Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > Mac Pro fans

Mac Pro fans
Thread Tools
mkerr64
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 02:58 PM
 
i have not heard my fans ever turn on (the main one's in the front)
the only time i did was when shuting down after being updated.

i allready have done some hardware tests were the processor gets quite hot and nothing

is this normal?
is there any way to check if there is a problem with them?

Thanks
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 03:05 PM
 
What is "quite hot"? Does it ever get over 80C/176F?
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 03:22 PM
 
well i have temperature monitor/ and lite and for that it reaches about 65C+
never over 80 yet

so there a program or somthing that makes it run just to see if it works?
in other words how can i get it up to 80C?
( Last edited by mkerr64; Oct 1, 2006 at 03:32 PM. )
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 03:46 PM
 
Download the distributed.net client and let it chew through a few work units: http://http.distributed.net/pub/dcti...osx-x86.tar.gz
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 04:11 PM
 
once you download this file. the file contains dnetc, dnetc.1 and docs.
once your click the dnetc file what are you sepose to do from there???
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 06:35 PM
 
You should just be able to run dnetc... if not, open up 4 terminal windows and type "echo yes > /dev/null" (no quotes) in each.
     
Cadaver
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: ~/
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 07:27 PM
 
I have the Rosetta@Home BOINC client running when my machine is idle. Pegs all 4 cores to a full 100% when its going, and even after hours of work the machine makes no more noise than when at idle. The recent SMC update has been applied, BTW.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 08:01 PM
 
i'm slightly confused.

once i open dnetc i type in echo yes > /dev/null?????
if that is the case it only allows me to type one letter under "choice -->"
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 08:54 PM
 
No. Go to your Utilities folder, in your Applications folder. In there, you will find an application called "Terminal" (without the quotes)

Open 4 copies of this application. In each one of the four windows, type "echo yes > /dev/null" (without the quotes.) This should completely max out all four processors.
Linkinus is king.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 09:28 PM
 
when i type dev and null in a a window it says -bash: dev command not found and etc...
im just making sure so i just type in echo yes (1 window) dev (2n window), null (3rd window)??
to get the 4 windows i just go file> shell correct?

then what are you supose to do with the original file dnetc497- macosx-x86?
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 09:36 PM
 
No, you type the entire string in each window. Each windows gets the entire phrase:

"echo yes > /dev/null" (without the quotes)

That means that all four windows have that exact string in them, not chopped up between them.
Linkinus is king.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 09:44 PM
 
permission denied....?
i did this in all 4 windows


sorry about all of these questions. im kinda new to Apple

so i tried again and entered it. but nothing happend......
........computer:MKerr$ echo yes > /dev/null
.........computer: MKerr$

could you take a screen pic so i know how its sepose to look?

and how are you sepose to know if you did the correct thing?
fans rev?

thanks
( Last edited by mkerr64; Oct 1, 2006 at 09:57 PM. )
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 09:54 PM
 
Unfortunately I don't have a Mac on hand. However, I did notice you forgot an L at the end of "null" in that screenshot. Try again.

You know you did the right thing when you can see the processors are maxed out in... crap! I'm completely blanked out and forgot what the program is called. It's also in your utilities folder. Crap.

Application Monitor? I think.
( Last edited by brokenjago; Oct 1, 2006 at 10:07 PM. )
Linkinus is king.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:03 PM
 
i tried again and added the additional L. and nothing happend.......
am i sepose to have the dnetc up?
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:08 PM
 
No, you do not need dnetc set up.

When you say nothing happens, what to you mean? I believe that means it's running and maxing your processors out. Let it run for a while.
Linkinus is king.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:10 PM
 
"nothing happends" meaning i dont see a difference nor do i hear



i'v left it open for atleaste 10 min and nothing
( Last edited by mkerr64; Oct 1, 2006 at 10:26 PM. )
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:25 PM
 
Just leave it. Just because you don't hear your Mac Pro fans doesn't mean they're not working.
Linkinus is king.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:30 PM
 
ok then. if it over heats its your fault hahaha
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:41 PM
 
Try to check the System Monitor (Or Application Monitor, or something Monitor, it's in your Utilities Folder) to see if the 4 cores are being stressed.
Linkinus is king.
     
Cadaver
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: ~/
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:46 PM
 
Originally Posted by mkerr64
i have not heard my fans ever turn on (the main one's in the front)
the only time i did was when shuting down after being updated.

i allready have done some hardware tests were the processor gets quite hot and nothing

is this normal?
is there any way to check if there is a problem with them?

