Tips to Keep Your Laptop from Overheating

Many laptops overheat because the fan on the bottom is blocked, and the hard drive then quickly fails. By following this simple step, you can keep your laptop cool and happy.

1. Put a small book or item (like the docking station for your iPod) under your computer's battery when sitting at your desk. This slight tilt allows a lot more air to flow under the laptop, keeping it significantly cooler. Take care not to block the bottom fan hole with this book.

2. If a book doesn't help, you can try something more ugly. Try sticking four sockets from an egg tray on four corners of your laptop. Either you can stick them with a sticky tape/masking tape or use hook and loop tape for flexible design.

3. Buy a laptop cooling mat. There are many brands to choose from (Thermaltake, Xion, Targus) and are available at computer stores like Best Buy or online from Newegg. You can even buy risers, or computer stands, that have ventilation.

4. Maintain a cool environment. Try keeping your laptop in an air-conditioned or cool area to allow your system to cool down and prevent it from overheating.