Mac Pro - Mac Pro has odor problem. - Page 3 - Mac-Forums.com

oduesp · 07-04-2007, 07:24 AM

Hi, I have my macpro since a week and I have the same horrible odor problem. I must use a big fan facing the power supply (which make a noise problem for this quiet computer.). It's really highly disappointing and I don't know if Apple take this problem seriously (reading this thread seems to be a NO).
Did someone find a solution (apart from fresh-water washing it) ?

macpower · 07-04-2007, 11:09 AM

I'm on my forth one (besides the odor two of them had other problems) and it also stinks. Service now says the odor is coming from a seal or gasket on the optical drives right in front of the power supply. It should burn off in about two weeks if it runs constantly.
Well I'm on my second week with the case open and a fan blowing on it and it still smells like bad perfume. I'll see what happens in about a week or so.

oduesp · 07-04-2007, 12:14 PM

Ok the tech guy is coming to change the PSU. We'll see...

Obsidian · 07-21-2007, 10:18 AM

I am having the exact same problem! My 8 Core has a strange sweet smell that is coming from the power supply :-(

Zware Unit · 08-19-2007, 07:05 AM

My Mac Pro smells funny (marijuana?). The power supply has been replaced twice, so it seems Apple can't find the problem. I can smell it when the system is rendering (CPU 400%).

MacHeadCase · 08-19-2007, 08:15 AM

See? We toldja Macs are packed full of power: they can even make the CPUs run at 400%. LOL

I think you smelled your Mac Pro a bit too much there, Zware Unit.

Obsidian · 08-20-2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacHeadCase

See? We toldja Macs are packed full of power: they can even make the CPUs run at 400%. LOL

I think you smelled your Mac Pro a bit too much there, Zware Unit.

Silly unhelpful remarks aside, there is a problem with the 8 core mac pros. I am sitting here typing this on one with the odor problem.

I do have multiple Mac Pros so I conducted a little experiment to see if I could get to the bottom of this. I swapped the PSU from a 4 core mac pro which does not have the smell and installed it into the smelly 8 core. Guess what? The smell is NOT coming from the PSU. My guess is it may be the fans or perhaps something on the motherboard. My investigation continues...

Smell aside, this 8 core mac pro is VERY stable.

Tanner31593 · 08-23-2007, 12:48 PM

Well,
I had a PC that smelled horrible.
But i found out that the cat sprayed on it.
So i had an excuse to get a mac.

08-24-2007, 11:08 PM

You might try this. Pull the heatsinks off the processors and clean ALL the thermal compund off the processors and heatsinks with some rubbing alcohol. After doing this apply a small amount of thermal paste, I recommend Arctic Silver, to each processor and replace the heatsink. Apple uses entirely too much compound and this oozes out to the surround area and may cause the smell you are all experiencing. I have a 2.66 quad core mac pro and I have never experienced this smell. Hope this helps!

macpower · 09-11-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbarnette

You might try this. Pull the heatsinks off the processors and clean ALL the thermal compund off the processors and heatsinks with some rubbing alcohol. After doing this apply a small amount of thermal paste, I recommend Arctic Silver, to each processor and replace the heatsink. Apple uses entirely too much compound and this oozes out to the surround area and may cause the smell you are all experiencing. I have a 2.66 quad core mac pro and I have never experienced this smell. Hope this helps!

You are correct Sir.
The Mac tech was just here and he took out the heat sinks and cleaned off the seal compound with alcohol (per your recommendation) resealed with Arctic Silver. Now it's running to burn off any residual odor.
The smell was definitely coming from the compound because the new heat sink he brought as a replacement had the same odor while it was still in the box. We didn't even use it.

WakeCarver · 09-12-2007, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macpower

You are correct Sir.
The Mac tech was just here and he took out the heat sinks and cleaned off the seal compound with alcohol (per your recommendation) resealed with Arctic Silver. Now it's running to burn off any residual odor.
The smell was definitely coming from the compound because the new heat sink he brought as a replacement had the same odor while it was still in the box. We didn't even use it.

Glad I could help. I had to change my username because other account quit working when I tried to change email address.

FredGarvin · 11-03-2007, 01:11 PM

Hi.

I've had my Mac Pro for about 90 days now. I had hoped that the fumes would dissipate over time, but they haven't, even after 3 months of daily use. And it's not just a matter of an unpleasant odor...my throat burns every time I'm in the room with the computer on. Now that the weather is changing, I can't leave my office window open, so it's time for action.

From all of the threads on this problem, it seems that the removal of the excess thermal compound is the most promising solution.
I've called tech support, and while the rep I spoke to hadn't personally received any calls on the matter, he confirmed this theory based on his years of computer maintenance. I will be covered under warranty to have an authorized repair center clean off the heat sinks.

Before I take it in and have to do without my computer for possibly several days, I wanted to check with those of you who have tried this approach. Did the removal of the compound actually solve the odor issue for you? Anything else I need to relay to the repair guys that might ensure a proper fix?

Thanks!

Fred

FWIW, my Mac Pro box says "Computer Assembled in USA."

macpower · 11-21-2007, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredGarvin

Hi.

I've had my Mac Pro for about 90 days now. I had hoped that the fumes would dissipate over time, but they haven't, even after 3 months of daily use. And it's not just a matter of an unpleasant odor...my throat burns every time I'm in the room with the computer on. Now that the weather is changing, I can't leave my office window open, so it's time for action.

From all of the threads on this problem, it seems that the removal of the excess thermal compound is the most promising solution.
I've called tech support, and while the rep I spoke to hadn't personally received any calls on the matter, he confirmed this theory based on his years of computer maintenance. I will be covered under warranty to have an authorized repair center clean off the heat sinks.

Before I take it in and have to do without my computer for possibly several days, I wanted to check with those of you who have tried this approach. Did the removal of the compound actually solve the odor issue for you? Anything else I need to relay to the repair guys that might ensure a proper fix?

Thanks!

Fred

FWIW, my Mac Pro box says "Computer Assembled in
USA."

It didn't help mine. It could be that the initial seal compound had oz-ode all over the board making it impossible to clean all the melted residue.

jsc7911 · 02-07-2008, 06:08 PM

We have a mac!

macpower · 02-07-2008, 10:17 PM

Apple finally replaced my unit and there's no odor. It looks like they finally found a compound they doesn't smell when the processor heats it up. Even though it took a long time and a few replacements Apple always admitted there was a problem and never stopped trying to correct it. I guess that's why you pay a premium for their equipment.