Macbook Pro Fan Speed

Hi. I was having some trouble with my temperature of my MBP, but I somewhat solved it using Temperature Monitor and smcFanControl. I turned the fanspeed to Higher RPM in the smcfancontrol menu, and my temperatures are down from ~95 celcius to ~65 celcius (when playing Minecraft / other extensive tasks.)
Now, I would like to bring them down more (should I?) because I feel 65 c - 70 c is still really high...
So, my only question is: In smcFanControl, the Higher RPM setting is 4000 RPM, should I change that to 5000 RPM? I know it would help, but, can the fans handle that?
Thanks in advance
Could 70c (max) shorten it's lifespan?
(sorry I just am extremely extremely paranoid)

I am seeing a lot of negative talk about third-party software to control fans:
Istat menu 5 is good.
It conforms to apple's SMC; this means that it will never allow the fans to go slower than what SMC is asking, thus your computer will be safe using this software.
In contrast I have a Macbook Pro fan controller for bootcamping Windows 7 called MacFanx64.exe (64 bit) that requires you to understand command prompt.
It's nothing difficult, you just need to make sure that you enter parameters properly.
The only way I see one of these damaging any hardware components would be if you accidently told the fan to spin faster than the max speed.
I would agree that for OS X you aren't going to really need this because the engineering on the SMC isn't terrible, but if you happen to have SMC screw up like it sounds like you had, there's no way to know it unless you feel it getting really hot like that which I'm sure isn't great for your MBP.
Therefore having a monitor system is helpful because you can see the temperatures constantly.
Now for Windows 7 bootcamp it's a whole different story.
There is something wrong with the drivers that control SMC for bootcamp because the computer will get hot fast even in idle.
I was marking temperatures around 60-70 C just in idle - the fans still stay at 2000 rpm.
If someone finds something better than MacFan for Windows 7 bootcamp let me know.
Moral of the story, if you pick a good third-party application you're not going to harm your computer.
Think of it like a second line of defense.
Last but not least, if you're still having this problem do an SMC reset.
Apple has instructions on how to do it, just note that you need to pay attention to whether your MBP has a removable battery or not when doing SMC reset.
Cheers

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Macbook pro fan speeds

Can anyone please help me on my fan speed. Normally my macbook pro 2.66ghz core 2 duo (2009) runs around 2000 rpm on basic use.
I am currently doing the same but the fan speed has gong up to 4000rpm constantly. The CPU is gernerally below 60 degrees celcius though. My CPU usage is also below 20% all the time i was jsut wondering why had the fan speed suddenly gone up a notch.

For me it was Flash taking over and running my MB Pro very hot. YMMV.
a/ back up completely.
b/ upgrade your Adobe Flash (and I use Click to Flash)
c/ go to Flash prefs which are NOW IN SYS PREFS, and set your preferred level of privacy.
Restart.
Note that using Flush, Ipurge Safari Caches and/or Netshred and/or manually wiping the contents of your cache folder in User/Library/Cache will reset Flash's sys prefs back to default / wide open / bend over for Adobe and flashmasters....
PS - Prior to the above fix, I was using SmcFanControl and going nuts re-changing my fan settings to keep my MBP's temp below 60ºc. Now unless I am running a ton of flash windows, it's at 50ºc and 2000 rpm all the time.

Macbook Pro Fan Trouble.

I recently sent my Macbook Pro Fans to get replaced. The problem was that my fans started to work even when the computer didn't need it. They would accelerate up to 6000 RPM and I would only be running Safari and iChat. Then the computer's fans would start to slow down and then speed back up. I sent in the computer for repair to get the fans looked at and they replaced them. Well the problem is still persisting. Should I call them about it again or is this normal? I only ask because I don't know if it is or not.

I have the same trouble with mine. I took it in for repair as it had a logic board issue, and they gave it back to me yesterday, but when I started using it, the fans ramped up to 6000rpm constantly for the entire day.
This morning I installed Fan Control to see if that would help, but it appears that Fan Control is not actually doing anything. The fans have been stuck around 4400 rpm at 35 degrees celsius even though I told Fan Control not to run at anything above 2000rpm until it gets to 40 degrees.
Is there a mysterious apple setting that says don't go above 35 degrees, or if you do ramp up the fan speed to max until it gets below it again, because according to Fan Control that is what is happening. It is not logical to be wanting to keep a powerful modern laptop at that temperature when the fan noise is so high. 45 degrees would be a fine operating temperature.
BTW, I checked the Hardware test and there is nothing to report from it.

