GPU Overheating on Win7?

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Hi everybody,

I recently have some GPU Overheating problem on Bootcamp Windows 7 (64bit) on my almost 4 years old MacBook Pro (15inch - late 2008). I was using Windows 7 (32) for years but I updated to 64 bit since I am using 3D softwares mostly. I kind of begin to believe that it happened after I updated to 64 Bit Windows.

The games that I was playing until the update without any problem begun to slow down to 5-8 fps after a few minutes and thats when I figured out that it was a GPU overheating problem.

The benchmark tests showed me that the GPU temps are getting to 100-105°C and thats where the games begin to slow down. But I have tried the GPU benchmark tests in MacOs too but they were around 60-70 °C there. (Open GL in both Mac and Windows). I am not sure if I made the test as they should be but I want to believe that Windows or the drivers there are responsible for that.

Any info would be appreciated if you have experienced such a problem. Thank you ...


My Mac:
2,4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256 MB
OS X 10.8.3 & Windows 7 Pro 64Bit
 

pigoo3

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I recently have some GPU Overheating problem on Bootcamp Windows 7 (64bit) on my almost 4 years old MacBook Pro (15inch - late 2008). I was using Windows 7 (32) for years but I updated to 64 bit since I am using 3D softwares mostly. I kind of begin to believe that it happened after I updated to 64 Bit Windows.

If the over-heating started immediately after this update (and you're running the same applications before & after the update)...then that would certainly be a clear indication that the update may be the culprit.

It is also possible that the inside of the MacBook Pro could be getting dirty (less efficient cooling air flow)...and may need to be inspected & cleaned. Also using your laptop on a hard flat surface (versus on top of something soft that may restrict airflow)...may also help.

Beyond this...there really isn't a whole lot that can be done. Many Mac laptops will get warm/hot when running more demanding software applications...but 100-105°C is pretty high.

- Nick
 
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Hi Nick and thank you for your quick reply,

Unfortunately I am not 100% sure if it begun after the update but it was very sudden, and it is getting worst. I have completely cleaned the inside of the mac last year and it changed a lot, but I can't reach the Graphic Card so cleaning the Graphic Card is not possible for now.

I guess I will give it to the repair service anyway, but I'm just trying to be sure where the problem is... Maybe The Graphic Card Driver or Direct X can cause this. I really hope so..
 

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Have you tried updating to the latest NVIDIA-supplied driver for that graphics card?
 
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Have you tried updating to the latest NVIDIA-supplied driver for that graphics card?

Yes I did. I even noticed that, sometimes in some games; if I close the Nvidia Settings Tray program, the slowing stopped for a while, until it started again in a few minutes...

Thank you for you interest.
 
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Most likely the factory applied TIM between the gpu and heatsink has dried up after 4 years of use. Personally, I'd tear it down and apply some new thermal paste (Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra being second to none) but as you mentioned you could not get at the gpu I suspect it is something you may not be comfortable with. Here is a link to a complete teardown guide for your MBP. And Here is a link a video showing proper application of Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra. Liquid Ultra is expensive and normally used in overclocking or delidding but it should be perfectly suited to the MacBook Pro.
 
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Most likely the factory applied TIM between the gpu and heatsink has dried up after 4 years of use. Personally, I'd tear it down and apply some new thermal paste (Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra being second to none) but as you mentioned you could not get at the gpu I suspect it is something you may not be comfortable with. Here is a link to a complete teardown guide for your MBP. And Here is a link a video showing proper application of Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra. Liquid Ultra is expensive and normally used in overclocking or delidding but it should be perfectly suited to the MacBook Pro.

Hey, thank you very much for the info, I think you are right about the liquid. I will definitely try it. One last question though, I am planning to bring it to the service for the trackpad change anyway, do you guys think they would take a look and maybe fix it, if it is about the dried liquid? Or would they try to sell me just a new graphic card instead? I really don't have much experience about the Apple services.

Thank you very much for the help again, it really was helpful.
 
