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Tip

Cleaning the air vent in a laptop

Aug 1, 2016 1:06PM PDT

Hello
I have a old HP Pavilion dv7-4050 ez
as the model is to old there is no Support for it anymore..My daughter gave me the Laptop
As its that old, he is heating up very fast. I figure it must be dirty air vents as he works fine besides that issue..
Anybody that know how to open it to to clean the vent?
Help yould be very appreciated..
TY

Discussion is locked

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I use canned air.
Aug 1, 2016 1:13PM PDT

There are youtubes and more but my simple method is to give the vents short blasts to avoid spinning the fan to speeds that have the bearings and bits flying off.

If this hasn't been done for years, start with a daily vent cleaning for a week then weekly for a month and then back to a 1st of the month routine.

My wife has a dv7 and it's the old gen 1 i7 and it is hot. It's not broken, has excellent care (by me) and there is nothing wrong with its running a temperature. It's just one hot machine and hot air blows continuously. It's not broken, it's fine. It's what that model does.

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Clean Air vent
Aug 1, 2016 6:07PM PDT

ok well. Thanks I got canned air I planed on using..But as the Laptop is so old I could not find any user Manual..My Problem is I dont know hot to open it up after I take out the screws
without damaging it..and i was not able to find a you tube post for this model..

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Manual
Aug 1, 2016 9:09PM PDT
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cleaning Air vent
Aug 2, 2016 6:27AM PDT

thanks for the tip. but link would not open

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Pdf file
Aug 2, 2016 7:52AM PDT

Google... foxit reader.

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Air vent cleaning
Aug 2, 2016 8:04AM PDT

oj thanks Bob..I have Adobe and usually no Problem with files..It said that the page does not exist any more or there is a spelling mistake..so the page wont come up at all..ah well..thanks all for the Input..will find a way to do it...

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Odd
Aug 2, 2016 10:51AM PDT

That page displays fine for me.

Anyway there may be an access panel on the bottom.
If so remove it and then use canned air through the panel opening and all vent ports.

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I don't open our laptops.
Aug 2, 2016 8:08AM PDT

Why would I open them since I just want to keep the vents and such clear?

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Physical inspection
Aug 2, 2016 10:08AM PDT

While some laptops operate flat out "hot", and does well, that overtime will damage a laptop. Since, yours lasted this long it would be prudent to open-up the laptop and inspect it. You offered screws were removed but left lost at that time. I suggest as in most cases, the rear cover snaps in. Then you need a "pry tool" usually something like a strong guitar pick or similar, but I've great success with nail file(s. steel) which is strong, flat and thin enough to fit between the gap of plastic covers. Use common sense here but I tend to start at some corner at the rear. Alas, there maybe some youtube video on your model#, but generally any HP laptop teardown should follow similar results.

One area to check upon blowing off the whole area of the exposed laptop is the rear vent. Usually some fan is present or the immediate area is available if "heat tube assy." exit there. Remove the heat tube assy., and notice the area enclosed, because more often than not a "dirt/dust mat" has build-up. Blow off or manually remove such and that should be the last of cleaning. If so applied, clean and re-apply any heatsink compound, thus refreshing that heat removing property. Return everything back with care and snap-in the rear cover and re-screw it. Hopefully, you heat build-up is reduced as already offered some laptop just operate in heat build-up. good luck

tada -----Willy Happy