Mac Book Pro Overheating

holly35

holly35

holly35

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13 Jul 2004
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Burgess Hill, West Sussex
I just wanted some advice. Recently my Mac Book Pro has been over heating quite quickly and therefore making the fan go crazy and quite loud.

I reads somewhere it can be fixed with thermal gel but I'm not sure I'm confident enough to start attempting that!

Any advice? I'm worried about it over heating and breaking as it's really important to me :(
 
most people use some kind of laptop cooler in the summer if extensively using the graphics card. Im looking for a god one myself at the moment but funds don't allow me to purchase.

Which version of the MBP do you have?
 
Download a program called SMC Fan Control and up the speed of your fans so that the thing stays cooler - so it doesn't feel the need to pump the fans at full speed when things get hot.

If you sit with it on your lap, get one of those laptop cushions (got one delivered today and it's really nice). If you use it on a desk, set it on something some air can get underneath it.

Those things should help. There's a possibility that it could be packed with dust if it's of a decent age, in which case I would ask someone at an Apple Store or a certified repairer to give it a bit of a clear out. :)
 
Thanks for the tips :-) I'll download that program when i get back!

I was thinking of taking it to an apple store to give it the once over but funds are low so I don't want to if I can help it pay out incase they charge more than I expect.

It sometimes start to sound like a helicopter! Although it still works all good. I produce music so when I do that it particularly overheats.

Is there any chance of anything in it melting? That worries me abit.

I think I will need to invest in some type of cooling cushion device :)

Oh and version, its OSX 10.4 and 2 years old.
 
Don't put it on a normal cushion.. the air won't escape and only exaggerate the heating issue.

Nothing will melt.. you'll know if the temperatures are too hot because the computer will shut down in the event of overheating.

I'd give the air vents a blast with some compressed air, clean it out so to speak :)
 
I didn't think he was referring to a normal cushion, I was thinking of the laptop cooling ones.

It doesn't really have a vent? I'm not with it right now but I can't picture one. But I will later see if I can give it a blast with something.

The battery life is also starting to fade a bit but I guess that's not too suprising. If the battery did clonk out, could the laptop still be powered when plugged into the charger? Or would that be it?
 
Slogan said:
The laptop will still work with the power supply plugged in - regardless of a battery being there or not.
Click to expand...

Be careful, older Macs used to run fine without a battery but the latest MBPs actually under-clock themselves when no battery is detected :cool:
 
EVH said:
Be careful, older Macs used to run fine without a battery but the latest MBPs actually under-clock themselves when no battery is detected :cool:
Click to expand...

The latest Macs... no the latest computers. That's a standard feature on Intel machines, it's called "SpeedStep", and it even is applied to desktops to reduce power consumption on idle load.

The difference is not that old Mac didn't do it, it's that it is more noticeable with the current generation.
 
nightkhaos said:
The latest Macs... no the latest computers. That's a standard feature on Intel machines, it's called "SpeedStep", and it even is applied to desktops to reduce power consumption on idle load.

The difference is not that old Mac didn't do it, it's that it is more noticeable with the current generation.
Click to expand...

I think you got the wrong end of the stick there.

They under clock under *load* as the power brick can't take full load and charge at the same time. I think its only as a precaution incase of fluctuations. IE The power brick is at 95% under full load conditions, etc.
 
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