Temperature Control - Can I reduce the processor heat?

[markimae]

I recently bought a mac and after a couple of issues, got it up and running.

However, my Macbook Pro is currently running the processor full throttle and I'm unsure why. I'm running Safari, Microsoft Word and World of Warcraft Downloader (I'm downloading the dmg to install, not playing the game... so it shouldn't be taxing. I also tried closing this and there was no temperature decrease.) and iChat.

Per my readings from Temperature Control I have the following:

Graphics Processor Heatsink 1: 66 degrees C
Graphics Processor Temperature Diode: 74 degrees C
Main Heatsink 1: 60 degrees C
Main Heatsink 2: 48 degrees C
Main Heatsink 3: 55 degrees C
Memory Controller: 59 degrees C
SMART Disk FUJITSU MHW2160BHPL (K11GT77290E4): 42 degrees C
Wireless Module: 61 degrees C
CPU Core 1: 77 degrees C
CPU Core 2: 80 degrees C

I have my SMC Fan Control running at 4000 RPMs and a Notebook Cooling Pad on my Macbook Pro by Antec. Does anyone know what I can do?

 

[mac57]

Those do look rather hot, particularly the CPU readings. What do they look like when you have NO applications running, and the machine is just quiescent? That is a good starting point.

If, with no applications loaded, you can see that your CPU activity is still high, check out the running applications and processes via Activity Monitor and see if you can identify some thing that shouldn't be running. Kill that and try again. At idle, your CPU level shouldn't be more than 1% to 3% per core. If it more than that, you need to investigate and understand why.

 

[markimae]

Well, I went into activity monitor - CPU Usage is at about 5% User and 90% System with 5% Idle... that seems odd. Word is taking 1.7% CPU Usage, Safari about the same. Blizzard Downloader is taking about 3%. There is something running "mount_hfs" that's taking upward of 90% of CPU. Should I kill that? Anyone know what that is?

 

[chat19]

honestly, 66 c is not all that hot for the cpu. but what i did with my high temp problems is spen like $50 on a targus chill pad. especially when transferring large amounts of data, this thing really cools it down. it dropped me from 64 to 49 in a manner of minutes.