As I have mentioned before, my HP EliteBook 8530w has been experiencing overheating problems, which I expected to be related to dust. Undusting this laptop went easier then anticipated.

Step 1: Remove the keyboard screws, located at the bottom

Remove Keyboard Screws

Remove Keyboard Screws

Step 2: Unlock the keyboard locks, located at the top of the keyboard, between esc and f1, f4 and f5, f8 and f9, f12 and scroll lock/

Keyboard locked

Keyboard locked

Keyboard unlocked

Keyboard unlocked

Step 3: Remove the keyboard

Remove the keyboard

Remove the keyboard

The keyboard looks a little dusty on the back, however, the fan doesn’t look as dusty as expected. Appearances are deceiving.

Step 4: Remove the fan

Thick layer of dust

Thick layer of dust

As you see, there is a thick layer of dust at the air outlet of the fan, even though the fan blades are just a tiny bit dusty.

Dust

Dust

Now that thick layer of dust is removed, put everything together again in reverse order ;)

Now…. I am running the laptop at full speed (2.8 GHz in stead of 800 MHz) and make it compile stuff, to see if the overheating problem is solved.