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Alienware x14 Service Manual

PDF

Removing the fan and heat-sink assembly

Prerequisites

  1. Follow the procedure in Before working inside your computer.
  2. Remove the base cover.
  3. Remove the battery.
  4. Remove the wireless card.
  5. Remove the M.2 2230 solid-state drive or M.2 2280 solid-state drive, as applicable.
  6. Remove the rear I/O-cover.
  7. Follow the procedure from step 1 to step 17 in Removing the system board.

About this task

NOTE:When installing this component, please see the tech sheet that is bundled with the service kit. This is only applicable for computers with the following Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) configurations that have Element 31 grease applied to the CPU.
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
NOTE:The heat sink may become hot during normal operation. Allow sufficient time for the heat sink to cool before you touch it.
NOTE:For maximum cooling of the processor, do not touch the heat transfer areas on the heat sink. The oils in your skin can reduce the heat transfer capability of the thermal grease.

The following image(s) indicate the location of the fan and heat-sink assembly and provides a visual representation of the removal procedure.

Image: Removing the fan and heat-sink assembly

Steps

  1. Disconnect the left and right fan cables from the system board.
  2. Turn the system-board assembly over.
  3. In the reverse sequential order (9>8>7>6>5>4>3>2>1), remove the nine screws (M2x3) that secure the fan and heat-sink assembly to the system board.
    NOTE:For computer shipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, remove the eight screws (M2x3) that secure the fan and heat-sink assembly to the system board.

    Image: Installing the fan and heat-sink assembly

  4. Lift the fan and heat-sink assembly off the system board.
    CAUTION:Do not use an alcohol wipe to clean the Element 31 thermal grease off the surface of the processor, the alcohol solution from the wipes dissolve the Element 31 grease into conductive metal particles. If these conductive metal particles come into contact with the surface of the system board, it causes an electrical short when your computer is turned on.
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