Lenovo All-in-One C20 Fan Gets a Clean

 

Computer fans collect dust and fluff and need cleaning every six months to a year to work efficiently, and if left to collect dirt can cause excessive noise and even computer shutdown due to overheating.

So why don't computer manufactures make them an easily accessible maintenance item? Why do they make the task difficult for even somebody with experience of computer maintenance? Why (in the case of my Lenovo C20 fan above) do they make the task so difficult that the vast majority of computer owners could not do it without damaging cabling and components, and probably rendering the computer inoperable, even though this is a piece of routine maintenance that will need doing regularly?

A cynic would say that they expect you to ditch the computer in a couple of years, so aren't bothered what happens when the fan gets dusty, because you'll probably just go and buy a new one.

Opening the case of this computer was difficult enough, involving removing hidden screws and popping the screen from the body with a screwdriver. Having done that, I expected the fan to be accessible for cleaning, but no, no sign of it. I had to remove connections from the motherboard, unscrew it, lift it to the side and remove a metal screen before I could get to it.

I'm not going to give detailed instructions because if you are experienced at computer repairs, you can probably figure it out, and if you aren't, this is not a task you should carry out. I was doubtful myself that the computer would work when I put it back together, but fortunately it did.

This is not a task I will be repeating anytime soon. The computer only has a very low powered netbook CPU, and is not used for demanding tasks, so the fan rarely spins hard, and I have not noticed any excessive noise or overheating in the seven years I've had it, so maybe in another seven years I will risk cleaning the fan again.

But really, why couldn't there be a hatch behind the fan as it lies against the back of the case? This would allow regular dusting. Sadly the computer seems to have been designed as a throw away item. Next time I think I will buy a tower that is designed to be serviceable and upgradeable.

Here are some photos of the procedure for anybody brave enough to try it.

Now why couldn't there just be a hole in the back to get at this???