Great video, simple and professional. Just removed Santa's beard from my fan. Now my laptop even sounds different than before. I think the dust muffled the sound of the fan. Now that the dust is gone, I can hear it so much better. And the fan doesn't run as much, so it made a difference. Thanks!
Thank you for this video! I'm helping a friend out with their computer and this video will help me since their computer smells like burning plastic and is thermal throttling like a mean bull!
I did it!! I love you!! I didnt know how to open my 1545 and you explained it SO good! My fan was about to explode! :P And the guys at the computer service wanted to charge me almost 100 to do this! Thanks!!
Hi - just wanted to say thanks for this video, my Dell had CPU temp averaging 85-95C (fan constantly running full speed); after just cleaning dust/lint (leaving existing thermal paste in place) it's down to 50-60C and fan is much quieter..
@neviatha - yes overheating will cause the machine to lag on all kinds of things. And yes you can do a full dismantle and get to the fan. In the case of this vid we did not need to do that, but just do a search for the make and model number here on UA-cam and I am sure there is a tutorial. Thanks and good luck!
Interesting, you must keep a clean desk! Yes don't scrimp on the thermal paste, this is important, if it is hard, it must be replaced! Thanks for commenting.
Cleaning the fans is a great start. I understand not wanting to remove the thermal paste and putting on new, it does make a big difference if you do that, but as long as there is thermal past still on the chip and cooling system you are ok. I would highly suggest though that you do replace it with new as the old stuff gets hard and does not work as well. Very important that you have at least something.
Yes, very similar process, I would have a razor blade handy to lightly scrap off the old thermal paste and a larger screwdriver. But pretty much the exact same process. Thanks!
Quality video, easy to follow and great advice. Used your advice to clean and reapply thermal paste to my 3 year old inspiron 1545, running so quietly now and about 8-10 degrees cooler when running full tilt. Thanks alot mate!
Wow! this video helped me a lot. i tried myself for the first time but didn't know what to do with that cooling system..thanks to you, now i know. Keep it up.
Double check the antenna wires are seated properly. One other thing to check is the wifi switch, you may have bumped it when you were working on it. Let us know!
@SwaleyBlue - Not sure about the access panel on the 1464. Flip it over and pull off that bottom panel, if you can see the cooling system it will be that same. Let me know!
@westmakati - The thermal paste creates a semi liquid "glue" that transfers the heat from metal to metal. - It's important in my opinion. However just cleaning off the dust is also a good step, but to achieve the best results you should follow the video every step of the way. Thanks for commenting!
hi this has worked really well for me got a ton of gunk out of my fan. I just have one problem though I cannot connect to the internet wirelessly anymore can you give me any advice.
This helped a lot I managed to get the thermal paste and successfully cleaned out my fan. :) The fan is quiet now and it isn't getting hot anymore. I'll be sure to continue to do it often to keep it in good condition. The only problem I seem to be having is that now I occasionally get a sound/video stutter when viewing/listening to media. Could I have possibly done something to cause this?
Make sure that you are using the right size screwdriver for this, very important. If you have a hardware store near by, it would be worth a drive to get a 3.5 mm screwdriver, they usually come in a set, and totally worth it. Let us know! Don't give up!
Glad it went well. I try to convince people all the time that this will add life to an older computer. It does not take very long, and it puts money in your pocket! Go buy a burrito with the money you saved and call it a day! Thanks for the comment and enjoy!
Hi Jack, this is not a great PC for gaming, you can try to upgrade the RAM in it, however, the best advice you can get from anyone who is into gaming, is to stop using a laptop and buy a dedicated game console like a PS3 or an Xbox. I did this years ago and there is no more lag, no more hoping the games I buy will actually run well. Games made for consoles have to work before they are approved for market. Easy. Good Luck!
my inspiron 1545 heats up to a point where it is practically painful to touch, but it's still working to my surprise. i suppose it's time to take it out of isolation and clean it up.
Took my 1545 apart recently, expecting it to be horrible... I have a cat and 2 dogs. After taking the heatsink completely off, it was almost spotless. Using real thermal paste seemed to make a difference in temps too.
