Toshiba Laptop Heating/Sudden Shutdown Problems

Some of the Toshiba Laptops were shipped with Desktop Pentium Processors which operate at higher temperatures as processors meant for desktops run at little higher voltage. Heating is a common problem in such Toshiba Laptops.

Do it at your own risk. If you are not confident, do not do it. Send it to Toshiba Service Center or go to Bestbuy. Check you might have extended warranty. Get all the things before you start.

I see many friends keep the laptop on bare carpet, or even a sofa. From time to time, the processor cooling fans start spinning to cool down the processor. This is a bad practice, and may also ruin the Laptop if the heat sensors do not work. I suggest to keep the laptop on a flat dust free surface, like a wooden/glass table. 

STEP 1

Turn the laptop upside down.
Unlock and remove the battery.

STEP 2

For this step you need Torx 8 screwdriver.

Remove three torx screws securing the CPU fan/heatsink cover.

STEP 3

Disconnect two fan cables on the sytem board and remove three screws securing the fan to the laptop.
Lift the fan from the laptop.

STEP 4

Loosen four screws securing the heatsink.
When you remove the heatsink move if back and forth to disconnect it from the greased CPU.

STEP 5

Carefully lift the heatsink up from the CPU.

STEP 6

This heatsink is completaly clooged with lint.
A clogged heatsink causes CPU overheating. If your laptop shuts down by itself without any reason, check the heatsink first. Overheating is a very common problem among Toshiba laptops.

STEP 7

Remove old grease from the CPU and the North Bridge chipset and clean them with an alcohol pad.
Before you install the heatsink back into the laptop, blow the dust away from the system board with compressed air and apply new thermal grease on the chips.

STEP 8

Clean the heatsink and the fan with compressed air and install it back into the laptop.