HT202179 MacBook Pro Fan is very loud overnight. How are they replaced?

MacBook Pro Fan just started to make a lot of noise.This is a MacBook Pro 15 inch 2.4/2.2GHz purchased June 2007. Is this something that most people can replace or does Apple need to fix it or is it time to get a new one base on age and potential repair cost?

Your Mac uses measured temperatures to determine fan speed in a feedback loop.
Racing fans are an indication that your Mac is overheating, or a temperature sensor is not working properly. Replacing the fan will not fix the problem.
Your appointment for an evaluation at the genius Bar of an Apple store is free, in warranty or out. There is no obligation to have them do any work for a fee, but if you choose to, charges are generally flat rate for guaranteed repair, no surprises.
If you recently replaced components, such a RAM DIMMs, with parts that do not have Apple-approved temperature sensors, that can also cause such problems.

Macbook pro fan running slow

macbook pro fan is running slow and hot. it fluctuates between 212 and 375 rpms. heat rises up to 104c. do i need to replace the fan?

Before I suggest advice, I urge you to keep your machine under 160F at all times. I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but you can seriously damage your machine with that kind of use. Some solders melt at 225F, weaken at 190F.
You may have to replace the fan - or you may need to clean the inside of your machine and fan. It's hard to tell without inspecting your machine.
Or you may find that you need to get a different browser, and become more aware of temperature; laptop machines are much more sensitive to termperature issues than desktop Macs. Some day, you'll thank me for that advice.

What is causing my Macbook Pro fan to run constantly?

Hello. Recently my Macbook Pro fan has begun to run constantly at high power. I've checked the activity monitor and even when there is little RAM or CPU this occurs. I am wondering if the issue is the hard drive because the I am seeing spikes in disk activity at random times even when I am not using the hard drive. The computer is actually heating up when the fans are on at full power, so this also leads me to believe it could be the hard drive. I have already tried resetting the system management controller. Any other ideas? What should I do about this?
Thanks a lot.

Try raising the the the machine with wood, or , plastic botttle caps t get it up an inch or so, that way there is more air flow under the MBP to help with the air flow to help keep the cooling more een. Hope this helps.

Mainstage 2.1 makes my Macbook Pro fans run full bore.

Upgraded to V. 2.1 and Snow Leopard. Now my Macbook Pro fan kicks in at full blast whenever I play any patches or run backing tracks. Cpu hit looks low and memory usage is average. This never happened before. Any ideas as to what's happening?

My MBP fans have always run at full capacity when using MS 1, 2 or 2.1. They start out running normally but then start to rev up after a couple of minutes. You could try running some fan control software to manually adjust your fan thresholds but ultimately, does it really matter if the fans are running hard? Seems to me that they're running hard because they need to....MS is still very hard on system resources even if the meters say otherwise. It's the only app I run that causes the fans to run flat-out.

My MacBook Pro fan runs while sleeping

My MacBook Pro fan runs constantly, even while sleeping.
The problem started about 2-3 months ago, but was pretty rare. When I noticed the problem, I would restart the computer and it would stop for 1-2 weeks. More recently it has become more constant, and now it always has the fan running when it's sleeping.
Any ideas on what I should do? Thanks!

Mine too. If you're worried you might like to try a laptop cooler like one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_kk_2?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Alaptop+cooling+pad&keywor ds=laptop+cooling+pad&ie=UTF8&qid=1344763538
Not sure how well they'd work on a Macbook as there aren't any vents on the underside but it couldn't hurt and they're quite cheep.

My Macbook Pro fan

My Macbook Pro fan is always running and slows don't my computer, What's the issue and is there various ways to try and solve the issue?

