How to clean Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop

Your Dell Inpsiron 1100 laptop runs hot? Shuts off occasionally without any reason? Apparently it’s time clean up the heatsink and replace thermal compound between the heatsinka and the processor, as explained in this tutorial.

These past few weeks, it has started to shut off again occasionally. I opened it up and cleaned it just as before. This time, the heatsink was completely clogged up with dust; while I was at it, I cleaned the old thermal grease off and added some more.

In order to remove and clean the heatsink you’ll have to remove the keyboard first. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult at all.

Follow these steps and you’ll be done in a few minutes:
1. Unplug the AC adapter and remove the battery.
2. Remove the keyboard bezel – a blue plastic strip above the keyboard. Pry the bezel off with a small flathead screwdriver.
3. Remove four screw securing the keyboard. Lift up the keyboard and unplug it from the motherboard.
4. Remove one screw and remove the heatsink cover on the right side.
5. Disconnect the cooling an from the motherboard. Remove four screws and carefully lift up the heatsink from the processor.
6. Blow off the heatsink with compressed air. Clean off the old thermal compound and apply new compound.

Remember to unlock the ZIF CPU socket before trying to pull the heatsink out. Often the heatsink is sort of “glued” to the CPU from over-dried thermal grease. Unlock the CPU to let the CPU/heatsink come out easily, where you can carefully pry them apart with a small screwdriver. Similarly, remember to lock the ZIF socket after re-inserting the CPU.

Not sure which thermal compound to use? Check out Arctic Silver thermal compound. Here are instructions for applying compound on the processor.

 

 

 

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