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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > MacBook Firmware Update for fan released!

MacBook Firmware Update for fan released! (Page 3)
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deslock
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Aug 21, 2006, 07:03 AM
 
Originally Posted by scattered
Nope. Unless CoreDuoTemp isn't functioning right, it's been reading 20-22C all day. I only had it open briefly yesterday, but it was in the 60 range.
Originally Posted by scattered
Nevermind. I restarted and now it reads 65.
That makes more sense... 20-22C is 68-72F (no laptop CPU runs that cool... not even the Transmeta Crusoe).
     
Simon
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Aug 21, 2006, 08:06 AM
 
Originally Posted by telecaster887
Alright so I checked my Activity Monitor and a Process called "isof" was using 99% on my CPU usage so I quit it and then deleted some widget that I think it was paired with? Anyways all the fans have stopped and it idles quiet and the temps are now around 50 which seems WAY more normal than 79C. Thanks for the help Simon.
Good. 50C seems like a 'normal' Core Duo idle temp. Glad it worked out for you.

There's a process called 'lsof' that lists open files. I think it gets called by the SysStat widget. Was that the culprit?
     
masugu
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Aug 21, 2006, 11:08 AM
 
I guess 50 degrees C is feeling normal for "cruising" .. I have two safari windows open + core duo of course...and I am at 50.

Looking forward to some detail heat bench marking...Someone (with more dedication + time than I) has to be doing this / collecting this data.
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soulboy
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Aug 21, 2006, 01:05 PM
 
Masugu, I have been monitoring my temps over yesterday and normal cruising (i.e 4 web pages open and msn messanger running ) I had temps between 44 and 50C. The only times I saw major increases in temp was when I was buring a cd with toast,updating my ipod and on C2C with a mate as well then it maxes out at about 75C which is better that it was before the update? The fans were a bit noisey but thats better than a fried laptop.......sorry note book...
     
masugu
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Aug 21, 2006, 01:35 PM
 
Originally Posted by soulboy
Masugu, I have been monitoring my temps over yesterday and normal cruising (i.e 4 web pages open and msn messanger running ) I had temps between 44 and 50C. The only times I saw major increases in temp was when I was buring a cd with toast,updating my ipod and on C2C with a mate as well then it maxes out at about 75C which is better that it was before the update? The fans were a bit noisey but thats better than a fried laptop.......sorry note book...

Thanks SoulBoy... I ahve about 4 browser windows open, two word docs and using my 20" LCD...logging 64 degrees C right now.

I think Word bumped me up to 64....I was at 50 or so before....Guess we are backing into a core temp norm...though I agree with a former poster that in practical terms, the case temp / "feel" is the key from a user experience standlpoint....although less heat has to be better on the circuit boards. Just hope hte fans / mechanisms are durable enough to run for a couple years

Good thing I bought Apple care on this baby.
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soulboy
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Aug 21, 2006, 01:40 PM
 
Yup thats what my October bonus is going on, think it has to be the must buy........
     
Bobby
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Aug 21, 2006, 01:52 PM
 
I've never experienced the mooing issue with my MacBook, but there are a couple things I noticed after applying the firmware update...

1) My temperature at normal usage is significantly lower. I used to sit at 62 when I wasn't actively doing anything, now it sits between 40-52 at the same point.

2) When running my CPU at 100% (both processors) I would generally top out at 92. Now I've been running at 100% for several minutes now and it topped out at 88, but dropped back down to 82-84 where it appears to be staying even though the CPU is still at 100%...

Deffinatly seems to have effected the temperature overall...
     
telecaster887
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Aug 21, 2006, 03:30 PM
 
Originally Posted by Simon
Good. 50C seems like a 'normal' Core Duo idle temp. Glad it worked out for you.

There's a process called 'lsof' that lists open files. I think it gets called by the SysStat widget. Was that the culprit?
Yea that was the culprit for sure. I don't have systat widget but I think it was connected to another one so I deleted the widget and haven't had the problem since. Since I turned it on this morning its running even cooler, anywhere from 43-50C now.
     
miss-haley
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Aug 21, 2006, 09:53 PM
 
i had the mooing and now with a replaced logicboard; i have run the fan update and now the damn thing won't start - any suggestions?
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jaydon34
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Aug 21, 2006, 11:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by miss-haley
i had the mooing and now with a replaced logicboard; i have run the fan update and now the damn thing won't start - any suggestions?

reset the pram if that don't work take it back to apple its a lemon
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MrK
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Aug 22, 2006, 12:44 AM
 
i have had both the macbooks back in for logic board repairs, but after they were returned and with the firmware update both are cooler and no more mooing.
     
miss-haley
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Aug 22, 2006, 03:35 AM
 
Originally Posted by jaydon34
reset the pram if that don't work take it back to apple its a lemon
damnit! it was so obvious!...
done and we are all good.
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wilsonng
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Aug 22, 2006, 03:46 AM
 
hmmm... now that the fans are running at low speeds, how much of a battery hit are you all experiencing? I'm just curious....
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barnardeep
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Aug 22, 2006, 05:06 AM
 
i had my macbook for a couple months and it was running great. last week however, when it was really silent in my room i noticed a faint sound. i was shocked and realized that this is the moo everyone talks about. anyways i updated the firmware and its gone for now. i'll update if the situation changes.
     
tomzo22
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Aug 22, 2006, 11:15 AM
 
My macbook is only running at 38-40c browsing the web with a few windows open and messenger on!!! It use to be running at sort of 50-55c!!!
     
