1. #1

    Applying cooling paste to a laptop

    So I was running Wow the other day + a full screened 1080p youtube video on my 2nd screen.
    My laptop had the power plug in and all of the sudden it shuts down, instantly, like if you pull a power plug from a desktop.
    I have an Alienware M14x R1 (19 months old), which is infamous for overheating, so I downloaded Speedfan to see how hot my CPU/GPU got.

    Results:
    GPU: 90 C while running WoW
    Core 0-3 on average: 96 C while running WoW

    Obviously way too hot, so I looked for solutions:
    - get a cooling pad (?)
    - reapply cooling paste.

    Well, I don't want to purchase a cooling pad before trying to put on some new cooling paste.


    My question is: is this hard to do, or more importantly, is it SMART to using YouTube videos as guidelines. Can I get it done at a computer store?

    P.S. I have been experiencing a drop in performance while playing WoW the last month, can this problem be the culprit perhaps?

  2. #2
    HAve you tried cleaning it out with canned air? Your laptop may have simply sucked in so much dust that it can't actually blow air through the heatsink fins, leading to extremely high temperatures.

    Opening the laptop to re-apply thermal compound will void any warranty you have left on the laptop.
    Last edited by Butler to Baby Sloths; 2013-02-21 at 12:02 AM.

  3. #3
    I will definitely give that a try this weekend!

  4. #4
    First step is cleaning dust buildup, most conveniently done by using compressed air can.
    CPU thermal paste, if applied properly in the factory (which we can assume it was) should not be in need of replacement in less that 2 years since purchase.
    Cooling pad might help, but if something like that is necessary that laptop just isn't fit for its advertised purpose.

    Imo if air-cleaning won't help and computer is still within warranty period, consider contacting authorized service.

  5. #5
    I have a simular problem though my laptop is older and is not as well built as yours, i noticed that you mentioned that cooling paste should be reapplied after about two years, well mine is a Samsung Q530, pretty standard but i feel like the heat activity is through the roof. my question is, should i apply "new lube" or should i try to find something else to fix it with?

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by critterkiller View Post
    i noticed that you mentioned that cooling paste should be reapplied after about two years
    No, he said taht it shouldn't need replacing in the first two years. Cleaning out the dust will have a much greater effect than screwing around with thermal compound.

  7. #7
    I have already gotten this done about a month ago when i visited the store i bought said PC, but it still didnt fix the problem i think it might be because the fan is not working efficently enough because i can feel the heat when i put my hand on the keyboard.

    I'm thinking about swapping this pc out but i need to save some money because i want to put more into a computer this time so i can have it for longer, as im going back to studying and money will be tight for a few years heh...
    Last edited by critterkiller; 2013-02-21 at 12:29 AM.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Butler Log View Post
    No, he said taht it shouldn't need replacing in the first two years. Cleaning out the dust will have a much greater effect than screwing around with thermal compound.
    Indeed, replacing paste is NOT something that users are expected to do in order to prevent overheating.

  9. #9
    I will try and fix it tomorrow via the compressed air method, but what seems a correct CPU temperature for a PC on max performance?
    /

  10. #10
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
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    It should be noted, if you're going to use compressed air, try to use something like a paperclip or whatever to keep the fan from moving while you do it. They can easily be sped up too fast with canned air and damage the bearings.
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  11. #11
    Deleted
    To hell with thermal paste, apply mayonnaise. ;-)

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by chazus View Post
    It should be noted, if you're going to use compressed air, try to use something like a paperclip or whatever to keep the fan from moving while you do it. They can easily be sped up too fast with canned air and damage the bearings.
    I thank you for that tip, I'm going to try it soon!

    ---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 02:28 AM ----------

    So I used compressed air today to clean out my fan, and the temperture maxes out at about 80-82 degrees, is that cold enough?

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