On no longer feeling like a rank amateur

A couple of weeks ago, I was saying how I was feeling terribly amateurish and not fixing a laptop properly. This weekend however, I returned to the scene of the crime, and finally got my hands on the problem so it could all be solved.

This is the fan that cools said laptop, and this is what it should look like.

This is what I saw when I actually opened up the case. On the left is what is best described as a radiator. The air is pulled through by the fan, and then pumped back out. Only, as you can see by the half inch wide line of fur, it wasn't. I removed the fan after cleaning it, and then removed the heatsink from the cpu and the graphics chip. I replaced the thermal paste (yes Debi, that thermal paste) and put everything back together. Rebooting the PC, imagine my delight to find that it had been reduced from 85-90c to 35c. Some hard cpu usage using a benchmarker, and I managed to get it to spike at 39c. Anything below 50c is good, so it's very good. Jo (the bloke) is now very happy, and I have saved her a small fortune by not having to buy another laptop. I have now redeemed myself as well, and proved that I do indeed know what I am talking about.