I was wiping down the fans and then it began to flicker.
I was wiping down the fans and then it began to flicker.
I cleaned the laptop fans and noticed it began to flicker. When I attempted to remove the battery, it popped suddenly, just like in the photo. As a college student using this laptop for at least six hours daily, I’m wondering if it’s safe to keep using it in this state. Thanks for the edit on January 26, 2023 by Yoy20yoy.
What method were you applying to the fans? If you relied on a vacuum or an air cleaner without securing them, it might have produced power and fed it back into the motherboard, damaging a part.
If you blast the fans with compressed air and spin them backward, they can produce electricity instead of drawing power. Because it goes straight to the traces, it often damages them, so the warranty likely won’t cover it. Still, you might attempt it if the unit is still functional.
I used a toothbrush and the burning spot is closer to the ram bracket than the fans.
I cleaned with a toothbrush and noticed the burning spot is closer to the ram bracket than the fans.
Did you remove the power supply and let it fully discharge before proceeding? Motherboards and PSUs don’t truly shut down—they just enter sleep mode.
If it functions properly, it's probably safe to use it without changes. Some surface mount parts aren't essential or might be unnecessary. Ideally, micro soldering should be done to swap it out with a better component, since we don't want to risk a vital part.
I've been doing this for years and just now realized I shouldn't have done it, sorry.
I verified it works, but I’m worried about using it since I rely on tools like Blender, Unreal Engine, and I spend a lot of time gaming and studying. My deadline is three weeks away.