I encountered the same exact problem as you a few months ago, I searched all around the Internet and came across with this statement from a NotebookReview forum moderator: "You will need a screw driver. Take off the 4 rubber pads on the metal mesh, then you should be able to see the screws. "
That didn't helped me a lot, so I decided to tear this cooling pad down myself; it hurts I know, but at least I figured out a way to clean the fan!

To clean the Cooler Master NotePal Infinite:

1) Carefully peel off those 4 long rubber strips on the metal mesh.



2) You'll find 4 silver color screws on the top left and right corner on the metal mesh; 4 black color screws on the lower left and right corner of the metal mesh. Unscrew all 8 of them using a proper screwdriver.

Top right corner on the metal mesh; I unscrew one of them already.


Lower left corner on the metal mesh; notice the 2 black screws are still intact.


3) Flip the cooling pad to reveal its black plastic underside, there are 2 prominent black screws at the lower center part of the cooling pad (like you've mentioned earlier); unscrew them as well.

Underside of the cooling pad.


The 2 black screws you've mentioned.


4) Notice those square rubber pads? Peel all 4** of them off carefully; you'll find 2 silver screws on the upper left and right corner of the bottom base and 2 black screws on the lower left and right corner of the bottom base where the rubber pads once hid them from sight. Unscrew all 4 of them.

**Note: Alternatively, you can just peel the lower 2 square rubber pads, because the two silver screws on the upper left and right corner of the bottom base doesn't inhibit you from opening the cooling pad. You can leave the silver screws (and the rubber pads on the upper left and right corner) alone if you so wish.

Upper right corner of the bottom base. You can choose not to unscrew this screw and the other one on the left, it doesn't inhibit you from opening the Cooler Master Infinite.


Lower left corner of the bottom base.


5) Once you've done that, you should be able to lift the metal mesh along with a butt shape black color plastic off the black plastic bottom base, refer to the picture below.



But don't yank the metal mesh part just yet, there's a wire attached from the fan to the power supply unit/chip, disconnect the wire carefully.

Notice there's a wire running along from the fan to the power supply/controller/chip. Once the wire is disconnected, you should be able to separate the metal mesh and butt shape plastic combo from the bottom base.


Wire disconnected.

This post has been edited by Onyx_black: Jan 25 2009, 10:08 AM

6) Here comes the painful part, remove the brushed aluminum Cooler Master plate very carefully. Make sure you don't bend the aluminum plate as it's quite soft; if you're going to clean this cooling pad once in awhile I strongly suggest you to remove the aluminum plate and keep it somewhere safe. Once you've done that, there are 4 black screws and 3 silver screws (to secure the fan in place) waiting for you, unscrew the 4 black screws first, leave the silvers ones alone for now

Remove the aluminum plate and keep it at some place safe.


Remove the 4 black screws first; leave the 3 silver ones alone for now.


7) Flip the metal mesh part, there are a series of latching mechanisms at the sides on the metal mesh. With a firm push you should be able to free the metal mesh from the butt shape plastic.



8) Flip the metal mesh and you'll see the fan; flip it again and unscrew all 3 silver screws.

The fan attached to the metal mesh.


Unscrew all 3 silver screws to free the fan.


9) Slide the wire out of the latch to free the fan; now the fan is all yours for the cleaning.


All the components of the Cooler Master NotePal Infinite,


I hope this guide can benefit the owners of the Cooler Master Infinite.

If you don't replace the Cooler Master plate, it will not disrupt airflow, it merely opens a new place for air to enter the fan area.

To be specific, when the plate is still in place, it prohibits air from entering the fan through the top part, which is the metal mesh. Hence there's only one way the air can enter the fan area: through the back of the Cooler Master Infinite (you know, the black grill part, above it is the switch). That's the default way for air to enter the fan.

Now, with the plate removed, there are 2 ways for air to enter the fan area, the part where the plate once is and the back portion of the Infinite. This is just my theory, you don't have to trust me on this: since there are more ways for air to enter the fan area, it effectively increases the amount of air the fan can push at a given amount of time.