Got yourself a Nice New Laptop? Great, and I KNOW you want to make it last for a few years, right?
Computers get hot, CPUs and hard drives specifically, and they are cooled with air flowing around them, moved by the fans in the system. Especially note; Laptops do not have the airflow that a desktop has and should be shut down after 8 hours of use, and are not intended to be left on 24/7. There are a few other issues regarding batteries too.
Causes of Overheating
It is important to note that the air intake on most current laptops is located on the bottom. This is a significant (deliberate) design flaw. The problems start when you place your laptop on the bed or the sofa or other soft location. The short feet on your laptop sink in, and firstly, the fabric restricts the airflow. Furthermore, Dust and pet hair will be picked up like a vacuum cleaner and pushed into the laptops heat-sink, which is there to remove heat from the CPU.
It is important to note that the air intake on most current laptops is located on the bottom. This is a significant (deliberate) design flaw. The problems start when you place your laptop on the bed or the sofa or other soft location. The short feet on your laptop sink in, and firstly, the fabric restricts the airflow. Furthermore, Dust and pet hair will be picked up like a vacuum cleaner and pushed into the laptops heat-sink, which is there to remove heat from the CPU.
When the air stops moving over the heat-sink, whether it is from the Fan no longer moving, or simply no longer able to push air through the heat-sink, the laptop will start to get very hot, affecting its performance at first and (without careful, thorough cleaning) will eventually cook the CPU and the delicate small electronics near it.
Avoiding Overheating
The best way to prolong the life of your new laptop is to avoid using it without first placing on a clean, smooth, flat surface. If you must work in bed, be sure to get yourself a laptop stand, preferably one with a mesh bottom, or even fans to help move air around your laptop.
The best way to prolong the life of your new laptop is to avoid using it without first placing on a clean, smooth, flat surface. If you must work in bed, be sure to get yourself a laptop stand, preferably one with a mesh bottom, or even fans to help move air around your laptop.
Periodically (every 3-6 mos), you should use a can of air (duster), and with the laptop set on it's side, so you can see the dust being blown out of the fan intake, shoot a few gusts of air into the heat exhaust port, usually located on the back or side of your laptop. If you cannot hear the fan moving, then you may need to closely examine the intake and see if there are clumps of hair/dust the need to be pulled free of the fan. If you cannot remove them yourself, bring it in to your local repair shop for a tune-up and cleaning.
Laptop Batteries:
A few notes about Lithium-ion batteries. Whereas they don't have the same issues with memory like the old Nickel-Cadmium Cells, when they are exposed to extreme temps, they lose their effectiveness to hold a charge, so avoid battery suicide by NEVER leaving them in the car overnight during the winter, or during a hot summer day. (this applies to all current batteries, like cell phones, etc).
A few notes about Lithium-ion batteries. Whereas they don't have the same issues with memory like the old Nickel-Cadmium Cells, when they are exposed to extreme temps, they lose their effectiveness to hold a charge, so avoid battery suicide by NEVER leaving them in the car overnight during the winter, or during a hot summer day. (this applies to all current batteries, like cell phones, etc).
- [TIP #1] If you intend to use the laptop plugged into AC all the time, remove and bag up the battery, and store it at room temperature, then it should work when you need it.
- [TIP #2] If you're having trouble starting your PC, try removing the battery, and try it again, sometimes they get stuck.
Replacement Batteries can be found cheap ($40-60)on the web, see how they have responded to warranty requests, if you can find that kind of commentary. A good service store will order from a reliable source for you for maybe around $100, and handle warranty issues for you...
Laptop AC Cords & Power Jacks:
If you suspect that you have a bad power jack, or a bad AC adapter, you should have them checked immediately. Continuing to use a laptop with an intermittent power supply will eventually cause a laptop's motherboard to fail, due to power spikes.
If you suspect that you have a bad power jack, or a bad AC adapter, you should have them checked immediately. Continuing to use a laptop with an intermittent power supply will eventually cause a laptop's motherboard to fail, due to power spikes.
Replacement of a faulty AC Adapter is easy. Some smaller laptops require 60 watts of power, minimum, where most normal-sized units require 90 watts. Be sure to get one that matches the jack-size and Voltage, and meets or exceeds the minimum Amperage indicated on the laptop, or you will over-draw your new replacement AC Adapter and burn it up.
Jack Replacement is required if the jack is loose or wobbly, or needs to be held in a certain position to make the laptop power up. These symptoms indicate the jack has broken loose from the motherboard. (Toshiba and some Dells are on a power harness system, so wobbliness is not ALWAYS a good indicator.) A teardown of the entire laptop will be required to get at the power jack, and then de-solder it from the board, clean the holes, and re-solder a new part in. If you have experience with small parts and good eyes, there are many write-ups on the web on 'how to' sites. Or take it to your local professional shop. Prices on this kind of repair is typically $90 to $150 for this, and may or may not include the cost of the part, as well.