I had to replace my DC I/O daughter card last week which required heat sink removal (1545 Inspiron laptop). All is fine, but I worry about the heat pads which I didn't replace. 1) Do the pads have a limited life span? 2) Do you think you applied too much thermal paste? I've seen countless videos here on YT and there are MANY opinions. One video here shows a single 'pea drop' on the center and demonstrates the spreading with clear plexiglass for total THIN coverage. Not trying to be critical
Hello I think the antenna wires may be the problem as one was out of place, I moved it and turned it on again and it connected to the internet but there was a poor signal. I opened it up again to try and adjust it but it's not picking up anything now. how are the wires supposed to go do they click into place or rest on top?
i have a inspiron 1545 i love it but its hard to play some pc games cause of the video card. do u have any videos showing where the graphics card is and how to replace it?
I have this model too, and I have a few problems (it never shuts down) and I think it's due to over heating. I've had it for a couple of years now so.... so thanks for posting this. Was wondering if there was any way to get into the fan as well? I have to confess the air intake had gotten quite grimy too. the worse problem I have been having is streaming media is become really laggy sometimes unpredictable. Do you think that this could be a side effect from over heating?
I just replaced the trackpad buttons on mine. There's a deep irony in the fact that you have to take half the laptop apart to do the above, whilst replacing the heatsink compound takes a couple of screws and that's all! Usually it's decidedly the other way round! Still, not the worst-designed machine I've ever worked on...
Thanks a lot buddy! :) also may I ask you 1 question. I replaced thermal paste on CPU and graphic card, and my dell's runs 40-50C (104F- 122F) temperature is this fine or should I buy the better thermal paste? Thanks for your answer.
Hi Brian I have been working on a 1545 that has no video but as power... I have tried replacing the whole mother board as well as the lcd screen anything else i could check? I havent replaced the DR board thats separete from the main board but I figured it would be fine since i still have power through the board... any helpwould be great thanks
I need help with something. Recently, when the fan starts up, I hear it hitting something for a brief second. It doesn't happen all the time, but it's starting to worry me. Can this be fixed without dissasembling the laptop and can this be dangerous?
i dont think there is a way without disassembling the laptop. open it up, and check the fan for dust dirt and any blocking. also check for anything surrounding the fan, cables, pieces of broken plastic... and it could be dangerous for your laptop because it can break the fan.
i have a question. i have experience working on this, and i did everything already. i have 2 laptops like this. perfectly cleaned out now, but they still overheat. i have no idea why.
although your video is about dell 1545, but i just need a quick reply please, please tell me does inspiron 545 desktop psu fan blows air in or out,, i was cleaning it today because it was dirty and noisy but forgot to check its air flow, was it blowing air in or out ? now i set it to blow air in but i don't think its right and can't find about on web anywhere can you help me ?
Hello Brian, I've been fixing PCs for a while now but I've never work in a shop or a company, also I just got my CompTIA A+ certification. My question to you is how do I start anywhere if no shop is willing to hire me even for cheap? I'd like to work for a repair shop or a company but apparently I have no "experience".... how did you start? any advice?
Superb my man.... appreciated. Was totally nervous i would fuck it up but everything went without a hitch (touch wood).... was way more easier than i imagined! Just lacked confidence i guess... lol Peace!
Oh right, cool.... well I've been looking into it. Just working up the courage to do it! lol Thanks anyway, you're video is great by the way. Can I ask just one last question. When I was looking into 'Thermal paste' i noticed that there were various types (ie silver, coper, ceramic I think) what would you recomend would be best to use on this... or do they all work fine?
Most likely it is overheating. You need to follow this video and it should stop shutting down. Also make sure the fan has not completely failed. If it has pull the part number, go to ebay and find a replacement. Easy fix. Wait too long and the motherboard will fry out.
@zovaze - 100% necessary. If you don't apply it, the machine will overheat and fail. Wait and buy some, apply it and get some more years out of that machine.
