Problem with Acer ASPIRE 5720-4649 NOTEBOOK PC PC Notebook

How to open up my laptop and clean the fan?

Fan is running often and is noisy

Posted by avatar on Sep 04, 2009

Solutions (3)

Best Solution

Only do this if you feel competent in doing so.

Pulling apart laptops is not for the faint of heart.

If you really must do it there are some good guides here.

An alternative is to get a can of compressed air used to clean computers. Put the nozzle on and spray it in every hole you can see without putting the nozzle itself inside the laptop.
Do this outside with glasses on.

Testimonial: "Thanks Bob-Guru, I uscrewed the bottom panel but it wont come up ..."

    • By avatarProject NOMAD Sep 04, 2009
    • The question only needs posting once but in case you missed my previous reply here it is again



      Only do this if you feel competent in doing so.

      Pulling apart laptops is not for the faint of heart.

      If you really must do it there are some good guides here.

      An alternative is to get a can of compressed air used to clean computers. Put the nozzle on and spray it in every hole you can see without putting the nozzle itself inside the laptop.
      Do this outside with glasses on.

    • By avatarProject NOMAD Sep 04, 2009
    • Guess third times a charm. so here we go again.



      Only do this if you feel competent in doing so.

      Pulling apart laptops is not for the faint of heart.

      If you really must do it there are some good guides here.

      An alternative is to get a can of compressed air used to clean computers. Put the nozzle on and spray it in every hole you can see without putting the nozzle itself inside the laptop.
      Do this outside with glasses on.

    • By avatarProject NOMAD Sep 05, 2009
    • Thats because there are hidden screws.

      You also have to remove the hard drive and ROM drive.



      Take a peek here for more ideas of what is involved.



      There are a few acre tips for various things in there.



      DON'T touch the CPU cooler unless you know what you are doing and have some thermal grease for CPUs to hand.

Unfortunately, like all fans, the ones in your laptop will eventually end up covered in dust and dirt, and that could spell trouble.
so follow the proper method to clean your laptop.
What you'll need:

  • Hardware: Torch, can of compressed air, microfibre cloth, small Phillips head screwdriver, glass cleaner, and lint-free wipes
  • Software: Microsoft Windows
Step 1: Keep your cool
Computer components -- processors, graphics cards, and the like -- get hot when they run. To mitigate this, laptop makers put in elaborate heat sinks that absorb the heat generated by the processor. In addition, all but the tiniest models have at least a single fan; some bigger systems have two or even three. When the temperature rises above a certain level, the fans automatically come on to keep the laptop out of the red zone. Unfortunately, like all fans, the ones in your laptop will eventually end up covered in dust and dirt, and that could spell trouble.
An occasional cleaning will keep your laptop fans spinning effectively for years. But before you can clean them, you'll have to find them. Fortunately, in most cases, they're near the vents that are located around the edges of your case; these slats let cool air in and hot air out. Don't worry if they're covered in dust and lint, we'll get to that. Now you'll need to open up the laptop case.
Look for a few sets of screws, underneath the laptop near the vents. Remove the panel and look for the fans -- they're circular and plastic, usually about the size of a 10c piece, with a small propeller inside. Again, it may be covered with dust and lint.
Step 2: Dust bunny patrol
Now that you're inside the laptop, use a torch to look around for built-up dust and dirt. Using the eraser-end of a pencil or tweezers, pick off any nasty deposits you come across.
Start at the fan, then work your way to the ducts and vents. Look under the ribbon cables, around the hard drive, and near the tiny circuit boards. Grime can hide in the oddest places, like the processor's copper-coloured heat sink, so make sure you explore all the laptop's nooks and crannies.
Step 3: Air it all out
You've done the detail work, and now it's time to go big. Put on a dust mask, if you have one. Grab the can of compressed air and spray down the inside of your laptop. Go nuts. Blow out all the dust you can find. It won't be pretty, and you might want to have a vacuum cleaner running nearby to grab all the junk it as it comes out. Don't be surprised if a lot comes out of that little laptop.
Step 4: Shake, rattle, and roll
Now that you've made your first pass at cleaning out the inside, give your laptop a little shake to dislodge any particularly resilient dust and grime. Keep cleaning and shaking until nothing more comes out.
Step 5: Key to the crumb highway
Now that the inside of your laptop is as clean as a whistle, it's time to tidy up that nasty keyboard. Don't be embarrassed by what you find: Most keyboards have enough crumbs to feed a flock of pigeons for weeks. Use the can of compressed air to blow it clean, but be careful not to break any keys off.
Step 6: Tighten up
While you've still got the laptop open, give each of the major components a quick look to see if any are loose. A loose motherboard or hard drive can cause damage in the long run, so make sure all of the screws are tight and all of the cables are well connected. When tightening the screws, be careful not to overdo it -- gently tighten until you feel some resistance. When you're done, reconnect the access panels on the underside of your laptop.
Step 7: Clean your screen
All laptop screens are susceptible to nicks and scratches, and the latest glossy, high-contrast displays show off fingerprints that even Columbo couldn't miss. We like to give our screens a quick rubdown about once a week. You can use any brand of window cleaner so long as it doesn't contain ammonia or any harsh detergents. We're partial to Sprayway, because it gets all foamy and doesn't leave annoying streaks; unfortunately, Sprayway can be hard to find in some places, and you may have to make a special trip to a glass or mirror store to find it.
When wiping down the screen, stay away from tissue that leave lint behind or rough fabrics that may scratch the display. We recommend lint-free cleaning cloths, a soft cotton chamois or a microfibre cloth.

