How Do I Repair the Cooling Fan of a Toshiba 3200 PC?

Repair your Toshba 3200 laptop's CPU cooling fan.

Every laptop comes built with a dedicated CPU fan. Your Toshiba 3200 laptop's cooling fan sits directly on top of the processor chip. Its main function is to prevent the processor from getting too hot. If your processor stops working, it may overheat and cause serious damage to the motherboard. Repairing your Toshiba 3200 laptop's processor fan involves cleaning out the fan, and lubricating the engine.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Lightweight mechanical oil
• Cotton swabs
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Compressed air can

Instructions

1. Power down your laptop. Unplug the AC power cable, and all external devices from the laptop. Pull the display panel closed, and place the laptop face down. Position the laptop so the front edge is facing toward you.

2. Slide the battery release lever upward. Remove the battery pack from its compartment in the upper-left corner of the laptop. Remove the Phillips-head screws fastening the hard drive to its compartment in the laptop's lower-left corner. Pull the hard drive out of its compartment, and set it aside.

3. Remove the memory compartment cover, and its two retaining Phillips-head screws from the center of the laptop. Remove both memory modules from inside the compartment. Each module is secured to its individual memory slot by two, spring-loaded retention clips.

4. Remove all screws from the laptop's bottom casing, and place the laptop face up. Then pull open the display panel as far as possible. Pry the keyboard cover from the laptop with a thin, flat-head screwdriver. The keyboard cover is the thin, plastic strip above the keyboard assembly.

5. Remove the Phillips-head screws fastening the keyboard to the laptop. Lift the keyboard upward out of the laptop, and place it face down on the palm rest area. Disconnect the keyboard's large, ribbon cable from the motherboard. Remove the keyboard from the laptop.

6. Locate the power button board along the top edge of the laptop's top casing. The button board resembles a small, circuit board. Remove the button board's retaining Phillips-head screws. Disconnect the board's power cable from the motherboard. Remove the button board from the laptop.

7. Remove the Phillips-head screws from the laptop's brass motherboard cover revealed by the keyboard assembly. Lift the entire cover off of the laptop to reveal the cooling fan on the right side of the motherboard.

8. Remove the Phillips-head screws from the cooling fan. Disconnect its power cable from the motherboard. Lift the entire cooling fan assembly out of the laptop. Place the fan on a flat surface with the label sticker facing upward.

9. Use a thin, flat-head screwdriver to peel away the label sticker. Use the same screwdriver to pry out the rubber plug revealed by the label sticker. This plug reveals a small hole that gives you access to the fan motor's bearings. Apply one to two drops of lightweight mechanical oil into the bearings. Replace the rubber plug, and label sticker.

10. Use a can of compressed air to blow out all dust and debris from inside the cooling fan. Apply a Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to a clean cotton swab. Wipe the fan blades clean with the alcohol soaked swab. Be as thorough as possible, but never apply alcohol, or any cleaning agent to the fan directly.

11. Repeat the laptop disassembly procedure in reverse to replace the cooling fan, and reassemble your laptop.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear an antistatic wrist strap while working on your laptop to prevent electrical damage.

References

• Tim: Toshiba Satellite 3000-Series Service Manual
• ZDNet: Fix Noisy Computer Fans With a Drop of Oil
• CNET: Clean Your Computer's Fans