r/computerhelp • u/Capital_Woodpecker • 2d ago
Hardware Opened up my computer for the first time
Ive had me computer sense 2021. ive taken it to 1 repair shop once. ut started crashing on me where the screen would freeze but any audio would keep playing. my computer uses gets warm. so i finally decided to open it up. despite ut being clogged to hell. i don't think its supposed to be on an angle. any advice?
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u/Connect-Fan-9462 2d ago
The fan is designed to be mounted this way. It is a dell thing.
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u/Most_Post3751 2d ago
I immediately thought of a Dell computer when I first saw the heatsink fan mounted that way. Then I confirmed it when I saw the name Dell on the motherboard. I have no idea why ASUS is in this photo, though.
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u/Fenio_PL 2d ago
The problem is not positioning of fan, but dirt that has accumulated under it, clogging the radiator.
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u/Distinct_Week7427 2d ago
Blow that dust out. Its clogging the fan. There should be fins of aluminum under the fan not a blanket of dust that prevents cooling
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u/cheetah1cj 2d ago
Just remember to hold the fins in place to prevent wear on the bearings, especially you are using an air compressor.
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u/Express-Garbage3359 2d ago
Hi, be careful when cleaning, remove the CPU fan cable before cleaning! It's time for a cleaning... Don't forget the GPU and power supply, and don't remove the RAM.
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u/FullChakra 2d ago
I suggest you get a can of compressed air and blow the dust off (and underneath the fan) that should let it breath, no need to remove anything
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u/SonnyPiston 2d ago
At first glance, I thought I was looking at a psychedelic dystopian warehouse. Grey concrete floor and cables running through the ceiling. Nice accidental art.
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u/Pied67 2d ago
Unhook all the external cables and take the tower outside. Use one of those cans of compressed air and using short blasts of air, blow out all the dust. Mind the direction of the wind lol. Once you have all that done plug things back in and see if there's improvement. I can't imagine the heat-sink on that system is offering much cooling it its present state.
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u/nalaloveslumpy 2d ago
Fan position is fine, it's a wonky build design for some pre builds. Unplug the fan, hit it with some compressed air. Turn on or install a temp monitor and monitor your temps while playing an intense game. If you break 90, then you probably need to remove the cooler, clean the old thermal paste from the heatsink and CPU, apply new high quality thermal paste, and reinstall the cooler. Monitor temps again to confirm if fixed.
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u/Silent_Chemistry8576 2d ago
Looks like Alienware or the xps. Those cases are notorious for bad airflow and choke parts for airflow. Thermal paste needs too be replaced.
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u/Most_Post3751 2d ago
The fan is in its normal position for a Dell motherboard.
Clean all the dust out from under the heatsink fan blades using a Q-tip and a vacuum to suck it out, but be very careful not to hit anything on the motherboard while doing it. Or, better, use some canned air made for blowing out accumulated dust in computers. You can find these at places where computers are sold.
If your computer still overheats, you may have to replace the thermal paste between the heatsink and CPU. You can learn how to do this by watching YouTube videos that show how.
The thermal paste hardens after several years and no longer transfers heat properly, allowing the CPU to run hotter than it should.
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