  • By Author imagej s Sep 05, 2009

Having had 4 Acer Aspire Notebooks I am confident of my answer to this question. Using a small Phillips head screwdriver, take off the largest back panel on the bottom of the computer.

You will then see the cooling fan as well as other components that are exposed. Use a can of compressed air or a computer vacuum kit on a regular vacuum and blow off the dust or vacuum up the dust that collects on the fan and components.

Once there is no dust left, close the computer by replacing the panel and tightening the screws you removed. Also look for any thing that could be making contact with the fan that might be causing the noisy.

Hope this helps. You should also consider a small dish or box to put the tiny screws into when they are removed. They can fall and get lost easily.

Suggested Solution (3)

Only do this if you feel competent in doing so.

Pulling apart laptops is not for the faint of heart.

If you really must do it there are some good guides here.

An alternative is to get a can of compressed air used to clean computers. Put the nozzle on and spray it in every hole you can see without putting the nozzle itself inside the laptop.
Do this outside with glasses on.

Testimonial: "Thanks Bob-Guru, I uscrewed the bottom panel but it wont come up ..."

  • by Author image Project NOMAD Over a year ago

    • By avatarProject NOMAD Sep 04, 2009
    • The question only needs posting once but in case you missed my previous reply here it is again



      Only do this if you feel competent in doing so.

      Pulling apart laptops is not for the faint of heart.

      If you really must do it there are some good guides here.

      An alternative is to get a can of compressed air used to clean computers. Put the nozzle on and spray it in every hole you can see without putting the nozzle itself inside the laptop.
      Do this outside with glasses on.

    • By avatarProject NOMAD Sep 04, 2009
    • Guess third times a charm. so here we go again.



      Only do this if you feel competent in doing so.

      Pulling apart laptops is not for the faint of heart.

      If you really must do it there are some good guides here.

      An alternative is to get a can of compressed air used to clean computers. Put the nozzle on and spray it in every hole you can see without putting the nozzle itself inside the laptop.
      Do this outside with glasses on.

    • By avatarProject NOMAD Sep 05, 2009
    • Thats because there are hidden screws.

      You also have to remove the hard drive and ROM drive.



      Take a peek here for more ideas of what is involved.



      There are a few acre tips for various things in there.



      DON'T touch the CPU cooler unless you know what you are doing and have some thermal grease for CPUs to hand.

Source: How to open up my laptop and clean the fan?

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The only safe way to clean the vents is with compressed air. I don't know how old your computer is but when the fan starts making noise and overheating then it is time to replace the power supply. Continued use may destroy your CPU cause of overheating.

  • by Author image Randall Trahan Over a year ago

Source: noisy fans laptop overheating?

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All of them, as the MoBo is where the cooling fan is drawing air over the Prossesor. Experience is a plus.

  • by Author image Frank Fernandez Over a year ago

Source: noisy fan on acer 3050

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