Best week I've had in a while after fixing my own laptop fan

Honestly, my old Dell was sounding like a leaf blower for months and I just dealt with it. Last Tuesday I finally opened it up and found a wad of dust and cat hair completely blocking the fan. I cleaned it out with some compressed air and a toothpick, and now it runs quiet and cool again. The whole fix cost me maybe $6 and 20 minutes of my afternoon. Anyone else put off basic maintenance way longer than they should?

2 comments

2 Comments

fisher.jessica3d ago

My Dell did the exact same thing about six months ago. I kept putting it off because I was scared of breaking something, but the fan was making this horrible grinding noise every time I ran a video call. I finally opened it up and found a clump of dust that looked like a small mouse nest. Used a can of compressed air and a soft brush, and the difference was night and day. The hardest part was just getting the back panel off since they use those tiny screws you can barely see. Now I make a habit of blowing it out every few months and it has saved me from having to buy a new laptop.

johnson.eva3d ago

Oh man, @fisher.jessica, now I'm scared to check what's living in my own laptop!