I'm sure that the subject line of this post is of no surprise to many of
you, but here I put it in writing. I have a Gateway Laptop computer, a
very nice one, 15 inch viewable screen, CD/DVD drive, etc. But wait, the
CD drive is writable. Still no revelation you say? True, but, in my
feeble mind, I have pondered a question, for nearly a year I have
wondered if the CD drive is merely writable or is it a rewritable drive?

Hmmm, difficult question for me, a real brain I am. Anyway, yesterday the
quest began anew. I looked at the properties in the Control Panel under
System, not conclusive. I looked in Multimedia, I used Norton's Utilities
System Info, etc. Nothing.

How was I to solve this dilemma ever plaguing me, I needed to know? Ah, I
stumbled upon the Gateway site, entered my serial number, they
acknowledged that my warranty is good well into 2006, they still know who
I am. I look under the various items that they offer concerning my
computer, ah yes, they have a section on the CD/DVD drive. This certainly
must yield the answer. I eagerly opened the section concerned, perusing
the various information that is designed to help the computer illiterate
gain some information about their machines. Yes yes, they have the
answer, I finally, after nearly a year, know exactly what type of drive
that I have.

The answer was, are you ready for this, to look on the door of the CD
tray, written as clear as day, on my computer, it says "CD Rewritable DVD
ROM Drive". Mind you that the door is on the side of the computer, I
guess far be it from me to have actually looked at it.

A real brain I am.

The day wasn't entirely without merit though. My laptop computer seems
like it runs hot. I have elevated the computer using oversize feet. I
have used the dust blower sprays available in a can, clearing the fan
intake on the bottom of the computer, as well as the discharge slots on
the rear, yet it never seemed like it was good enough, the fan runs much
too often. Online sites advocated disassembly of the laptop, so that
impacted dust and hairs etc. can be removed from the fan and cooling
assemblies. Being that the computer is under warranty, I did not wish to
damage anything that may invalidate same. Anyway, Gateway has a section
on the user replacing the keyboard in the laptop. I figured that I could
gain access to the fan with the keyboard removed. So I indeed removed the
keyboard, easily accessed the fan, and found a hair ball. I dust sprayed
the inside, including the heat sink assembly. The processor seems to have
a flattened copper tube in intimate contact with it, and this tube in
turn goes to the heat sink fins (I use these terms loosely), whereupon
the air blows across them from the fan. The flattened tube may contain a
gas/liquid, as the end is finished like a refrigeration sensing bulb
would be. Anybody have any insights into these?

Dr. Artaud