Exposing laptop's fan assembly => major drop in temps

[Jesse_V]

As we all know, heat production is one of the disadvantages with folding on a laptop. I wanted to reduce the CPU temperatures of my laptop, and I tried a few things that seemed like they might work. I dedusted the machine and replaced the thermal paste, but the temps didn't change significantly. As an experiment, I tried removing the back panel, which exposed the copper cooling pipes, the fan assembly, and the radiators. After carefully putting it back on the desk and plugging everything back in, I turned it on and F@h started up as normal. After half an hour, the temps had stabilized at a far lower temperature than before. I gradually added to the SMP:N number until I was using all four of the CPU cores. To my surprise, the temps at SMP:4 were now roughly the same as they had been at SMP:1 before I removed that panel. I thus tentatively suggest that anyone folding on a laptop consider this as a possible cooling option.

A couple things are necessary for this to work:
1) the laptop must have a removable back panel that exposes these cooling components. Fortunately, I have a ASUS N61V model that was well engineered and is capable of these kinds of tricks.
2) The laptop should be stationary most of the time. Obviously removing the back panel is not a good idea if you're going to support it on your knees.
3) There must be a sufficient amount of space under the laptop for air to flow in, as there's likely little to be gained by removing the panel if the top of the desk takes its place. Fancy cooling pads would work, but if you're cheap then I find that three empty rolls of electrical tape are a sufficient alternative. The cardboard tubes are just the right height IMO.

There's a couple of advantages that come out of removing this back panel:
1) Lower temperatures. I attribute this mainly to better airflow, though the warm cooling pipes are also better able to radiate.
2) Less fan noise. Obviously lower temperatures means the fan isn't going to spin as fast, but the air has less turbulence because it no longer has to squeeze through the air intakes and swirl around all the inner components. The fan is able to easily take in air and blow it straight through the radiators.

I removed the panels yesterday, so I have yet to see if more dust is a disadvantage to this, but so far this idea appears to be largely successful. I wish I had thought of this months ago.

[P5-133XL]

I wouldn't recommend removing the bottom portion of a notebook's case as a general solution to heat. I'm sure it does a fine job helping cooling but you are taking a risk that some foreign body like a screw or some liquid could accidentally come in contact with the internals and short something out.

[k1wi]

You should link to photos so people can get an idea of the degree of 'exposure' created by removing the casing.

[Jesse_V]

I wouldn't recommend removing the bottom portion of a notebook's case as a general solution to heat. I'm sure it does a fine job helping cooling but you are taking a risk that some foreign body like a screw or some liquid could accidentally come in contact with the internals and short something out.

I suppose that's true. Obviously exposing the internals means that one has to be more careful. It is the underside of the laptop, so that helps reduce the risk of things falling onto the active components.

You should link to photos so people can get an idea of the degree of 'exposure' created by removing the casing.

To clarify: I didn't remove the "casing" so much as remove one of the panels.
This isn't exactly what it looks like, but it's close: http://s1263.photobucket.com/user/lapto ... 3.jpg.html
The third page of http://www.gentechpcforums.com/Images/A ... 2-v1.0.pdf has some really nice and accurate illustrations, only I stopped after popping off that panel.

[PantherX]

I cleaned out the dust my laptop (hardly 3 months old) and got the following:
CPU -> 20C drop
GPU -> 15C drop

I just might try removing the back panel to see if I can further lower the temperature. Both fans run at 100% but they are quite enough that it never bothers me.

[P5-133XL]

Running fans at 100% tends to shorten their lifespan. It is better if you can run them slightly slower like 80% max.

[PantherX]

Humm... I don't have "default" control for that. However, I know that I can use MSI Afterburner can be used to tweak the GPU fan but how do I change the CPU fan setting? Nothing is available in the BIOS setting.

[k1wi]

Humm... I don't have "default" control for that. However, I know that I can use MSI Afterburner can be used to tweak the GPU fan but how do I change the CPU fan setting? Nothing is available in the BIOS setting.

try speedfan

[CygnusXI]

If your fan is auto running at 100% it most likely needs to... usually the fan speed controls from factory settings are pretty accurate, lowering that speed would just shorten the lifespan of the gpu / cpu . Id rather be stuck replacing a fan then a cpu / gpu. Probably best just to let that fan go full till. Once in desperation for more gpu cooling I did create an extra fan (with an air grinder ) opening to blow cool over over my gpu, worked good. That was a desktop, however if you are careful and know what youre doing you could probably think of many mods including adding a fan on the underbody.

Jesse's suggestion for those laptops with easy to remove under panels is a good one though for people high temps.