am not very good at hardware and I am afraid not mess up something while disassembling the laptop.Is there any other way of cleaning it well without disassembling it?What about the thermal paste?How often should it be changed?And what do you mean by "clean environment"?

 

[ldewitt]

The main issue is that I am not very good at hardware and I am afraid not mess up something while disassembling the laptop.Is there any other way of cleaning it well without disassembling it?What about the thermal paste?How often should it be changed?And what do you mean by "clean environment"?

I'm not sure on an easier way other than just using compressed air can in the fan slot with just a short burst of air, let the fan settle then another burst of air. Make sure not to use burst of longer than 1-2 seconds at a time without letting the fan slow. With this method its not guaranteed that you get all the crap out of the fan that's why we recommend disassembling it to clean it. As for reapplying the thermal paste that will be a way harder task then dissembling just to get to the fan. Ill let the person who mentioned it explain there method of madness on how to do so.

 

[venom0706]

How often should the thermal paste be changed

 

[C12Friedman]

A very clean environment would be similar to an office where vacuuming/dusting is performed daily.
Watching this video http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=muJVRvJV6Hs which only shows hard drive replacement, I'm under the impression the heatsink/fan is one assembly. You would need to apply fresh thermal compound if removing the HSF for cleaning, care should also be taken of any thermal pads which may be reused (if handled carefully). As you'll note in the vid, disassembly isn't the easiest (not the hardest either) but once done, I think you'll find it really isn't too daunting of a task.
I'll suggest watching the linked video and a few other videos to get the best 'feel' for the endeavor. The HSF screws (should be captive to the HSF) are numbered in order of installation/tightening. You could always take it to a local computer shop for cleaning.
The use of a laptop cooler can help temps some and you can monitor your temps using SpeedFan or CoreTemp

 

[C12Friedman]

How often should the thermal paste be changed

Only when needed, if removing the HSF, a new application would be needed. In most cases, other components die well before the thermal compound stops being effective.
Monitoring your temps can let you know when thermal issues are such that they need attention

 

[brightside]

Blowing the dust with a canned air also will just blow it up into the laptop. Yo really don't need to disassemble much to get to the fan in most laptops. It's just a matter of removing the bac cover, blowing off all the dust, and then putting the cover back on.

 

[venom0706]

Here are my results from the programs you recommended me:
http/postimg.org/image/nibn79uv9/
Is my temperature bad?What is the normal temperature?

 

[ldewitt]

Here are my results from the programs you recommended me:
http/postimg.org/image/nibn79uv9/
Is my temperature bad?What is the normal temperature?

Not bad at all, from what i understand those are comfortable temperatures to be around when working with the i3.

 

[C12Friedman]

Your temps are fine as posted. See what your max temp goes to when doing your most intensive tasks, usually you want to see max temps under 80C. I don't think you're in need of a cleaning yet. Be sure to keep the bottom vents clear while the laptop is in use so it can receive adequate airflow for cooling. Again, a cooling pad can help some

 

[C12Friedman]

... Yo really don't need to disassemble much to get to the fan in most laptops...

Although true much of the time, unfortunately the N5110 is not one of those, complete disassembly is needed even for a hard drive replacement (and to get to the HSF)

 

[brightside]

... Yo really don't need to disassemble much to get to the fan in most laptops...

Although true much of the time, unfortunately the N5110 is not one of those, complete disassembly is needed even for a hard drive replacement (and to get to the HSF)

That IS unfortunate. Maybe try suctioning out as much dust as possible with a very clean vacuum attachment. (I've done this before while being lazy)

 

[venom0706]

Should I ground myself before using the vacuum cleaner or I just should not touch the laptop while cleaning it?I will use a big vacuum cleaner.

 

[brightside]

Always ground yourself when in doubt

 

[ldewitt]

Always ground yourself when in doubt

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