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1. Background Introduction
Daily office work is inseparable from computers. However, over time, the laptop’s cooling fan can accumulate dust, leading to poor airflow and affecting performance, or causing the fan to run at high speeds. Although the temperature may not reach levels like 95° or 100°, which could throttle performance, the constant noise from the fan can be quite bothersome.
If a laptop is used in a dusty environment for an extended period, it might suffer from poor cooling due to dust accumulation around the fan or vents. Additionally, during repairs, the heatsink may need to be removed, requiring the technician to clean off the thermal paste between the heatsink and components like the CPU and graphics card, applying their preferred thermal paste to ensure optimal thermal conductivity.
There are mainly three types of thermal paste (this classification is from my non-professional perspective): liquid metal thermal paste, phase-change thermal paste, and standard thermal paste. This guide primarily focuses on phase-change thermal paste and common liquid thermal paste, while liquid metal thermal paste is relatively high-end and not something I’ve personally used.
The following content will describe the laptop cleaning process and the selection of thermal paste based on my laptop. After covering the cleaning process, I will explain how to clean your laptop at home and the tools you’ll need. Of course, if you’re unfamiliar with this process or find it challenging, you can opt to visit a professional technician for cleaning. However, there are some details to keep in mind; otherwise, you may end up with a situation where the cleaning worked well initially, but after six months, the fan starts running wild again, necessitating another cleaning.
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2. Tools Needed
1. Thermal Paste
I purchased Honeywell 7950 thermal paste online, getting the smallest two pieces available. Below are the prices and the actual size of the thermal paste. Typically, when buying thermal paste, a brush and a tool for prying open the laptop case are included. If you don’t have those tools, you can use your fingernail or buy a cheap plastic pry tool online.
This thermal paste is phase-change thermal paste, which can be simply understood as a substance that turns liquid when heated and solidifies when cooled. It has poor fluidity, and the thermal paste used in laptops is generally similar to this, allowing for long-term stable use. Under normal office usage, once applied, the laptop can last until it is discarded without a decrease in thermal conductivity, provided it is not disassembled or used in a dusty environment.
2. Screwdriver Set
This is a screwdriver set I purchased in 2021. For standard laptops, you don’t need to buy an expensive set; a regular screwdriver set will suffice. If your laptop has special screws, you can tell the seller your laptop model or search online to find out what type of screwdriver you need.
That’s all you need; of course, you can also get some air blowers, vacuum cleaners, and anti-static devices.
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3. Demonstration Laptop
The demonstration laptop is my current office Dell G450, which I purchased in early 2013. I have never disassembled it for cleaning since I bought it. In the summer of 2022, while on a business trip, I noticed significant lag during operation, and the keyboard area was quite hot (this has always been the case). Due to the noticeable lag, I considered replacing the laptop. In August 2022, I learned that Honeywell phase-change thermal paste was effective, so I decided to try disassembling it, thinking if I broke it, I would have a reason to buy a new one. If I didn’t break it, it could continue to serve me. After ten years, I might as well write a biography about it.
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4. Disassembly
This laptop is an older model, requiring complete disassembly to clean and replace the thermal paste. Before disassembly, remove the battery and press the power button a few times. Newer models typically have a one-piece back cover; you just need to remove all the screws and use a pry tool to take off the back. The cooling fan can also be removed once the back cover is off. Older models can be more complex since disassembly methods vary by brand and model. Here, I’ll explain how to find the full disassembly guide. First, check your laptop’s model, then search online for disassembly steps for that model. Common laptops usually have disassembly guides available online, and you can follow the steps in those guides.
There are some precautions during disassembly. First, keep your hands dry. If your hands tend to sweat, it’s advisable to wear medical gloves. If the battery is of the removable type, unplug it before pressing the power button a few times. If it’s not removable, unplug the battery cable from the motherboard before pressing the power button a few times (the summary of this step is to disconnect power and press the power button a few times). If you’re cleaning during summer, remember to turn on the air conditioning to cool down and prevent sweating. If it’s winter, turn up the temperature on the air conditioning, take off your down jacket, and roll up the sleeves of wool clothing that can generate static electricity. If possible, wear an anti-static wrist strap; static electricity can be quite damaging to circuit boards.
The disassembled components are piled in the corner, and the laptop is disassembled, but the thermal paste is still not applied.
As shown in the image, the cooling fan has several screws on it, and there are numbers next to the screws. Unscrew them in order, for example, unscrew in the order of 12345. Continue loosening until the cooling fan is removed. The black part is the cooling fan, and you can clean the dust from the fan and the fins using a brush.
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5. Replacing Thermal Paste
The chip inside the red box in the image is the graphics chip, and the other is the CPU chip. Use an alcohol wipe to clean off any residual thermal paste. Also, clean the corresponding area on the cooling fan.
Apply the phase-change thermal paste evenly on the chips. I bought two pieces and used one for this laptop and the other for a gaming laptop I purchased in 2017, and there’s still some left. Overall, the price is quite affordable, much cheaper than having a shop replace the thermal paste. Once the thermal paste is applied, reassemble the laptop following the disassembly steps.
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6. Cooling Effect Demonstration
The CPU temperature during summer stress testing reaches 65°, and under normal use, it hovers around 50°. In winter, during full load, it does not exceed 60°, and normal use is below 50°. The cooling fan is basically silent, and there are no noticeable high temperatures around the keyboard area. The gaming laptop I replaced the thermal paste on also showed significant improvement; prior to replacement, it would often exceed 80° during normal use and reach around 95° at full load. After replacing the thermal paste, it stayed below 70° at full load, showing a clear improvement in cooling performance, and the fan does not run continuously at high speeds.
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7. Does the Computer Need Cleaning and Cooling?
During my university years, the computer shop and related clubs recommended cleaning the dust every six months. In reality, cleaning every six months is quite exaggerated. If the laptop is used normally and the working environment isn’t too dusty, frequent disassembly and cleaning are unnecessary. For regular office use, after two to three years, the cooling fan will not accumulate much dust, and the impact of that dust on cooling performance is negligible.
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8. Why Does My Computer Run Fast After Cleaning at a Shop, But the Fan Speed Increases Again in Less Than Six Months?
The main reason is that when you take your computer to a shop for cleaning, theoretically, they clean the dust, and you won’t notice any immediate problems. However, the issue lies in the fact that factors affecting cooling performance include not just dust but also the quality of the thermal paste used by the technician. If they use cheap thermal paste, it has a low thermal conductivity and will dry out over time, leading to insufficient thermal contact between the chip and heatsink. This can result in high fan speeds and noticeable heat around the keyboard area within about six months, necessitating another cleaning. If the technician had replaced the thermal paste directly, the effect would have been just as significant. The problem is that the cheap thermal paste has poor durability.
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9. What Should I Do If I’m Not Handy But Don’t Want the Shop to Use Bad Thermal Paste?
You can buy Honeywell 7950 phase-change thermal paste or Shin-Etsu 7921 thermal paste online; purchasing the smallest size is usually sufficient and costs only a few dollars. If you go to a shop for repairs or cleaning, you can ask them to use the thermal paste you provide.
10. About the Target Audience for This Tutorial
This guide is mainly suitable for general computer users and learners. For professional DIY enthusiasts, the content may be too basic. Even for gamers with some hands-on ability, it may not be very practical. There are better thermal pastes with higher thermal conductivity and methods like liquid cooling available. This guide is primarily suitable for novice users to those with some understanding of computers. If you’re not confident in your hands-on abilities, it’s advisable not to attempt it yourself. You can buy thermal paste and have a technician handle the cleaning and replacement.