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I don't have any experience with Apple's customer services myself (I can usually fix my own hardware) so I cannot offer any insight there, sorry. One thing about Coollaboratory though, if that is what you go with get the Liquid Ultra NOT the Liquid Pro. Liquid Pro can be an absolute PITA to remove if it becomes necessary whereas Ultra will wipe off easily.
 
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I don't have any experience with Apple's customer services myself (I can usually fix my own hardware) so I cannot offer any insight there, sorry. One thing about Coollaboratory though, if that is what you go with get the Liquid Ultra NOT the Liquid Pro. Liquid Pro can be an absolute PITA to remove if it becomes necessary whereas Ultra will wipe off easily.

Thank you very much for the details, I definitely will pay attention to that.
I did use liquids for some CPU's formerly, I'm sure I can handle that.
Thanks again...
 

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Hey, thank you very much for the info, I think you are right about the liquid. I will definitely try it. One last question though, I am planning to bring it to the service for the trackpad change anyway, do you guys think they would take a look and maybe fix it, if it is about the dried liquid? Or would they try to sell me just a new graphic card instead? I really don't have much experience about the Apple services.

Thank you very much for the help again, it really was helpful.

If you take it in to Apple or an Apple authorized repair service and ask them to do repairs on the GPU or re-apply thermal paste, they will quote you a repair price for changing out the logic board. Apple and Apple authorized repair services do not generally make repairs to components on the logic board. Instead they replace the entire board. An expensive repair.

With a machine of that age, I wouldn't be anxious to put too much money into repairs. Also, the nVidia chipset in your model is prone to failure; so much so that Apple had a special free logic board replacement program ongoing for awhile which has now expired.
 

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Or would they try to sell me just a new graphic card instead?

Apple laptops just like many Windows laptops do not have a seperate removable "graphics card". The "graphics hardware" is soldered onto the logic board. As chscag mentioned...if your computer needed new graphics hardware...you would have to have the whole logic board replaced. Which with your computer...would cost more than its current total value.

On the positive side...I really do not think that you are having a graphics hardware issue.:) Your issue is heat...not the graphics.

- Nick
 
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If you take it in to Apple or an Apple authorized repair service and ask them to do repairs on the GPU or re-apply thermal paste, they will quote you a repair price for changing out the logic board. Apple and Apple authorized repair services do not generally make repairs to components on the logic board. Instead they replace the entire board. An expensive repair.

Thats I exactly what I have expected. I never trusted repair services anyway. Thank you for that info.

With a machine of that age, I wouldn't be anxious to put too much money into repairs. Also, the nVidia chipset in your model is prone to failure; so much so that Apple had a special free logic board replacement program ongoing for awhile which has now expired.

Actually I catched the replacement program in 2009, got it changed and it did quite a good job for me until last week. Looks like the Termal paste is the only reasonable way.Thanks again..

Apple laptops just like many Windows laptops do not have a seperate removable "graphics card". The "graphics hardware" is soldered onto the logic board. As chscag mentioned...if your computer needed new graphics hardware...you would have to have the whole logic board replaced. Which with your computer...would cost more than its current total value.

On the positive side...I really do not think that you are having a graphics hardware issue.:) Your issue is heat...not the graphics.

- Nick

You are right about the card, my mistake. I saw the chip on the board after the tear down, so thats where I need to focus. Thank you.


By the way I found the "Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra" for 8€ and I'm buying one tomorrow. I hope it works fine...

Thank you all for your interest...
 
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Hi everybody,

I just applied the "Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra" to my "CPU" and "both "GPU"s. But unfortunately I still do have the heating problem. It just takes a about 1 min this time. And the Computer begun to shou down in the Benchmark tests, so I assume this time it is about the CPU this time. Maybe the cooler cable was removed by mistake but I still doubt it.

I have taken and uploaded some photos while applying it. Please tell me if I did something wrong.

I really need your advice, thanks again...