Thanks
Its normal. Really. Just leave it. Mine are barely audible, even after running all four processor cores at 100% for hours on end.
     
hookem2oo7
Senior User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Anson, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:48 PM
 
you don't have to type "echo". just type "yes > /dev/null"
     
Cadaver
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: ~/
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by mkerr64
sorry about all of these questions. im kinda new to Apple
Originally Posted by mkerr64
__________________
Mac Pro 2.66GHZ, 2gb RAM, 250gb, NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT , 2x SuperDrives, 30" Monitor
PowerBook 1.67GHZ, 1gb RAM, 100gb, ATI Mobility Radeon 9700. 17inch
iBook 1.33 GHZ, 1GB RAM, 40gb, ATI Mobility Radeon 9550, 12inch
Could have fooled me...
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 10:59 PM
 


Well, he could have gotten them all at the same time.
Linkinus is king.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:03 PM
 
i'm actualy new.

i got the Powerbook from and friend and same with the iBook about 1.5 months
and i got my Mac Pro about a month ago
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:14 PM
 
I just read through the thread and that looked painful.

Did you eventually get them to rev up? If not, try the Rosetta@Home client... aside from dnetc I'm just not sure which distributed computing clients are multi-threaded.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:23 PM
 
it worked but it the temp is stuck at 64 C

if i want to heat it up more do i just open another windo and yes > /dev/null???
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:30 PM
 
Why would you want to heat it up?

Originally Posted by mduell
I just read through the thread and that looked painful.
It was.
Linkinus is king.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:32 PM
 
make sure fans work correctly
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:33 PM
 
so do i open another window? yes > /dev/null?
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:37 PM
 
Why don't you just open the case to see that the fans are spinning?

I guess you could try that. They're already being maxed out, so I'm pretty sure you can't maxer out maxed out cores.

The reality of it is that they just don't get too hot. That means the fans are doing their job.

And double posting is bad.
Linkinus is king.
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:43 PM
 
yes they are spinning but when i updated the firmware i reved up alot.
making me think that somthing may be wrong.

sorry about the double posting. comp lagged and clicked post quick reply twice and couldnt delete one of them
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 1, 2006, 11:50 PM
 
From Apple's Support Page for the Mac Pro SMC Firmware Update
Originally Posted by Apple
The SMC firmware update starts automatically. A status bar indicates the progress of the update. During the update your computer fans will run at full speed, but will return to normal once the update completes.
You're fine.
Linkinus is king.
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 2, 2006, 05:26 PM
 
Originally Posted by mkerr64
it worked but it the temp is stuck at 64 C

if i want to heat it up more do i just open another windo and yes > /dev/null???
You need one terminal window running that command for each core to "max it out." If you have four already running, adding a fifth won't do anything.

Topping out at 64C is normal.
     
pyrite
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Jun 2006
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 2, 2006, 10:40 PM
 
your mac pro is dead quiet, join the club. dont mess with it, your temps are fine
Hear and download my debut EP 'Ice Pictures' for free here
     
mkerr64  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2006, 08:47 PM
 
it was just that i never heard the fans rev up ever
R.I.P Steve Jobs
     
wei
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 2004
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 13, 2006, 06:23 AM
 
it scream when you do the SMC update. the amount of airflow I felt is like a tabletop fan blowing.
MacPro, MacBook Pro, MacBook, MacMini, iPad, iPhone, and much more...
     
2009059
Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 15, 2006, 10:45 AM
 
mkerr64...why do you want your computer to run hot? This is totally stupid...you're complaining about your computer running cool and quiet?!
     
Big Mac
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 15, 2006, 11:24 AM
 
mkerr, the thing you need to realize is that systems are designed so that if any problem is detected, the fans will be on continually at full power. The fact that you cannot hear the fans means that your system is within a low temperature range as defined by the hardware's firmware.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
thebunny
Forum Regular
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 15, 2006, 11:57 AM
 
I'm with mkerr64 on this. 64 Celsius is a tad too toasty for the CPU. It'd be nice to have a slider somewhere to rev up the fans a tad (or up to the point I actually start hearing them). You reduce the longevity of your hardware by running it too hot.
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 15, 2006, 05:30 PM
 
64 is nowhere near the danger zone for this CPU, imo. I can't even get mine up to that temp. The highest they go is 62C. Right now they're idling at 48, and when under moderate usage they go up to about 55C.

Wait, nevermind. It seems that I've made it go up wo 78C. It quickly goes down, however.
( Last edited by brokenjago; Nov 15, 2006 at 07:10 PM. )
Linkinus is king.
     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 15, 2006, 06:18 PM
 
Cooling modern CPUs is a complex problem. They produce a lot of heat and the demand is for them to run cool yet fast. The default Intel QST cooling scheme for Core 2 Duo is set up to keep the temperature under 60. If it goes too high it won't damage the chip, because it will throttle if it gets too hot. The formula for when the chip throttles is quite complex - depends partially on the load - and is different for all chips, so the cooling scheme is also different. Presumably the line to stay under for the Xeons is 65 rather than 60.

Baseline is: don't worry about it.
     
thebunny
Forum Regular
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 22, 2006, 12:24 AM
 
There is more on this topic here. Read the thread and you'll find some links to Apple's discussion forums.
     
brokenjago
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Los Angeles, California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Nov 22, 2006, 12:49 AM
 
Hm. I've offiocially seen my CPU temp go all the way up to 89C (only for a literally a second, before it shoots back down to 74.)

Interesting. Honestly though, I'm not worried about it at all.
Linkinus is king.
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:32 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,