08-05-2007, 05:52 PM

Hi,

I've just installed SmcFanController on my Macbook because its running a little hot. If you don't know what it is, its a piece of software that allows you to control the speed of the fans enabling you to cool the processor down if it is overheating.

I have a few concerns about it though. As far as I am concerned, the fans are set to specific parameters which are scheduled to activate on particular actions. Do people think that the software could adversely affect the fans if it is run too much. I currently have the fan running at 2700 RPM and am a little reluctant to increase the speed as I am worried it will overload the hardware.

I've searched the internet to see if anyone has had any hardware problems after installing this piece of software and I haven't found much yet. Any thoughts are welcome...

08-05-2007, 06:43 PM

The fans are preset and controlled by the system's own internal thermostats. If there is a need to spool the fans up, the system will do it on its own. Using fan control software is fine, but running your fans constantly will add up to unnecessary wear and result in shorter service life.

There is a known defect in some MacBooks where excessive thermal compound is applied to certain chips on the system, resulting in inefficient heat transfer to the thermal management components. If you believe that your system is running abnormally warm, I would take it up with Apple and have them check it.

08-05-2007, 06:48 PM

Usually running at 60C, seems pretty hot to me, it becomes uncomfortable quite quickly

08-05-2007, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by fritleyfrisp

Usually running at 60C, seems pretty hot to me, it becomes uncomfortable quite quickly

Yours may be one of the problematic machines. The fix is really quite simple, not requiring any special parts, other than some good quality thermal compound - any competent Apple technician should be able to determine the cause and repair it.

08-05-2007, 09:27 PM

Yea my MBP runs around 50-60s... When it hits the 60's I touch the metal and it's pretty hot. Is that hot enough to go in for thermal paste thingy.

08-05-2007, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by adler

Yea my MBP runs around 50-60s... When it hits the 60's I touch the metal and it's pretty hot. Is that hot enough to go in for thermal paste thingy.

It doesn't hurt to ask, although 50-60C doesn't seem that bad. From what I've seen, the people that experience this problem are actually going up well over those kinds of temps.

08-05-2007, 09:59 PM

Is the thermal paste issue still present in the new Santa Rosa chip MBP's?

I gave a quick search in google and found no reports of the newest MBP's having this problem. Anyone heard otherwise?

EDIT: NEVERMIND!!

08-05-2007, 11:44 PM

I've got up to 77 C.....I'm pretty sure that would count as thermal paste yea cwa107?

08-06-2007, 03:02 AM

Fan controller software is fine like they said above, and remember with SMC you are setting the minimum speed, it will go up if it needs to.

As for too much thermal paste check out this thread...

Brand NEW 17" Santa Rosa MBP Thermal Paste Nightmare!

08-06-2007, 03:24 AM

Mine runs idle at 50-60c, I guess it's pretty normal. Intel specs indicate it could withstand up to 100c - so I'm not really worrying much.

08-06-2007, 12:58 PM

Holy crap like a few seconds ago my comp hit 75 C ( 167 F)... And all iwas doing was playing chess, had itunes open, VLC and msn and firefox open. Nothing too major.

Now it dropped back down to 58 C.

08-06-2007, 01:01 PM

Mine went up as high as 80c when converting DVD via handbrake. Fans were running at 6000rpm during conversion, after it's done the temp. fell to 50c.

08-06-2007, 01:10 PM

yea it's just that i was using normal applications, like firefox, itunes, and msn and chess and it went that high. I'd only expect it to go high when i'm in final cut or photoshop.

08-06-2007, 09:29 PM

you were using chess... chess is all calculations, which means all processor work, haha alot of people actually use chess to benchmark processors... I'll give you a little experiment to do... go to your preferences in chess and slide the slider all the way to stronger,

#1 watch your temp rise very high
#2 watch the processor usage for chess go waaaayyy up
#3 look how long it actually takes to make a move, you may think it loc ked up, but nope it is just thinking and in terms of computers thinking is all processor work.

Most people think chess wouldn't use many resources and they just disregard it, but chess is a HUGE processor hog