Learning to do it yourself to replace thermal paste on a laptop.

Thermal grease gradually dries up with prolonged use of the laptop. This leads to the fact that it loses its thermal conductivity, which often causes overheating of the processor and the failure of the computer. Thermal paste replacement can be ordered at any computer workshop - this is a standard service. But, such a laptop maintenance can be done by hand. Before you start parsing your computer, you need to prepare a tool, a new thermal paste and study the step-by-step instructions.

Preparation and obligatory tool

When the decision is made to refuse computer services and the option of self-replacement of thermal paste is chosen, you need to buy a new tool. Of the cheap types, KPT-8 or KPT-20 are more often chosen. They are quite common and you can even buy them in radio component stores. Products with increased thermal conductivity and long service life are sold in small quantities in computer stores. It is also imperative to prepare a number of tools and consumables:

• screwdrivers;
• a pick or plastic card;
• dry wipes;
• cotton swabs;
• cotton pads;
• alcohol;
• small container.

Thermal paste replacement technique

Laptops are hardly distinguishable by their own design - the process of disassembling a computer and dismantling individual parts is the same. But, depending on the model and manufacturer, there are subtleties, therefore, it is recommended to preview the documentation or find detailed instructions for parsing. The difference may be in the location of the fasteners and the order in which individual parts are removed. 15-30 minutes before starting work, you need to disconnect the laptop from the power supply and, if possible, remove the battery.

Parsing the laptop

A laptop, a tool and prepared consumables are recommended to be placed on a free table with sufficient space. If the battery is not removable, then the disassembly must be done carefully - the closure of any contact points can lead to the failure of individual components, then a full repair will be required. When unscrewing the bolts, it is better to put them in a container - this way there is less risk of losing them. Further disassembly should be carried out according to the following instructions:

• Remove all available mounting screws - they are usually located on the base of the laptop in the visible grooves and in the battery compartment.
• The detachable keyboard also needs to be disconnected from the device - there are latches around it that pry off with a pick or other plate.
• Attached components - HDD or SSD, RAM, CD / DVD Rom and radio communication module must be disconnected and removed from the connectors. They can be accessed from the rear panel.

This is usually enough to get full access to the place where the cooler and processor are attached, as on most Lenovo or ASUS models. But, in some laptops, complete disassembly of the case may be required, for example - ASER. After removing all the bolts, accessible components and disconnecting the keyboard, disconnect all the cables and gently pry with a pick or plastic clip-fastener in a circle.

Removing the cooler and radiator from the laptop

Once you have gained access to the processor and radiator mounts, you can start the main part of the work. To remove the heatsink system, you must carefully disconnect the fan from the motherboard and remove it. Then we unscrew the bolts securing the heat plate. There are numbers on the metal legs - the screws are removed in the reverse order. The fan and radiator must be cleaned with a brush and blowing through. In some cases, the cooler drive must be lubricated.

Cleaning and applying new thermal paste

Before applying fresh thermal paste, you must thoroughly clean the processor surface and heat sink plate. To do this, the main layer of the old paste must be removed with dry napkins so as not to smear the surrounding components on the motherboard. When only traces remain on the processor and the radiator plate, they must be carefully wiped off with a cotton swab slightly dipped in alcohol. For drying, after wiping, the place can be blotted with a cotton sponge. The application of fresh thermal paste should be done in the following order:

1. We squeeze a small amount of paste from a tube or syringe onto the processor.
2. We level the thermal paste using a plastic card or a pick.
3. Make sure that the surplus does not fall on the surrounding components on the board.

Once the thermal paste has already been applied in a thin layer to the processor, you can replace the heatsink. It is applied with a thermal receiver plate so that the fasteners coincide with the bolt fixing point. After that, the radiator is screwed on in the order indicated by the manufacturer. It is imperative to follow this rule so that the thermal grease remains an even layer and there is no damage to the processor from pressure. Assembling the laptop is carried out in the reverse order.

It is recommended to carry out preventive replacement of thermal paste at least once a year. But, in some cases, such a service for a laptop may become necessary in a shorter period. It is better to order the work in the workshop, but the replacement of thermal paste can be done with your own hands. If you follow the basic rules and follow the step-by-step instructions, then the procedure will not cause problems.