Actually that is what you want to have happen. Thermal paste should remain some what paste like. When it gets harder the transfer of heat is not as efficient. So you are good. So what noises is the machine making!? Fan clicking?
THANKS very much for this vid. Wasn't sure if I'd tackle, but your visuals, calm/plain instructions seemed clear enuf, so thot what the heck. Think laptop was saved (HOT to trot!) dust bunny sz of NY found, also part of a leaf (?). too bad, no cash, haha. FYI, anyone looking for thermal compound/paste, ordered online frm Walmart ('Artic silver' (ceramique), $3.71 before tax), have 'site to store' serv., so just picked, no handling (yep, penny pinching now!). Got 'compressed air' in store $4.83
Hey Brian,i need hlp;)-my brothers toshiba motherboard was water damaged and i cleaned it with 99% alch several times,anyway it booted and just freezes(not responding at all)-after i unplugged charger and tryed plug it again-no power at all.Is there any hope for this motherboard:( -- tnx
Thank you so much this is the first time i ever cleaned the cooling agent and then dust was so compact that the fan i could here from my parent room, google chrome would crash my comp and it was extremly slow to where turning it off was a difficulty. But now its 3 times faster and everything runs great Thank you so much Sub'd, Liked and fav'd
2 mistakes: 1) When blowing compressed air into a cooling fan DO NOT allow the fan to spin, the air pressure spins it much faster than it naturally spins and ruins it. 2) Way too much thermal paste!
Hey thank you for the guide :D! By the way, do you know where can I buy some Inspiron 1545 screws? I lost some of them and I don't know the name of these little screws. I would really appreciate it if you could help me with this :D
I read online that I could just blow into the fan and the heat sink and it would clean the dust out. Well now, the fan stopped working overall. I don't have any thermal paste or compressed air to clean it with :| This stupid thing is almost 4 years old now, I really need a new one.
Even though this video is 7 years old, it has helped me a lot because I've just bought a used one. Thank you for posting.
Great video, simple and professional. Just removed Santa's beard from my fan. Now my laptop even sounds different than before. I think the dust muffled the sound of the fan. Now that the dust is gone, I can hear it so much better. And the fan doesn't run as much, so it made a difference. Thanks!
Thanks for the comment and the update! Glad it worked out for you!
this really helped. my fan was making such a loud noise and I didn't dare open my laptop up until I watched this. Thanks :)
Glad it worked out! Thanks for the comments!
Thank you for this video! I'm helping a friend out with their computer and this video will help me since their computer smells like burning plastic and is thermal throttling like a mean bull!
I did it!! I love you!! I didnt know how to open my 1545 and you explained it SO good! My fan was about to explode! :P And the guys at the computer service wanted to charge me almost 100 to do this! Thanks!!
Wow! Thanks for the comments and the positive energy! Dig that big time!
Thanks a lot for commenting. Glad it worked out for you!
I just followed this video on my 1545 and it worked an absolute treat! Many thanks!
Hi - just wanted to say thanks for this video, my Dell had CPU temp averaging 85-95C (fan constantly running full speed); after just cleaning dust/lint (leaving existing thermal paste in place) it's down to 50-60C and fan is much quieter..
I finally got it. I cleaned out so much lint and dust. Worked like a charm.
@neviatha - yes overheating will cause the machine to lag on all kinds of things. And yes you can do a full dismantle and get to the fan. In the case of this vid we did not need to do that, but just do a search for the make and model number here on UA-cam and I am sure there is a tutorial. Thanks and good luck!
Interesting, you must keep a clean desk! Yes don't scrimp on the thermal paste, this is important, if it is hard, it must be replaced! Thanks for commenting.
@TheJukebox0122 - Glad it helped! Thanks for commenting.
Cleaning the fans is a great start. I understand not wanting to remove the thermal paste and putting on new, it does make a big difference if you do that, but as long as there is thermal past still on the chip and cooling system you are ok. I would highly suggest though that you do replace it with new as the old stuff gets hard and does not work as well. Very important that you have at least something.
Yes, very similar process, I would have a razor blade handy to lightly scrap off the old thermal paste and a larger screwdriver. But pretty much the exact same process. Thanks!
