HOWTO: T2010 disassembly and applying new thermal grease

[Frank]

I’m back, with the next, hopefully interesting, HowTo.
This time we take the T2010 body apart and apply new thermal grease on the cooler.

Before we start unplug the tablet, remove the battery, remove the pen from its silo and get some screwdrivers and some boxes to place the screws in.

First we have to remove a plastic plate above the keyboard. This plate gets only held by a few plastic noses. Use your fingernail and/or some strong and flat piece of plastic (small rouler, …) and start at the left side to release the noses. Go till the hinge and then start on the right side till the hinge and finally take the whole plate out. This process is a bit tricky, don’t be afraid, maybe you’ll have to rotate the display a bit, but it’s possible.
It’s similar to the T4220, described by kureshii: Screen Creak on the T4220


After you’ve done that remove the keyboard. The keyboard is only glued by a few tapes. So just lift it at the upper part near the display and try to lift it till the battery. You will have to use a bit force, but be careful, below the touch stick is a cable and at the upper left part, too, don’t kill them
Now remove the cables from the connectors. Open the connector from the touch stick cable, just hoist the black cover a few millimetres then pull the cable out. To remove the larger keyboard cable you only have to pull it out. You’ll need a bit more force, much more, but still be patient and careful.



Next step is opening the first screws. Turn your tablet around, remove the RAM cover, remove the HDD cover and unscrew every screw (red) you can find, except of the two large ones (yellow), which hold the hinge. After you’ve done that place the HDD cover back (else the HDD will fall out off the box) and open your display at 90 degree.
Now be careful, because now we will loosen the hinge and remove the display. First remove the silver T plate (green) and pull the two display cables out of its connectors (yellow). Then unscrew the two larger screws at the bottom (yellow), place your tablet on the desk and unscrew the two screws at the backside of the tablet below the black blends (yellow).
Now the hinge is loose and the display, too, again: be careful. Take the hinge out of the case and place the whole display above the case. The display is still connected to three cables, so don’t throw it around.
Unscrew the three screws which where below the keyboard (red), remove the mouse button cable from the main board (blue) and then carefully lift the upper part of the case. At the upper right corner is the speaker connector, carfully disconnect it and then finally lie the case part above the display.


To remove the three cables which are still connected to the display you can a) remove the three cables from the wireless card or b) unscrew the screw which holds the wireless card and remove the whole wireless card (in my opinion the easier way)


Now take the display and the upper case away.
That’s it. Now you can do whatever you want, like applying new and better thermal grease.


Applying new and better thermal grease:
Unscrew the five red highlighted screws. Remove the plate and unscrew the remaining four yellow highlighted screws. Remove the whole heat sink. Remove the blue plastic film from the northbridge, clean all three chips, apply thermal grease and build everything back together. Finished.


[edit] Detailed results of temperature changes and comparisons: FYI: T2010 Ways to reduce heat and noise

[thrawn86]

no wonder this thing is so loud, the heatsink is just a thin slab of metal. surely they could have at least sprang for some copper, and maybe more fins on that heatpipe.

this is fantastic though, thanks. definitely link us to your temperature results. I can't imagine it would be more than a couple of C, but it might be worth trying if it will help keep this fan tamed.

[magnu55]

Frank, that was amazing work! Thanks for documenting this and sharing with us. Props to you!

[kureshii]

no wonder this thing is so loud, the heatsink is just a thin slab of metal. surely they could have at least sprang for some copper, and maybe more fins on that heatpipe.

The noise is due to the fan more than the heatsink, and I believe aluminum was used to keep the tablet light =)

[Frank]

I also think, that small heatsink isn't the main problem. The main problem is the software which controls the fan and is too aggressive.
But, thrawn86, you are also right. They should have used a little larger heatsink with more fins, to keep the CPU cool while the fan can run slower.

[thrawn86]

The noise is due to the fan more than the heatsink, and I believe aluminum was used to keep the tablet light =)

still, the thing is so light already that some copper or at least some fins wouldn't hurt.

Fujitsu still hasn't emailed me back, I sent in an advanced TS ticket asking about updated firmware for the fan control...

[Frank]

Fujitsu still hasn't emailed me back, I sent in an advanced TS ticket asking about updated firmware for the fan control...

I also haven't received any further mails from Fujitsu. That's why I chatted with someone from Fujitsu again, and it looks like they still don't have a solution, only Bios v1.05 which doesn't solve anything. Well I hope you have more luck.

[shoebox9]

Great work Frank. I was shocked at the tiny heat sink. A larger one would have let the fan run much more slowly. Some design engineer left their brain at home they day they made that decision.

However, as you say- the software is also far too aggressive in "protecting" the CPU. Stuff the customers, some little bald guy with beady eyes is saving the corporation from having to replace a handful of heat damaged CPU's world wide each year.

[shoebox9]

Is the CPU temp probe an on-die version in these CPUs? I presume there's no way to make it lie a little bit?

[Frank]

Yes the temperature probe is in the CPU, so we can't modify it, but it also wouldn't help, because the fan is almost temperature independent controlled.
The fan software uses a fix temperature value only to turn the fan on or off. This value is around 43 and 47 degrees.
Once the fan is turned on, the speed is only controlled by CPU load. Once the temperature is below this 43 degrees, the fan switchs off.