How to Fix a Heating GPU on a Laptop
An overheating graphics processor unit can potentially disable your laptop computer. In extreme cases, your overheating GPU can melt your motherboard. But more commonly, any overheating component will cause your system to behave erratically. It can make your laptop shut down sporadically -- or in the case of the GPU chip, you will experience major video issues. Most GPU overheating problems relate directly to a dirty heat sink, which is the cooling device that sits directly on the card. Fortunately, you can prevent and fix the majority of overheating problems by regularly cleaning the GPU's heat sink unit.
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Things You'll Need
- Phillips-head screwdriver
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Can of compressed air
- Cotton swabs
- Rubbing alcohol
- Antistatic wrist strap
Instructions
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Determine the location of the GPU inside your laptop. The GPU's location varies depending on your specific laptop. But in most cases, the GPU is mounted to the top side of the motherboard.
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Turn off the laptop, unplug the main power cord and close the display panel. Place the laptop facedown on a flat surface, and remove the battery pack on the laptop's bottom side. Remove all screws from the hardware compartment covers on the laptop's bottom side.
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Remove all hardware from inside each exposed compartment on the laptop. In most laptops this includes the hard drive, memory modules, wireless card, modem card and CD/DVD drive. Each hardware device is secured in place by a few Phillips screws or spring-loaded retention clips.
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Place the laptop faceup, and pull open the display panel all the way. Pry off the keyboard bezel with a flat-head screwdriver. This is the plastic strip located between the keyboard and display panel. Remove the screws securing the keyboard to the laptop. Lift the keyboard out of the laptop, place it facedown on the palm rest and unplug the keyboard's ribbon cable from the motherboard. Remove the keyboard from the laptop completely.
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Locate the LCD video cable extending from the display panel to the GPU chip on the motherboard. Unplug the LCD cable from the video card. Unscrew the Phillips screws from the display panel's hinges. Carefully lift the display panel off the laptop's base.
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Loosen the Phillips-head screws mounting your laptop's top cover to the computer's base enclosure. Unplug all cables extending from the top cover to the motherboard. Carefully lift the entire top cover off the laptop to reveal the top surface of the motherboard.
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Locate the GPU hea tsink attached to the motherboard. This is the metal piece with copper pipes extending from it. Loosen the spring-loaded Phillips screws attaching the heat sink to the motherboard. Lift the heat sink out of the laptop.
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Use a can of compressed air to blow all dust from the GPU chip's surface, and from the removed heat sink. Apply some rubbing alcohol to a clean cotton swab. Wipe down the GPU's surface and the entire heat sink. Allow a few minutes for the alcohol to dry, and reverse the disassembly procedure to put your laptop back together.
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Tips & Warnings
Always wear an antistatic wrist strap while dismantling the laptop to avoid serious electrical damage to the motherboard.
Depending on your specific laptop model, performing this procedure yourself may void the warranty.
