Dell XPS M1530 Thermal Compound Replacement

ID: 37619

Description: First, this should be a last resort for if your...

Steps:

  1. Turn the computer upside down with the battery facing you.
  2. Turn the computer off and disconnect the charging cable from the computer.
  3. Failure to unplug the charging cable may result in electric shock.
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  4. Push the switch as far to the right as possible to unlock the battery.
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  5. Remove the battery using two hands and pull it away from the computer.
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  6. Unscrew the four Phillips #1 screws holding down the back panel. Then remove one 5.8mm Phillips #1 screw labeled "M" in the middle of the back panel.
  7. Four 3.9mm Phillips #1 screws
  8. One 5.8mm Phillips #1 screw
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  9. Using the highlighted indent, pull up and out to remove the back panel.
  10. The indent should provide enough grip to remove the panel with ease.
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  11. First, unscrew the six screws that are holding down the fan and heat sink with a Philips #1 screwdriver. Then use a Phillips #1 to remove the single screw near the bottom of the heat sink.
  12. Six Silver Chrome 5.8mm Phillips #1 screws
  13. One 5.8mm Phillips #1 screw
  14. Remove the four screws that are holding down the CPU (the four to the top left that form a rectangle in this image) first. Unscrew them in an X pattern (eg. top left screw, bottom right screw, top right screw, bottom left screw) to minimize risk of harming CPU.
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  15. Carefully lift the fan and heat sink from the laptop.
  16. Be careful not to pull up too hard, because the power pin is still connecting the fan to the laptop.
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  17. Use your fingers or a spudger to remove the power pin connecting the fan to the laptop by pulling it straight up off the motherboard.
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  18. Remove the fan and heat sink from the laptop.
  19. When installing the new heat sink, do not forget to replace the thermal paste underneath the heat sink. See iFixit's Applying Thermal Paste guide for further instructions.
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  20. Clean the CPU, GPU and heat sink with 90% isopropyl alcohol dabbed onto a paper towel.
  21. CPU Compound
  22. GPU Compound
  23. Thermal Pad
  24. Heat sink compound
  25. It is not necessary to replace the thermal pad, it is the soft square material.
  26. 70% isopropyl alcohol can also work if 90% is not available.
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