What I have found:


Cleaned


Applied
 

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Hi everybody,

I just applied the "Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra" to my "CPU" and "both "GPU"s. But unfortunately I still do have the heating problem. It just takes a about 1 min this time. And the Computer begun to shou down in the Benchmark tests, so I assume this time it is about the CPU this time. Maybe the cooler cable was removed by mistake but I still doubt it.

I have taken and uploaded some photos while applying it. Please tell me if I did something wrong.

I really need your advice, thanks again...

What I have found:

Awful. Apple's had a lot of trouble with this in earlier MacBook Pro models. It's amazing to me that they didn't get this under control with later models.


It's hard to tell from the picture, but it looks a little thick to me. You should have a razor-thin layer of heatsink compound. Any more than that and it can act as an insulator.
 

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I just applied the "Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra" to my "CPU" and "both "GPU"s. But unfortunately I still do have the heating problem.

You mentioned that this over-heating problem happens when you're playing games on your MBP on your Windows partition. What happens if you play an equally demanding game with the Mac OS?

- Nick
 
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Hi again,

You mentioned that this over-heating problem happens when you're playing games on your MBP on your Windows partition. What happens if you play an equally demanding game with the Mac OS?

- Nick

So the result are like;

MacOs:
Idle: CPU: 60-63°C - GPU: 57-60°C
Games: CPU: 76-80°C - GPU: 73-76°C

Windows:
Idle: CPU: 60-64°C - GPU: 65-68°C
Games: CPU: 76-80°C - GPU: 100-104°C

It is definetely lower than before but still not satisfying...


It's hard to tell from the picture, but it looks a little thick to me. You should have a razor-thin layer of heatsink compound. Any more than that and it can act as an insulator.

Thank you for that info, I thought it would be beter if it is thick. I did not apply it ont the heatsink part, just the CPU and GPU's. I can try it again if that is the way it should be. So thin layer on both CPU,GPU and Heatsink part?
 

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Thank ou for that info, I thought it would be beter if it is thick. I did not apply it ont the heatsink part, just the CPU and GPU's. I can try it again if that is the way it should be. So thin layer on both CPU,GPU and Heatsink part?

Correct, all contact surfaces. I actually apply it with a razor blade. I put a BB sized dot on and then spread it across the contact surface in a paper-thin layer.

It should NOT be thick. Remember, thermal compound is only intended to bridge the microscopic gaps between the CPU/GPU heat spreader and the heatsink.

This is probably not the cause of your issue, but certainly should help by a few degrees C.
 

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One more thing - it should be applied to either the CPU/GPU or the heatsink, NOT both.

You also want to do it with gloved hands as you do NOT want the oils from from your fingers in the mix.
 

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So the result are like;

MacOs:
Idle: CPU: 60-63°C - GPU: 57-60°C
Games: CPU: 76-80°C - GPU: 73-76°C

By Windows:
Idle: CPU: 60-64°C - GPU: 65-68°C
Games: CPU: 76-80°C - GPU: 100-104°C

It is definetely lower than before but still not satisfying...

Thanks for that great temp. info...really helps!:)

The reason why I was asking about playing games on the Mac OS...was to try to determine if you really have a hardware issue. From the temps that you listed for game playing within the Mac OS...I would consider those temps to be perfectly acceptable...and normal.

The high gpu temps when playing games in Windows is probably something software related...not hardware...which I would think is a very good thing (no one wants hardware problems).

Most Mac computers really aren't "strong" gaming machines...maybe the Windows game(s) you're playing are simply asking the computer to do something it's just not capable of doing...or not doing for very long.

- Nick
 

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Most Mac computers really aren't "strong" gaming machines...maybe the Windows game(s) you're playing are simply asking the computer to do something it's just not capable of doing...or not doing for very long.

- Nick

Regardless of the load, it still shouldn't exceed the thermal capacity of the system. If it's doing that, then there's an issue for sure. But I agree with your premise, this may be a software issue in that the OS X drivers may scale the GPU back (think clock speed) to overcome the deficiencies in the NVIDIA chip. Whereas the Windows drivers may not have similar design compromises.
 

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