topic Re: over heated fan?? in PCs & Accessories

over heated fan??

claire-louise — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 11:49:47 GMT

Hello everyone,

Once again, I need your assistence. I was using my computer the other day, downloading music onto my brand new I Pod (which my parents kindly bought me because I passed my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, after nearly 8 years!), anyway and I was half way through downloading and my computer made this horrible noise, I cant remember how exactly. The computer (PCG-K415B) became very hot, so I took every thing out of it then it froze. I held down the power button and it finally turned off.

I have reinstalled everything back onto it, and it took forever, as the computer will now only work for about 30mins, maybe longer then it shuts down. I have managed after 4 days to reinstall everything back on (I mean do a system recovery of Disk C) and to back up my D drive. As I have said thou it only works for 30 mins and I have to wait a long time before been able to use it. It seems to work faster as well if there is a fan by it pointing at it.

My dad has agreed he will open the laptop up and we have got Compressed Air and cotton buds, I am wondering has anyone got any good ideas of what the problem may be and what I could do to help myself, I am outside the garantee time. I am happy to listen to any suggestions, as I am desperate for ideas. I cant find anything on the internet about my specific model to help with this problem (I am assuming its overheated or dust has clogged it up!)

Any ideas I would be grateful, and clear instructions on how to open the laptop with completely ruining it would be helpful! As usual I will help answer any questions I can.

Best wishes

Claire Louise

Re: over heated fan??

Twisted-Rizla — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 12:20:36 GMT

Hi Claire

It might just be a build up of dust on the leading edges of the fans. This can be enough to disrupt the airflow into the machine causing it to overheat.

Try the compressed air as that should certainly help. Also, it might be worth trying to track down a 'mobile meter' which you can use to monitor the temperature of your CPU which might be getting too hot.

Re: over heated fan??

tweety2b — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 12:26:41 GMT

Hi Claire-Louise,

You also might want to check if you have the latest bios installed on your machine.
You can find them @downloads on www.vaio-link.com

Re: over heated fan??

kee-lo_ — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 12:42:17 GMT

Hi again claire-Louise

Congrats on your Gold award

I think your dads got the right idea, opening it up and removing as much dust is a good idea.

Re: over heated fan??

claire-louise — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 13:18:17 GMT

Thank you, on your congratulations on my award Kee-Lo,

I think my dad's option is the best, but I dont know how to open my computer and remove the dust without destroying the computer, I would like to ask if the removal of dust idea doesnt work, what do I do?? I am asking:

1. How do I open the computer and remove dust effectivly without destroying the computer, I have never opened a computer up.

2 .What to do if the dust removal doenst work

3. Also on the back of my Vaio laptop (PCG-K415B) there are three panals, what is behind each of them?? I dont want to destroy the hard disk hence why I am asking.

Thank you to everyone for trying to help me, keep the advice coming in, as my dad has agreed to open up this weekend on the basis that I find out the information.

I am on a mission guys, please help me!

Claire Louise

Re: over heated fan??

claire-louise — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 13:20:36 GMT

Also sorry people, is it ok for me to put a fan directed at my computer, I dont want to melt my HDD or something!! I am very weery of doing anything out of the blue. I find the fan helps the computer work faster

Claire LOUISE

Re: over heated fan??

Twisted-Rizla — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:17:23 GMT

I'm afraid the fan pointed at the pc idea won't really work as the air from it won't be able to penetrate through to the hot CPU etc.

Have a look on Vaio-Link for the manual. It won't tell you much but may give explanations as to what's under the 3 panels you mentioned.

Can you see any dust on the exhaust vents? I find vacuum cleaner with a small nozzle useful for sucking the dust away.

Re: over heated fan??

claire-louise — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 13:30:47 GMT

Dear twisted Rizla,

My dad refuses to let me use a vacum cleaner because of potential stactic electricity build up. I don't know where the exhaust fan is?, therefoe I dont know if I can see dust.

I have tried looking at the vaio manual and it doesnt tell me anything, I need to know how to open a PCG-K415B up, there has to be way and someone must be able to help me! Please! Also some one must know what the three panals at the back are!

