Macbook fans kick in?

jrathkopf · Post by **jrathkopf** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 4:29 am

hey..couldn't find in a search here, but i just got a macbook core 2 duo 2.0GHz. fast and powerful, but i feel like it sounds a bit noisier than my previous laptop, Powerbook TItanium.
I don't mind the noise so much, but sometimes when the processorrs really get going, the fan start to rev up to the point at whihc recording with a mic in the same room can easily pickup the sound of the machine..
anyone else having this issue?
i lloked up on the internet, but it doesnt seem to be a "mooing" sound. . . .
should i try to use one of the fan control programs for OSX to try and temper the machine a bit?
i'd say it starts to make noice at 68 degrees celcius and sometime gets up to the late 70s or 80, before it starts to come down

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 9:30 am

Try this
http://81.169.182.62/~eidac/software/page5/page5.html

muscleandhate · Post by **muscleandhate** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 9:40 am

Becareful, the fans kick in for a reason.

jrathkopf · Post by **jrathkopf** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 9:51 am

yeah, i know they come on for a reason, and i use smc fan control sometimes. i put it at about 3000 if i know i want to record. basically, i am not trying to turn the fans off, but just get it to a level where there is the least amount of revving, meaning jumps in fan speed that become detecable while recording.
are there any potential side effects to using these fan control programs, and are there any that you recommend besides smc fan control? i heard fan control 1.1 lets you soet thresholds for when the fans should come on and maximum temperature, but i am a little more nervous about applying threshold that limit the temperature.
has anyone else experienced this?

TheAnimal · Post by **TheAnimal** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:30 am

Hm, fans are definitely there for a (good) reason. Adjusting fan rpm without closely monitoring temperature of ALL the parts they're supposed to cool down doesn't sound like a very good idea to me.

Have you tried to improve passive cooling instead, e.g. by lifting the MacBook from the table so that air can flow under it?

With my old powerbook and iBook I've almost never had the fans kick in. How often does that happen and at what CPU usage?

4ace · Post by **4ace** » Sun Dec 31, 2006 4:14 pm

I agrre with "theanimal" on this one..

I just place a book under the back of my powerbook so that it sit's at a slight angle facing towards me and it always stays cool this way.
I wouldn't tweek anything as far as fan control/threshholds go....you're asking for problems..IMO

TheAnimal · Post by **TheAnimal** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 7:51 pm

TheAnimal wrote:How often does that happen and at what CPU usage?

Meanwhile I bought a new MacBook C2D and can answer my own question. The fan is constantly running at 1800 rpm even when the MacBook is idle. It is quiet but audible. Only under load it really kicks in and can become really loud e.g. when rendering video.

Hardtoe · Post by **Hardtoe** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:15 am

I was really annoyed by this and found a great solution:

You can undervolt with a program called "Coolbook Controller"

(http://www.coolbook.se/CoolBook.html $10)

It works well and also lets you set the Frequency your processor operates at (useful for clocking down to 1 ghz when on battery doing light work).

I have succesfully run my original 2ghz macbook full out, at a voltage setting of 1.1 (instead of the 1.25 default) - My computer is an average of 4 degrees cooler (celsius) when almost idle and up to 14 degrees cooler when maxed out. My fan is also much less active at the idle temp (and the Clock speed is not stepped, but set to 2 ghz) to get this lower temperature.

If I don't need the power, I set my processor to 1 GHZ and Voltage to 0.95 - this is good for all casual surfing, iphoto, etc (and even light recording) and keeps my macbook around 58 degrees celcius - I never hear the fans when I run like this...

PS - the programmer seems like he may be into questionable forum posting practices (ie - logging in as other names to support his program - I've read some weird threads on a few different sites) but the program itself seems solid - It has made my Macbook much quieter as well as cooler, which is what I was really after.

Cheers

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:32 pm

Do you guys know why my macbookpro,the fans runs always at 3000rpm?I have downloaded some applications to cool the computer but i did know wich one was the best so i have deleted some of this applications and now the fans are always at 3000rpm.Also if iset the speed to 6000rpm,it runs for seconds at 4500rpm or 5000rpm speed but then slowdown at 3000rpm.To make it run at full speed i have to press apply and many times but then slowdown at 3000rpm
I have installed the smcFanControl again, but still have problem.
Also when i start the computer the fans runs like crazy but after they slowdown.
Any help please?

What i can do?

serotoninsteve · Post by **serotoninsteve** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:48 pm

Are you sure that you have correctly deleted all the different apps?
Perhaps there are some hidden settings/files somewhere wich interact together?
Check the manufacturers website for wich items to delete,
I remember that the different apps work on a different level in the OS,
as do smc-fancontrol and fancontrol.
Have you already repaired permissions?

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:57 pm

serotoninsteve wrote:Are you sure that you have correctly deleted all the different apps?
Perhaps there are some hidden settings/files somewhere wich interact together?
Check the manufacturers website for wich items to delete,
I remember that the different apps work on a different level in the OS,
as do smc-fancontrol and fancontrol.
Have you already repaired permissions?

I don't know what i did.I think i am going to reinstall OSX again

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:09 pm

Sould i reinstall OSX? or sould i update?

serotoninsteve · Post by **serotoninsteve** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:09 pm

Check first on the different websites what you need to uninstall manually,
I think especially smc or coolbook writes some stuff while installing you need to delete manually, it acts at higher level in the os as fancontrol itself.
Also what did the repair permissions, nothin wrong while checking?
I use fancontrol, not the smc and it works fine over here.

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:14 pm

serotoninsteve wrote:Check first on the different websites what you need to uninstall manually,
I think especially smc or coolbook writes some stuff while installing you need to delete manually, it acts at higher level in the os as fancontrol itself.
Also what did the repair permissions, nothin wrong while checking?
I use fancontrol, not the smc and it works fine over here.

Repair permisions did nothing.
This is the problem i had fancontrol and then smcfancontrol.Then uninstall all of them and i think i deleted somethink.Then install again both.And then the problems started.

DJ VAKIS · Post by **DJ VAKIS** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:37 pm

It works now.
Thanks anyway