I have a compaq laptop presario X13 04657 and it is overheating. The fan makes a really loud noise before it shuts down. The computer gets really hot. Any suggestions?

The laptop will need to be dismantled down to the motherboard level, use a can of compressed air attach straw and blow out all ports, heatsink and fan. It might be a good idea to remove both for closer inspection and several good blast of air for good measure, and check the thermal paste between the heatsink and processor ic has not dried out.

Sounds like you are overheating. One way to tell if it's overheating is you say it will run for about 30 minutes then shuts down. When it shuts down try rebooting to see if the boots successfully. If it fails to boot successfully right after it shut down then you are probably overheating. If you wait awhile to let it cool down for 30 minutes or so and if you reboot and it does it successfully you definitely have a overheating problem. If I remember correctly all those compaq sr series have loud and fast running fans. Computers overheat because of three reasons for the most part: 1) A fan has stopped working. 2) The Thermal Paste on the CPU and Heat Sink has dried up or is not thick enough to keep the unit cool. 3) Dust has clogged the fan vents and inside the computer. Fortunately for you desktops don't have to be completely disassembled like laptops to get to the fan, CPU and heatsink. Just pop the case and you'll see the components attached to the motherboard

It is overheating. It may be a few things, check the vents and make sure they are not blocked by anything (sometimes dust can block them as well). Also listen and feel at the vents to make sure you fell air blowing out (if not the fans may have died out).
The fact that it shut down means it is trying to save the components before they burn out. You should be able to turn it back on once it cools down enough. You can also use a fan to blow air through the vents to speed the process. If it continues to shut down, it will burn out eventually if not repaired. You can get by for a while by using a fan base (you sit the laptop on it and it has fans blowing air on it to keep it cool). You can purchase this at any bestbuy or staples.

sounds like the machine is overheating, remove the case and clean out the fan and surrounding area.

It sounds to me like it is indeed overheating. Make sure all the fans visible from the outside of the case are operating smoothly, and not making any awkward noises. You can take a flashlight to see these easier. With the laptop off, make sure you have any dust cleared out, you an buy an air can for about $5 almost anywhere that sells electronics. Another easy solution for anyone to do, is buy a cooling pad. It will increase the airflow to the computer, and keep most of the case's openings clear.

If you are still having problems, make sure you have any peripheral devices disconnected, as there may be something drawing too much power from the notebook.

Needs to be replaced.

is the battery ok? have it tested, sounds like a weak battery that is failing, the battery lasts about 2 years in most laptops.

Try to clean heatsink and fan. Make sure fan is spinning(common problem).

Here is one for $28 plus shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Compaq-Presario-C500-CPU-Cooling-Fan-409073-001_W0QQitemZ290267492182QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

It is quite possible that you need to replace the cooling fan. You can get used parts for this machine on Ebay pretty cheap now. I have seen the fan assy go for about $8-20.00. They are a bit of a job to replace. Just take your time.