Thanks @MrMikeblack43 - Glad to help out!
Quality video, easy to follow and great advice. Used your advice to clean and reapply thermal paste to my 3 year old inspiron 1545, running so quietly now and about 8-10 degrees cooler when running full tilt. Thanks alot mate!
Wow! this video helped me a lot.
i tried myself for the first time but didn't know what to do with that cooling system..thanks to you, now i know.
Keep it up.
@BnezHK - yeah that will work fine! Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for the vid man, cleaned a very large amount of dust out of my fan, now it's actually running better as well as cooler.
thanks brian your a computer saver i was about to take it all off but didnt have thermal paste
Double check the antenna wires are seated properly. One other thing to check is the wifi switch, you may have bumped it when you were working on it. Let us know!
@SwaleyBlue - Not sure about the access panel on the 1464. Flip it over and pull off that bottom panel, if you can see the cooling system it will be that same. Let me know!
I just did it on my laptop.
Thank you so much! This tutorial helped me A LOT!
This video was very helpful so thank you. One question though, before cleaning is it necessary to remove the battery?
This video was very helpful my laptops overheating problem is now solved.I am happy.Thank you very much.
@westmakati - The thermal paste creates a semi liquid "glue" that transfers the heat from metal to metal. - It's important in my opinion. However just cleaning off the dust is also a good step, but to achieve the best results you should follow the video every step of the way. Thanks for commenting!
hi this has worked really well for me got a ton of gunk out of my fan. I just have one problem though I cannot connect to the internet wirelessly anymore can you give me any advice.
@jagmohan909 - Anytime, thanks for the encouragement. Have a good day!
I user Spectra-Cool (poly synthetic) or X-15 - both can be found on ebay or amazon. Thanks!!
This helped a lot I managed to get the thermal paste and successfully cleaned out my fan. :) The fan is quiet now and it isn't getting hot anymore. I'll be sure to continue to do it often to keep it in good condition. The only problem I seem to be having is that now I occasionally get a sound/video stutter when viewing/listening to media. Could I have possibly done something to cause this?
Make sure that you are using the right size screwdriver for this, very important. If you have a hardware store near by, it would be worth a drive to get a 3.5 mm screwdriver, they usually come in a set, and totally worth it. Let us know! Don't give up!
Glad it went well. I try to convince people all the time that this will add life to an older computer. It does not take very long, and it puts money in your pocket! Go buy a burrito with the money you saved and call it a day! Thanks for the comment and enjoy!
Hi Jack, this is not a great PC for gaming, you can try to upgrade the RAM in it, however, the best advice you can get from anyone who is into gaming, is to stop using a laptop and buy a dedicated game console like a PS3 or an Xbox. I did this years ago and there is no more lag, no more hoping the games I buy will actually run well. Games made for consoles have to work before they are approved for market. Easy. Good Luck!
Hi I wanted to fine out if the overheating of my laptop could lead to a short battery life.I have a Dell Inspiron 1645 Thanks.
my inspiron 1545 heats up to a point where it is practically painful to touch, but it's still working to my surprise.
i suppose it's time to take it out of isolation and clean it up.
Took my 1545 apart recently, expecting it to be horrible... I have a cat and 2 dogs. After taking the heatsink completely off, it was almost spotless. Using real thermal paste seemed to make a difference in temps too.
I had to replace my DC I/O daughter card last week which required heat sink removal (1545 Inspiron laptop). All is fine, but I worry about the heat pads which I didn't replace.
1) Do the pads have a limited life span?
2) Do you think you applied too much thermal paste? I've seen countless videos here on YT and there are MANY opinions. One video here shows a single 'pea drop' on the center and demonstrates the spreading with clear plexiglass for total THIN coverage. Not trying to be critical
Can you please do a fan cleaning video on the Inspiron 3521?
Based on this good video my girlfrind was able to clean up her Laptop. And she is proud of it in very cute way. :-)
I will if one ever comes into the shop!
Thanks so much! I appreciate the feedback!
