This time, I opened up the notebook as far as I dared without written instructions. This meant removing the bottom panels for RAM, removing the hard disk, removing the battery pack, and then vacuuming out all the dust and cat hair that I could get. I hope this solves the problem. The next step is finding the instructions for opening it all the way up. Maybe that's worth having a professional do -- someone who does not have to read the instructions before doing so.
I also saw a big fur ball on the far side of the fan screen, but I was able to pull that through with a fine set of scissors.
Laptop disassembly isn't /that/ hard, but there are a few things you can break if you're not careful -- zero-insertion force cables (the touchpad, power, and keyboard cables) can rip or damage connectors if you pull at them without lifting the tabs on the edge, and removing the keyboard bezel goofy in even better designs. That said, there's usually fairly complete documentation with pictures listed as "Technician Manuals", "Hardware Manuals", or "Disassembly Manuals", and the only real necessary tools are a set of jeweler's screwdrivers and plastic wedge (an expired credit card or ID works in a pinch).
ReplyDeleteIn addition to animal hair, some models of recent laptops have had issues with bad thermal grease or heatsink seating. Look at your equipment manufacturer for these sort of bulletins.
You should be able to find the manual for your laptop by searching for "x technical manual" or the like, where x is the model of your machine, as Josh says. It should have detailed disassembly instructions.
ReplyDeleteIt's generally not hard to do at all if you're not a klutz: take pictures if you want, and keep track of the screws. First time I did it, I followed the manual, which has a series of steps: take off the bottom, remove the keyboard, remove the top cover, remove the hard drive, and so on. As you go deeper in, it lists the instructions in terms of "follow the previous steps, then do x, y, z." The nice thing is you can get a piece fo paper or something, draw a bunch of circles on it, and label them "bottom cover," "keyboard," "top cover" and so on, to go wiht the steps, and then just put the pieces you take off with each step in the proper circle. Makes reassembly a snap. And you shouldn't have to go all the way down to be able to clean it out.
Hey, try this century's big thing-- "The Internet." After all, Al Gore must've invented it for something, right?
ReplyDeleteI have been absolutely amazed: for just about everything made these days there's someone who has disassembled it and videoed the process. That video is on the web. (Inbetween all the cat videos.)
Yesterday I repaired my Kenmore dryer, after watching the video on how to do it, which I found online after putting the make & model number into my search engine. The same simple online search got me the parts I needed to do the repair, which were then sent directly to my house after I paid online. "It's so easy, even I can do it."
Give it a try! You may like the experience!
http://www.ifixit.com/Device/Toshiba_Portege_R500
ReplyDeleteCheers
Denis: It isn't that I couldn't find instructions; I just was having too much fun grading papers to hunt for it.
ReplyDeleteMinicapt: thanks, but it's the wife's Toshiba (which is running like a champ), but my 2005 HP Pavilion DV5000. You can laugh, but with the RAM and the hybrid hard disk and dual core processor, it has a Windows Experience index of 3.1.
Gotta chime on on the greatness of finding YouTube videos to help you fix stuff. I cracked the screen on a $200 Olympus camera, and not only was I able to find the exact replacement part on eBay for $25 (shipped from a seller in Hong Kong, no less) but a video that showed me exactly how to detach and solder on the new screen. Worked great.
ReplyDeleteI am still using a 2006 Macbook Pro that I used daily as a desktop replacement running dual-boot systems (OSX/XP via Fusion), and a 2006 iMac as a home desktop, both bought new.
ReplyDeleteI changed into these after 25 years of PC heartaches...
Since these:
Not. One. Problem. Ever.
A WEI of 3.1 is nothing to write home about. You could probably get a Core i5 that would run rings around it for $500, which is really nice if you use it as a development machine.
ReplyDeleteWorking with slow computers really sucks.
For a 2005 machine, 3.1 is pretty decent. I probably should spend the money for something newer, but mostly I do word processing and spreadsheets with it.
ReplyDeleteFor a 2005 machine, 3.1 is pretty decent. I probably should spend the money for something newer, but mostly I do word processing and spreadsheets with it.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the component driving the score that low, out of curiosity? If it's non-gaming graphics, and the rest of the scores are in the 5-or-higher range, then it's a different matter.
ReplyDeleteProcessor: 4.0
ReplyDeleteMemory: 4.6
Graphics: 3.4
Gaming graphics: 3.1
Primary hard disk: 5.9
By the way, I have a new HP notebook at work that is quad core, 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD drive, running Windows 7, and it's Windows Experience Index is only 4.3.
ReplyDeleteBy comparison, this isn't bad. Or maybe the HP notebook at work is really awful.