[gueixiou]

Lately my laptop has begun to heat up by the time the OS has loaded. On the left side of hte laptop there is a grille-like opening and that area is so hot that I can't even really touch it. This hasn't really been much of a problem so far but lately sometimes my computer will automatically go on Standby mode and I'm not sure if it's related to the heat or not.

Should I just buy a cooling pad or is there a better solution?

[pip22]

Make sure the grill is not blocked with dust and debris. If you have a vacuum cleaner with a plastic or brush attachment use that to clean the grill as well as checking the underside or other edges for grills that may be blocked. Also, to allow air to circulate underneath it should be used on a hard, flat surface. Not on a cushion or on your lap (despite it being called a laptop, our laps do not allow air to circulate underneath it and should be avoided).