Compaq Laptop Fan running

[scheels]

I have a Compaq Presario 2100 laptop that sounds to me like the processor fan is running really fast and all the time. The laptop is about 4 years old and I have used it for everything from word processing to pictures and movies. Is it worth fixing and is it inexpensive to fix? Or is there something internal that I can change the settings on?

Thanks

[Panama Red]

Sounds to me like the heat sink fins are clogged with dust. The fan can't move enough air to effectively cool it so it has to run all the time and/or run at full speed. Just blowing air throught the exhaust vent may not clean it thoroughly. I'd recommend removing the cpu fan, cleaning it well and using compressed air to fully clean the heat sink fins.