Presario 2701US overheating, heatsink and fan problems

I have a year and a half old Presario 2701US laptop running Windows XP Home.
Over the past few weeks the system has been just shutting down (needing
a complete reboot) with increasing frequency. It got to the point where I
could rarely get it to start up completely, and doing something like
inserting a CD or DVD might cause a shutdown.

One symptom that preceded this is very erratic operation of the fan --
usually at very high speed (loud fan noise).

Thanks to a reply in the Compaq support forums, I found that the Evo N180 is
essentially the same unit and I was told the location of a downloadable
service manual for the N180. Thus I was able to disassemble the unit.

I found a number of surprising problems with the processor heat sink and fan
assembly. The processor fan has a cable that connects to a connector on the
main board, but the electrical connection between that connector and the
board was not soldered -- just "touching" -- and was definitely
intermittent. With some delicate soldering, I was able to get a reliable
connection. The fan now runs in a way that seems "normal" and the system is
running better now.

It's too soon to say the problem is fixed, and another problem has me quite
worried: the mechanical mounting of the processor heat sink.

The heat sink mounts with four screws that go into threaded "nuts" that are
soldered to the main board. One by one the threaded "nuts" have become
loose from the board -- the solder bond has broken. Is it usual for a
massive mechanical assembly to be mounted by solder like this -- especially
in a mobile device?

Thus, the heat sink is not really fastened to the board right now.

I have been afraid to try to solder the "nuts" back to the board, since a
lot of heat will be needed -- my pencil soldering iron can't heat them
enough (although I have a 100 watt "gun" I could use). I'm afraid this kind
of heat will damage the board -- should I fear this?

Any suggestions for alternative to soldering? Heat-conductive adhesive?

--
Bob Fleischer
Groton, MA 01450

Doesn't a product like artic silver act to also attach the heat sink to the
cpu? I know that among desktop users artic silver is held in high regard.
Richard
"Bob Fleischer" wrote in message
...
I have a year and a half old Presario 2701US laptop running Windows XP
Home.
Over the past few weeks the system has been just shutting down (needing
a complete reboot) with increasing frequency. It got to the point where I
could rarely get it to start up completely, and doing something like
inserting a CD or DVD might cause a shutdown.

One symptom that preceded this is very erratic operation of the fan --
usually at very high speed (loud fan noise).

Thanks to a reply in the Compaq support forums, I found that the Evo N180
is
essentially the same unit and I was told the location of a downloadable
service manual for the N180. Thus I was able to disassemble the unit.

I found a number of surprising problems with the processor heat sink and
fan
assembly. The processor fan has a cable that connects to a connector on
the
main board, but the electrical connection between that connector and the
board was not soldered -- just "touching" -- and was definitely
intermittent. With some delicate soldering, I was able to get a reliable
connection. The fan now runs in a way that seems "normal" and the system
is
running better now.

It's too soon to say the problem is fixed, and another problem has me
quite
worried: the mechanical mounting of the processor heat sink.

The heat sink mounts with four screws that go into threaded "nuts" that
are
soldered to the main board. One by one the threaded "nuts" have become
loose from the board -- the solder bond has broken. Is it usual for a
massive mechanical assembly to be mounted by solder like this --
especially
in a mobile device?

Thus, the heat sink is not really fastened to the board right now.

I have been afraid to try to solder the "nuts" back to the board, since a
lot of heat will be needed -- my pencil soldering iron can't heat them
enough (although I have a 100 watt "gun" I could use). I'm afraid this
kind
of heat will damage the board -- should I fear this?

Any suggestions for alternative to soldering? Heat-conductive adhesive?

--
Bob Fleischer
Groton, MA 01450

Due to the design of the heat sink, anything that firmly attached the heat
sink to the processor would make it impossible to ever disassemble the unit!

How firm a bond does arctic silver make?

Bob

marlinspike wrote:
Doesn't a product like artic silver act to also attach the heat sink to the
cpu? I know that among desktop users artic silver is held in high regard.
Richard

Arctic Silver does not bond, it is a thermal paste, not a thermal adhesive.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"Bob Fleischer" wrote in message ...
Due to the design of the heat sink, anything that firmly attached the heat
sink to the processor would make it impossible to ever disassemble the unit!

How firm a bond does arctic silver make?

Bob

marlinspike wrote:
Doesn't a product like artic silver act to also attach the heat sink to the
cpu? I know that among desktop users artic silver is held in high regard.
Richard

I thought I read somewhere that after 10 hours use or so it eventually makes
a semi-bond.
Richard
"David B." wrote in message
et...
Arctic Silver does not bond, it is a thermal paste, not a thermal
adhesive.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"Bob Fleischer" wrote in message
...
Due to the design of the heat sink, anything that firmly attached the
heat
sink to the processor would make it impossible to ever disassemble the
unit!

