Laptop internal dust removal

Hey I'm a noobie when it come to the internal components of a laptop, lately my laptop has been overheating and a guy I asked at geek squad said an air compressor should be more then suffient to remove dust ( I even specifically said it hasn't been dusted for a year and I believe it is clogged with dust). My first question is, what is a heat sink? Is it connected to the fan?

And also, is removing the fan and cleaning it possible without needing any special items (such as needing thermal paste for a heat sink)

What happens if you don't use thermal paste, what's wrong with just putting everything back together? And is it the heat sink that's a problem in my situation or is it my fan or both?

You can usually get way with a can of compressed air and with the battery removed and unplugged blast some air through the vents (use a toothpick or something to hold the fan still).

It would also help to post make/model of your laptop, we then might be able to help you remove the access panels to blast air in them as well.

Heatsinks are to disperse the heat away (usually look like small fins) some have fans on them some don't....would help to know make/model.

jeepmann4x4 said:

You can usually get way with a can of compressed air and with the battery removed and unplugged blast some air through the vents (use a toothpick or something to hold the fan still).

It would also help to post make/model of your laptop, we then might be able to help you remove the access panels to blast air in them as well.

Heatsinks are to disperse the heat away (usually look like small fins) some have fans on them some don't....would help to know make/model.

Click to expand...

It overheats to the point where it shuts down

Yea, just use a compressed air can and spray it around the fans. You can get them at most stores, Walmart, Target, Wallgreens etc.

PinoyForTheWin said:

jeepmann4x4 said:

You can usually get way with a can of compressed air and with the battery removed and unplugged blast some air through the vents (use a toothpick or something to hold the fan still).

It would also help to post make/model of your laptop, we then might be able to help you remove the access panels to blast air in them as well.

Heatsinks are to disperse the heat away (usually look like small fins) some have fans on them some don't....would help to know make/model.

Click to expand...

It overheats to the point where it shuts down

Click to expand...

So you never did give the info requested (make/model of laptop) I also noticed that you have not given the info in the TWO other threads you started about the same issue and now your issue is spread over THREE threads.

Laptop still shuts down - Windows 7 Forums:

Laptop internal dust removal - Windows 7 Forums:

Applied new thermal paste - Windows 7 Forums:

Just a heads up the more info you give us the more we can help with, Also you will get more help if you pick ONE thread and stick with it....

My laptop Model is Sony vaio VPCF116fx

I am 99% sure it isn't shutting down because it overheats, I observed the temperature and it maxed 61c for 3 hours until shutting down. Today I applied new thermal paste and it maxed at 71c and it hasn't shut off yet (it's been another 3 hours)

To what part(s) of your laptop did you apply the thermal paste? And what kind of thermal paste did you use?

marsmimar said:

To what part(s) of your laptop did you apply the thermal paste? And what kind of thermal paste did you use?

Click to expand...

I applied it where it previously was, the CPU and gpu. Only paste available in stores Is the generic brand dynex

Since you didn't bother to mention your make/model you'll need to google how to clean out dust from that model and repaste the processor to see videos which demonstrate.