Yeah, that is fine, I think they sell that at Radio Shack right!? Artic Silver works just fine. Let us know how it goes!
You are welcome @goshenguy !
Hello I think the antenna wires may be the problem as one was out of place, I moved it and turned it on again and it connected to the internet but there was a poor signal. I opened it up again to try and adjust it but it's not picking up anything now. how are the wires supposed to go do they click into place or rest on top?
Good question, yes yes yes. Do not attempt this without the thermal paste. It is 100% needed. Thanks!!
Did you use the grain of rice method? Which basically means create a grain of rice on the chip with the paste. If so you are good! Let me know.
i have a inspiron 1545 i love it but its hard to play some pc games cause of the video card. do u have any videos showing where the graphics card is and how to replace it?
hi brian i was wondering do you need the thermal paste
I have this model too, and I have a few problems (it never shuts down) and I think it's due to over heating. I've had it for a couple of years now so.... so thanks for posting this. Was wondering if there was any way to get into the fan as well? I have to confess the air intake had gotten quite grimy too. the worse problem I have been having is streaming media is become really laggy sometimes unpredictable. Do you think that this could be a side effect from over heating?
I just replaced the trackpad buttons on mine. There's a deep irony in the fact that you have to take half the laptop apart to do the above, whilst replacing the heatsink compound takes a couple of screws and that's all! Usually it's decidedly the other way round! Still, not the worst-designed machine I've ever worked on...
how hard would it be to do a cleaning on a Dell N7010 (17R)... would it be close to this or do you have any tips on how to do it?
No do not do that, only use alcohol. Soap will leave a residue that could be conductive.
Thanks for commenting.
Thanks a lot buddy! :) also may I ask you 1 question. I replaced thermal paste on CPU and graphic card, and my dell's runs 40-50C (104F- 122F) temperature is this fine or should I buy the better thermal paste? Thanks for your answer.
AWSOME TOOK 15 MINS AND IT WORKS NIGHT DAY THANX FOR TIP
Cool. I've ordered some thermal paste for 99p from ebay. does it make a difference if its the cheap stuff or not?
I have a stripped screw, 2nd one on the bottom front
Hi Brian I have been working on a 1545 that has no video but as power... I have tried replacing the whole mother board as well as the lcd screen anything else i could check? I havent replaced the DR board thats separete from the main board but I figured it would be fine since i still have power through the board... any helpwould be great thanks
Hi, I got an Inspiron 1545
I went to a computer store and buy the paste thing
Is it correct if I got a 10% Silver included For Cpu Cooler used paste?
I need help with something. Recently, when the fan starts up, I hear it hitting something for a brief second. It doesn't happen all the time, but it's starting to worry me. Can this be fixed without dissasembling the laptop and can this be dangerous?
i dont think there is a way without disassembling the laptop. open it up, and check the fan for dust dirt and any blocking. also check for anything surrounding the fan, cables, pieces of broken plastic... and it could be dangerous for your laptop because it can break the fan.
Can you use naptha to clean the paste off?
Do you have to replace the thermal paste if you just want to clean the fan?
i have a question. i have experience working on this, and i did everything already. i have 2 laptops like this. perfectly cleaned out now, but they still overheat. i have no idea why.
although your video is about dell 1545, but i just need a quick reply please, please tell me does inspiron 545 desktop psu fan blows air in or out,, i was cleaning it today because it was dirty and noisy but forgot to check its air flow, was it blowing air in or out ? now i set it to blow air in but i don't think its right and can't find about on web anywhere
can you help me ?
DIY Tech any chance you can do a similar video for the Dell 15R SE 7520 series laptop?
Anytime Jose, Thanks!!!
Hello Brian, I've been fixing PCs for a while now but I've never work in a shop or a company, also I just got my CompTIA A+ certification. My question to you is how do I start anywhere if no shop is willing to hire me even for cheap? I'd like to work for a repair shop or a company but apparently I have no "experience".... how did you start? any advice?
Do you have a video on how to clean the fans? :)
Superb my man.... appreciated. Was totally nervous i would fuck it up but everything went without a hitch (touch wood).... was way more easier than i imagined! Just lacked confidence i guess... lol Peace!