Please can someone tell me! I think its an overheated fan that has caused the dust but I dont know how to dismantle a vaio computer (PCG-K415B) and therefore I dont know how to get to where I want to, to remove dust without breaking it!

Claire louise

Re: over heated fan??

kee-lo_ — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 15:09:38 GMT

Hmm I don't see any guides damn

Your dad's right about the vacum, don't use it.

The three panels are for memory and PC cards like wireless.

Sometimes the ones you need to unscrew have an arrow pointing to them

Re: over heated fan??

Twisted-Rizla — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:12:26 GMT

There's a manual here

Re: over heated fan??

claire-louise — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:53:55 GMT

dear twisted rizia,

I have already looked in the manual that you sent me and there is nothing in it except how to change over the memory, which I dont need. Thank you for trying to help me, but I am still at a loose end as to how I am suppose to dismantle this computer. why has sony never released instructions?? I think its very strange if people like myself are expected to dismantle the computer to remove dust from various parts of the computer.

I dont want to kill my vaio! I feel awful that I have to operate on it! I am sure that someone out there must be able to help me.

claire louise

Re: over heated fan??

jonti — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 00:35:33 GMT

One of my Vaio's started to over heat so I bought an Akasa cooling tray. It has two fans plus a couple of USB ports and a nice design. It keeps the laptop running cool. It cost me about £20 and I have been using it for around 10 months with no problems. In fact the last time I tried the laptop without it the fan did not start making a loud noise and the laptop stayed cool. I use it all the time as it is light and does not interfere with my using the laptop. There are several makes on the market, mine takes it power source from the laptop but then I usually run it with the power cable plugged in and not from the battery. It is a cheap and cheerful solution.

Re: over heated fan??

kee-lo_ — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 11:22:27 GMT

Claire

They don't tell you how because they expect you to throw £££s (or €€€s in your case) at them to fix it.

Have you tried asking over at VAIO-Village? They love tinkering with VAIOs there and most of their members love modding them too. I am sure someone there has the service manual.

http://p200.ezboard.com/bunofficialsony

Re: over heated fan??

claire-louise — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 13:53:21 GMT

Dear Jonti,

Thank you very much for your letter, i will try and find one, or something similar, I live in France so I cant get hold of the same brand, but I will definately have a look round.

Thank you again and definately worth knowing!

Claire Louise

Re: over heated fan??

claire-louise — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 13:57:33 GMT

Dear Kee Lo,

Once again, I appreciate your response. I do totally agree with you as to why Sony wont release a proper manual. I am sure they must make so much money a year on people like me, who dont want to break the computer but know the fan has overheated.

I will try the vaio village, thou I have never heard of it before you mentioned it. Thank you for all your help and sorry that I couldnt get the answers I was looking for here this time.

Take care till we next speak, which i am sure (knowing my luck with my computer) sooner then I think

Claire Louise

Re: over heated fan??

kee-lo_ — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 13:36:38 GMT

Are you near a FNAC? I am sure they'll have one of those laptop coolers.

I was there last month and it was nice to have a look around the laptops without some salesperson hassling me like they do in Dixons in the UK

Re: over heated fan??

claire-louise — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 17:33:43 GMT

Dear Kee Lo

I do live near a FNAC, my dad opened my computer today but we couldnt get anywhere near the Heat Sink we could see it but couldnt get to it, its almost like there are hidden screws that we couldnt see. It has helped slightly and we believe it is still the dust has clogged it up as there was a lot of dust that came out of it when we blew in it with compressed air.

I will definately try going into FNAC and seeing if I can find the cooler.

Thank you, I do know what you mean about not having sales persons harassing you when you are trying to look around the store. I just love the way that there is so much more trust out here then in UK.

Anyway thank you again, if anyone has any ideas how you get to the Heat sink on a PCG-K415B I would be grateful!

Claire LOuise

Re: over heated fan??

kee-lo_ — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:58:14 GMT

Yes I know, it's nice to not be pestered until you need the help.

You should really blow the rubbish outwards

I remember some guy doing this and he had a huge piece of fluff the size of Tom Selleck's tash!