How firm a bond does arctic silver make?

Bob

marlinspike wrote:
Doesn't a product like artic silver act to also attach the heat sink
to the
cpu? I know that among desktop users artic silver is held in high
regard.
Richard

Bob,

I have the same unit. Would you be able to post the link where I could
download the manual?

thanks,
John.


"Bob Fleischer" wrote in message
...
I have a year and a half old Presario 2701US laptop running Windows XP
Home.
Over the past few weeks the system has been just shutting down (needing
a complete reboot) with increasing frequency. It got to the point where I
could rarely get it to start up completely, and doing something like
inserting a CD or DVD might cause a shutdown.

One symptom that preceded this is very erratic operation of the fan --
usually at very high speed (loud fan noise).

Thanks to a reply in the Compaq support forums, I found that the Evo N180
is
essentially the same unit and I was told the location of a downloadable
service manual for the N180. Thus I was able to disassemble the unit.

I found a number of surprising problems with the processor heat sink and
fan
assembly. The processor fan has a cable that connects to a connector on
the
main board, but the electrical connection between that connector and the
board was not soldered -- just "touching" -- and was definitely
intermittent. With some delicate soldering, I was able to get a reliable
connection. The fan now runs in a way that seems "normal" and the system
is
running better now.

It's too soon to say the problem is fixed, and another problem has me
quite
worried: the mechanical mounting of the processor heat sink.

The heat sink mounts with four screws that go into threaded "nuts" that
are
soldered to the main board. One by one the threaded "nuts" have become
loose from the board -- the solder bond has broken. Is it usual for a
massive mechanical assembly to be mounted by solder like this --
especially
in a mobile device?

Thus, the heat sink is not really fastened to the board right now.

I have been afraid to try to solder the "nuts" back to the board, since a
lot of heat will be needed -- my pencil soldering iron can't heat them
enough (although I have a 100 watt "gun" I could use). I'm afraid this
kind
of heat will damage the board -- should I fear this?

Any suggestions for alternative to soldering? Heat-conductive adhesive?

--
Bob Fleischer
Groton, MA 01450

If it does it is minimal at best and would take little pressure to remove the heatsink.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"marlinspike" wrote in message ...
I thought I read somewhere that after 10 hours use or so it eventually makes
a semi-bond.
Richard
"David B." wrote in message
et...
Arctic Silver does not bond, it is a thermal paste, not a thermal
adhesive.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"Bob Fleischer" wrote in message
...
Due to the design of the heat sink, anything that firmly attached the
heat
sink to the processor would make it impossible to ever disassemble the
unit!

How firm a bond does arctic silver make?

Bob

marlinspike wrote:
Doesn't a product like artic silver act to also attach the heat sink
to the
cpu? I know that among desktop users artic silver is held in high
regard.
Richard

They make a thermal adhesive, also,


"David B." wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
If it does it is minimal at best and would take little pressure to remove
the heatsink.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"marlinspike" wrote in message
...
I thought I read somewhere that after 10 hours use or so it eventually
makes
a semi-bond.
Richard
"David B." wrote in message
et...
Arctic Silver does not bond, it is a thermal paste, not a thermal
adhesive.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"Bob Fleischer" wrote in message
...
Due to the design of the heat sink, anything that firmly attached
the
heat
sink to the processor would make it impossible to ever disassemble
the
unit!

How firm a bond does arctic silver make?

Bob

marlinspike wrote:
Doesn't a product like artic silver act to also attach the heat
sink
to the
cpu? I know that among desktop users artic silver is held in high
regard.
Richard

ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/supportinfo...01_rev1_us.pdf

This is for the Evo N180, but they seem to be the same unit as far as the
assembly/disassembly instructions are concerned.

Bob

j wrote:

Bob,

I have the same unit. Would you be able to post the link where I could
download the manual?

thanks,
John.

In that case, make sure you get the thermal adhesive and not the paste.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"CSS" wrote in message ink.net...
They make a thermal adhesive, also,


"David B." wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
If it does it is minimal at best and would take little pressure to remove
the heatsink.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"marlinspike" wrote in message
...
I thought I read somewhere that after 10 hours use or so it eventually
makes
a semi-bond.
Richard
"David B." wrote in message
et...
Arctic Silver does not bond, it is a thermal paste, not a thermal
adhesive.

--


----------------------------------------------------------------
"Bob Fleischer" wrote in message
...
Due to the design of the heat sink, anything that firmly attached
the
heat
sink to the processor would make it impossible to ever disassemble
the
unit!

How firm a bond does arctic silver make?

Bob

marlinspike wrote:
Doesn't a product like artic silver act to also attach the heat
sink
to the
cpu? I know that among desktop users artic silver is held in high
regard.
Richard