Landos Mustache
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Aug 22, 2006, 11:29 AM
 
When you are posting your temps be sure you mention if this is on AC power or Battery as when on battery the performance is typically set to reduced so the CPU doesn't run as fast or hot.

On battery power I get 20 degrees lower normally.

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Simon
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Aug 23, 2006, 02:57 AM
 
Originally Posted by Landos Mustache
When you are posting your temps be sure you mention if this is on AC power or Battery as when on battery the performance is typically set to reduced so the CPU doesn't run as fast or hot.
Good point. Also, please mention if the temps are in C or F, and if they are CPU temps measured with CoreDuoTemp or if they are case surface temps.
     
Skypat
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Aug 23, 2006, 08:04 AM
 
I installed the update last week-end and I must say I am *very* impressed. My black MB was running very hot ... Sometimes I could hardly let my hand under it (back, up left) and now the problem has gone completely. It's just operating at a normal temperature, even after a few hours of work.

I'm very glad Apple fixed the problem.
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smnsez
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Aug 23, 2006, 09:22 AM
 
question about core duo temp monitor, Seens Like this app does not give the real time temp for me because when Im running core duo I have to put my macbook to sleep to get it to update the temp? any sugestions??
     
soulboy
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Aug 27, 2006, 12:21 PM
 
I run core duo all the time and it adjusts in real time..i.e. time notebook has been on , temp changes constantly as does processor. Think your core duo may not be running correctly ? Maybe uninstall and reinstall it ?
     
R0CK3TM4NN
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Aug 27, 2006, 05:57 PM
 
Ok, its been more than a week so I thought I'd give my impressions.

Temps used to idle around 68-72C just browsing the internet and chatting on Adium. Now, its more like 47-52C depending on what kind of surface I put it on. And, what's REALLY important, the base is now MUCH cooler to the touch. Its warm to the touch but not nearly as hot as before. I have a week 21 blackbook and it is as cool (if not cooler) as my roommates week 26 white macbook. Never once noticed the fan. Battery life is just as good as before (haven't noticed it drop significantly).


Overall, very impressed! The only glaring issue I had with the macbook has been fixed!
     
luckyjoe
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Aug 28, 2006, 12:30 PM
 
Ok, I goofed. My MB did not have the latest firmware out-of-the-box! I had read a web page describing how to check your version and I took the example to state version 1.4f8 was the latest. This thread revealed that SMC Version 1.4f10 is actually the most recent. So I updated yesterday and ran the MB last night.

Sitting on my lap for 2 hours of internet research (multiple windows with multiple tabs open, along with mail and some playing with PhotoBooth) I never went above 28C. Based on other posts I thought that this was rather low, but a quick reference check with my hand on the upper left corner of the keyboard, and directly below on the bottom of the case confirmed that it was *much* cooler than pre-update. Prior to the update (v1.4f8 from Apple) I would hover around 52C under similar conditions, and was surprised at the *feel* of teh above indicated spots.

FWIW, I had the MB on my lap for 2 hours, supported on the outer edges by my legs, with no contact to the center portion of the lower case. The fans were running but I could only hear them with my ear placed just above the keyboard.

I'll try again thie week with more of a processing load...

Regards,

Tom P.
     
Macola
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Aug 28, 2006, 12:36 PM
 
28C sounds amazing if it's accurate...I don't get that low even right after waking my MacBook from sleep.
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tricha6
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Aug 28, 2006, 02:24 PM
 
28C is 82.4F.

This is why posting temps and that temp database that was all the rage a few months ago is moronic. In Chicago, with humidity, there is no way the internals of any computer (running, that is) are 82.4F when the outside temp is more than that, and the relatively high humidity makes cooling even more difficult.

(of course today in Chicago its raining and cold, but nonetheless).

If you live in an industrialized nation with regulated heating and cooling your place is probably around 75F. To have only 5F difference between a computer and outside temp is more than amazing!

Of course, you could be somewhere cold; maybe you work in a heat regulated library or Langley. I'm not saying your temps are wrong, I'm saying it is foolish to be looking at other temps and comparing. The only way to know if your Macbook runs hot is to use it. If it is too hot for you, then it isn't the computer for you. If you think it is malfunctioning, you need to test it against a similar machine in a similar environment. There are way too many important, external variables (outside temp, humidity, process load, ventaliation, etc) that no one mentions for temp comparing on a forum board to be useful.

