Originally posted by KillerBug:

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As far as internal upgrades, there really aren't any pre-designed options. Just like any regulated fan, the fan speed can be turned up with a bit of wiring and perhaps a small circuit for some fan designs.

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Originally posted by ddp:

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how are you going to open the bottom of the laptop, by removing the entire bottom of the laptop or removing the panels offrom the bottom of laptop. get a laptop cooler tray & give that laptop a good blow from a can of air or from air compressor.

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Originally posted by ddp:

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is it your laptop or somebody elses?

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Originally posted by KillerBug:

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If you have a multimeter and you want to get some readings from the fan, I can tell you how to set the fan to full speed...that is how I got my HP laptop to run for more than 10 minutes at a time. (total cost of laptop = two wires and some time...thanks HP...if you had made a quality laptop, it wouldn't have been thrown away by the original owner)

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Originally posted by KillerBug:

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If it has two wires, just use a small voltage regulator rated for whatever voltage/wattage that are listed on the sticker on the fan. If it has three wires, it is usually just a matter of clipping the third wire, and sometimes connecting that wire to a 5V voltage source. Different fans use different methods.

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Originally posted by ddp:

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killer, remember LightXxX is about 13yrs old so he is not a techno geek.

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Originally posted by KillerBug:

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Fans don't have to be mounted to the heatsinks; they are just there to put a breeze over them. Clipping a wire is just cutting it; most 3 wire PWM fans will go to full speed mode when you do this. If it is actually a 3 wire fan with voltage control, clipping the signal wire will often make the bios set fan speed to max.

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Originally posted by ddp:

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killer, remember LightXxX is about 13yrs old so he is not a techno geek.

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Originally posted by ddp:

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you might have to add some pictures so he knows what to look for.

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Originally posted by ddp:

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LightXxX, next time edit your previous post instead of adding 2 more posts as per forum rules. http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
12. Repeated posts to increase total number of posts is not allowed. Especially if your message is the last in the thread, edit it rather than post a new message.

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Originally posted by ddp:

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no. what i am talking about is that you posted at 18:08, 18:09 & 18:10 which is against forum rules as i posted above so read the rules because next time you'll receive a temp ban.

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Originally posted by KillerBug:

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Higher temps always result in reduced life...200F is not good, higher is worse.

I don't have any pictures of the inside of your laptop, nor do I know the specifics of the fan.

I'll assume you have a multimeter. If not, either buy one or talk your parents into buying one for you (tell them it is educational; it won't even be a lie). You don't need a top-of-the-line $500 unit or anything...you just need a basic unit with a digital display...you can get a decent one for about $50...here is a nice unit on amazon for under $45 shipped: http://www.amazon.com/TekPower-TP4000ZC-RS232-Interaced-Ranging-Multimeter/dp/B000OPDFLM/ref=sr_1_38?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1296886275&sr=1-38

You need to figure out what each wire is doing before you do anything to them. Sometimes you can make the readings while the laptop is open, sometimes you have to close up the laptop to get it put together enough to actually turn on. If you can test while it is open, then continue to the next step. If you cannot, you may have to splice small wires into the fan wires and run them out the back, so that you can test from those when the system is assembled and running.

You should have already been close enough to the fan to read the sticker on it; most fans will have a sticker on one side that tells you the voltage and wattage (or sometimes the voltage and amperage; you can get amperage from wattage and wattage from amperage). If it is not on the top, it is probably on the bottom. Write down the voltage and amperage (or wattage).

Once you can take readings, take readings. First you want to find the biggest difference...the two wires that give you the greatest difference should be the power supply and the ground. Make sure to note which wire is ground; the number on the meter should be positive when the black lead is touching ground. Now, take a reading between ground and the third wire (not power).

What to do with readings:
If the difference between power and ground is the same as is written on the fan sticker (like if you get a reading of 4.95V, and the fan says 5V on it), then the fan is being controlled by PWM, through the third wire. If the difference is not the same as the fan sticker (like if you show 3.10V and the sticker says 5V), then it is a voltage controlled fan.

If it is a voltage controlled fan, then the fix is to supply it with full power. This can be done with a cheap voltage regulator (make sure it is rated for enough wattage and the correct voltage). If the fan is a 5V fan, you can also "steal" power from the USB ports, as they have a 5V line with enough extra current to run the fan easily.

If it is a PWM controlled fan, things get a bit trickier, and you need to do more readings. Essentially, you want to get a bunch of readings at different temperatures and fan speeds. The problem here is that a multimeter does not read PWM correctly; instead of displaying the peaks and valleys, it just displays the average (it is like trying to fly over a mountain range at 1000ft above average altitude; you will hit a mountain). This is why oscilloscopes exist, but they can be rather expensive. One option is the Arduino...there is an app available that allows it to function as a sub-$30 'scope...it isn't great, but it generally gets the job done and at least gives you an idea what you are working with. While I recommend anyone entering this trade at least consider an arduino, you could try simply disconnecting the third wire to see if the fan has been designed to go to full speed when there is no signal (this is a safety feature included in some fans). If it goes full speed, then there is no need to generate a PWM signal for it, so there is no reason to read the old PWM signal to find the peak voltage. If, however, the fan does not go full speed when this wire is disconnected, then you will need a PWM generator, and first you will need to know what outputs you will need. There are two ways to find out the outputs needed. The first is to get the model number from the fan itself and search for a datasheet with the information; this is usually a lost cause with internal parts on OEM systems, but it is worth a shot. The second option is to use a scope to find out what the peak voltage is on the control line...the multimeter may read 1.0V, but the scope might show you that it is 4V for 1/4 of the time (average of 1V). You would want the peak voltage, in this case, 4V. Once you find this peak, post back here (and PM me in case I am not watch the thread), and I can tell you your options...often it is just a wire, but it sometimes requires a small circuit board that you can make yourself if you have a soldering iron.

If a picture is worth a thousand words...I think this post is worth at least 2 pictures.

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Originally posted by KillerBug:

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Why must you live in your bro's shadow? You are young enough that you could be an expert electrical engineer before college if you stick to it.

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