So frustrating. I got the back panel off but the screws I needed to loosen on the inside just refused to unscrew.
Hi, can this process be used to clean dell inspiron n5040 fan?
Oh right, cool.... well I've been looking into it. Just working up the courage to do it! lol Thanks anyway, you're video is great by the way. Can I ask just one last question. When I was looking into 'Thermal paste' i noticed that there were various types (ie silver, coper, ceramic I think) what would you recomend would be best to use on this... or do they all work fine?
Most likely it is overheating. You need to follow this video and it should stop shutting down. Also make sure the fan has not completely failed. If it has pull the part number, go to ebay and find a replacement. Easy fix. Wait too long and the motherboard will fry out.
@zovaze - 100% necessary. If you don't apply it, the machine will overheat and fail. Wait and buy some, apply it and get some more years out of that machine.
hi there,
my dell 1564 laptop has a humming sound or its fan is very noisy..can u help me what will i do for this? thanks
Actually that is what you want to have happen. Thermal paste should remain some what paste like. When it gets harder the transfer of heat is not as efficient. So you are good. So what noises is the machine making!? Fan clicking?
Hey Brian what are specs for thermal paste or any brand.
THANKS very much for this vid. Wasn't sure if I'd tackle, but your visuals, calm/plain instructions seemed clear enuf, so thot what the heck. Think laptop was saved (HOT to trot!) dust bunny sz of NY found, also part of a leaf (?). too bad, no cash, haha. FYI, anyone looking for thermal compound/paste, ordered online frm Walmart ('Artic silver' (ceramique), $3.71 before tax), have 'site to store' serv., so just picked, no handling (yep, penny pinching now!). Got 'compressed air' in store $4.83
Great video. The best one on YT for this job. Liked and subscribed.
plz do for dell inspiron 1764
Hey Brian,i need hlp;)-my brothers toshiba motherboard was water damaged and i cleaned it with 99% alch several times,anyway it booted and just freezes(not responding at all)-after i unplugged charger and tryed plug it again-no power at all.Is there any hope for this motherboard:( -- tnx
What past did you use ceramique or silver based? Cheers
Could you please let me know if the AMD TMZM86DAM23GG ZM-86 Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core 2.4GHz Mobile Processor can be used in the Dell 1546?
Thank you so much this is the first time i ever cleaned the cooling agent and then dust was so compact that the fan i could here from my parent room, google chrome would crash my comp and it was extremly slow to where turning it off was a difficulty. But now its 3 times faster and everything runs great Thank you so much Sub'd, Liked and fav'd
2 mistakes:
1) When blowing compressed air into a cooling fan DO NOT allow the fan to spin, the air pressure spins it much faster than it naturally spins and ruins it.
2) Way too much thermal paste!
what's the thermal paste for? what if just wipe off the dust?
Please how do I perform a bios reset on this laptop ?
which thermal paste do you use thanks .
Thank you so much for such a concise video! you made it so easy to do... My computer is saved! :D
do you have hackintosh tutorial for dell inspiron 1545?
if i just want to clean the fan itself, could i take the cooling system out without replacing the thermal paste?
You are welcome @JADZsy
Yes that will work just fine, but make sure you don't leave any of the fibers on the electronics. Cotton balls tend to fray and leave things behind...
Is the thermal paste nescesary?
my laptop had thermal pads. do I have to replace it with thermal pads only? or I can replace it with thermal compound?
Hey thank you for the guide :D! By the way, do you know where can I buy some Inspiron 1545 screws? I lost some of them and I don't know the name of these little screws. I would really appreciate it if you could help me with this :D
I read online that I could just blow into the fan and the heat sink and it would clean the dust out. Well now, the fan stopped working overall. I don't have any thermal paste or compressed air to clean it with :| This stupid thing is almost 4 years old now, I really need a new one.
i have a heating problem in my dell inspiron 4030 it automatically shut down wat to do???i think it might be a problem of fan??wat should i do??
Nice!! Thanks for the update!