I only take the time to mention this because so many people seem to be wringing their hands on MB purchases (and by "so many" I mean three I have seen post here :-) ) when the inaccuracy of these boards (for this type of problem) aren't really helpful. Possibly therapeutic, but not that helpful.
     
smnsez
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Aug 29, 2006, 09:14 AM
 
Originally Posted by Macola
28C sounds amazing if it's accurate...I don't get that low even right after waking my MacBook from sleep.
that is what I was asking in my post earlier because my temp stays at 29 or below I put my macbook in sleep mode then turn it back on the temp updates to a higher temp
     
acoustix
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Aug 29, 2006, 10:28 AM
 
I am convinced that the firmware update addresses more than just how often the fan comes on or for how long. I recently received a week 23 2.0 Ghz MacBook and it was running very hot (in a cool room) when doing almost nothing. After updating the firmware, I now have to really flog it (burn DVD's, etc.) to get the temperatures up to the previous levels that it was showing before, and by then the fan is pulling all the hot air out and lowering the temperature. It could just be that the fans are inaudible at low speed, but at high load you can hear (and feel them) blowing.
     
luckyjoe
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Aug 30, 2006, 11:40 AM
 
I'm questioning the accuracy of CoreDuo Temp (CDT). I posted above that it registered 28C after 2 hrs use, yet last night it felt cooler and CDT registered 35C. The other oddity is that CDT is not available for the other users, and I could not install it again either(?). Seems a bit flakey to me...

Should I have to install the widget for each user?

Should I drag CTD to the trash and re-install it?


Regards,

Tom P.
     
pat++
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Aug 31, 2006, 08:16 PM
 
To make a widget available to all users, movie it from your ~/Library/Widget folder to /Library/Widget
     
scattered
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Sep 1, 2006, 09:15 PM
 
I looks to me like the update messed up CoreDuoTemp's ability to report accurate temperatures. I'm also seeing the problem with iStat pro.
     
joe
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Sep 2, 2006, 04:56 PM
 
I held off on this update until today because my 2Ghz BlackBook didn't suffer from the "mooing" and overheating problems mentioned in this thread.

Some observations after the update was installed (with AC adapter plugged in):
- My BlackBook idles about 10DegF cooler than before.
- The cooling fan gets MUCH louder than before under load and stays at the higher speed for a longer period of time (even after temps drop below 130DegF).
- The Core Duo CPU speed stays at 2GHz for a much longer period of time under load before slowing down to help lower the temperature.
- peak temperature is still the same as before the update (about 172DegF).

Advantage: for heavy number crunching apps you get max cpu speed for a longer period of time.
Disadvantage: this 'book now gets VERY loud and easily overwhelms the built-in speakers.

Since I don't run a lot of heavy number crunching apps on my MacBook and it doesn't suffer from the mooing and overheating problems, I prefer the quieter operation of the original firmware. It looks like I'll be shopping for a compact headset or earbuds in the near future
     
masugu
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Sep 2, 2006, 08:31 PM
 
Hmm....I thought some folks were also referring to the update of Core Duo Temp. After getting the notice launching hte app, I clicked through to the site. It sure ain't obvious how to update the app - so I didn't. iStat seems to be worrking now and onl a couple degrees off compared to Core Duo Temp....wonder if I should trash core duo temp????
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luckyjoe
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Sep 3, 2006, 07:04 AM
 
I can confirm that CDT was not reporting an accurate temp when I posted 28C after two hours use. I moved the CDT widget to "/Library/Widget" as Pat++ suggested above so it would be available to all users, and that + a restart seems to have got it working again. I'm not able to comment on the accuracy though...

Yesterday it was plugged in (AC), set to not sleep and used periodically throughout the day. CTD never reported above 52C.

Regards,

Tom P.
     
harrisjamieh
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Sep 3, 2006, 07:30 AM
 
Originally Posted by luckyjoe
I can confirm that CDT was not reporting an accurate temp when I posted 28C after two hours use. I moved the CDT widget to "/Library/Widget" as Pat++ suggested above so it would be available to all users, and that + a restart seems to have got it working again. I'm not able to comment on the accuracy though...

Yesterday it was plugged in (AC), set to not sleep and used periodically throughout the day. CTD never reported above 52C.

Regards,

Tom P.
That sounds about right
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luckyjoe
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Sep 8, 2006, 11:06 AM
 
The fan is definitely working!

Last night I was importing video files to iMovie and as the temp reported by CDT began to climb, there was a matched increase in fan speed (noise). I saw Core Duo Temp report up to 70C. This appears to be semi-related to the processor load, ~70-80% @ 2.0gHz.

Something I never experienced pre-update, as the (CDT) temp climbed above ~60C I could hear the fans spool up in a like-for-like response. Interestingly, the temp dropped back down to the upper 50's quickly after the processor load was removed, with a cooresponding slowing of the fan. Although the reported temp spiked, the upper-left keyboard corner did not get any warmer to the touch. Naturally the underside was quite warm, but touch is subjective anyway...

Seems like this is as it should be. Nice update.

Regards,

Tom P.
     
 
 
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