Hey Unknownflavour,
There an be a few different reasons why your fans are running. I'd read up on the function of your MacBook Pro's fans in the following document:
Learn about the fans in your Mac
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4543
Regards,
Delgadoh

Do you think my macbook pro fan could be broken?

Earlier today when I opened my laptop the screen was black and it appeared to be shut down. I hit the restart button and when the screen came up it said that I had "shut off my laptop due to a problem", though I did not manually shut it down. It was working 100% fine yesterday, so I'm not sure what could have happened to it. I know it wasn't my battery, because I had a full charge prior to shutting it and upon restart I still had a reasonable charge. I was more or less ignoring my laptop's unusual pop-up until I noticed that my computer was feeling much hotter than normal, so I checked iStat pro to look at temperatures. The CPU temp was around 82 degrees or so when I checked, while I was playing a videogame, which doesn't seem too high but the area around my keyboard felt much hotter to the touch than normal. What is really concerning me is that iStat says my fan is running at 0 rpm, even while I was playing a graphic-intensive game. The CPU is down to 65 degrees since I have stopped playing the game, however I have heard that your laptop will shut itself off to prevent overheating, and I'm wondering if this is what happened to my laptop sometime between yesterday and today. Does it sound like my fan could be broken? There isn't an apple store very close to me and my warranty just ended so I'd rather work it out myself if possible. I don't believe it is a faulty sensor either as iStat gave me temperature readings for everything. If you think my fan is broken, do you have any advice or know how much it would cost to fix/replace?

Good detective work.
I don't believe that 80ºC is extreme for occasional use, but over extended periods of time, this can stress your machine. I beleve you should visit your local Apple Store. They can determine if the fan is broken.
In the meantime, I could avoid:
- CPU-intensive activities like 3D gaming for extended periods of time.
- Using your notebook on your lap. That can raise its temperature thirty or more degrees.
- Dust or dirt can choke the fans, increasing temperatures and even the risk of fire.
Replacement of a fan is not very expensive, if it comes to that. You can also do it yourself:
http://clarebayley.com/2011/10/how-to-replace-a-macbook-pro-fan/

Macbook Pro Fans Just Went Spinning Nuts

Hi.
So I'm surfing the web (using firefox) have 2 tabs open and suddenly the fans on my macbook pro start to spin faster. Then they spin faster gain finally maxing out at 5360 rpm. The temperature all the time was never above 55 degress C. They spun at 5360 rpm for about 10 minutes and then spun down to a normal level of 3154 rpm.
I checked the processes and some kernal task is up at the top using 1.84 GB of virtual memory. No other programs running but plenty of other tasks listed as sleeping.
First question ... what is the max rpm that the fans should safely spin at?
Second question ... why would it suddenly take off like that spinning fans when there's only one program running?
I had an alienware before and it started running its fans like that after a few months ownership ... a few months later it chew the hard disk and lost a lot of data on me.

The maximum RPM for the MacBook Pro fans is 6000rpm.
I have no idea why the fans would suddenly "take off" like that but try running the Apple Hardware test. You can do this by inserting your original install disk 1, restart the computer with the D key held down until the hardware test starts loading. Once the test has loaded select the option to perform extended testing and then start the test. Note down any error codes and post them here.
Note that when you load the hardware test up the mouse will be very jittery and the computer will appear to freeze during the test, I have encountered this on all the tests I have run and consider it normal behaviour.
Hope this helps
J.C

MacBook Pro fans are deafd

Hi all.
After some unexpected shutdowns, I discovered that my MacBook Pro fans are both dead. iStat Pro shows them always at 0rpm and after some hardware testing with Tiger DVD I get the error code that fans are broken.
When MacBook Pro gets too hot it just shuts down so I wanted to repair it but I'd like to know an aproximate cost. Apple shops here in Barcelona (Spain) say they first want to ckech the laptop out (paying, of course) but i don't know if two broken fans can imply a motherboard change or whatever that can be expensive or worth it.
Any idea of an aproximate cost?
Thanks.
R.-

You should have it checked out by an authorized service provider to make sure nothing else is wrong. Better to be safe than sorry.

Early 2011 15" Macbook pro fans full speed/unresponsive

I have an early 2011 15" Macbook Pro, running OSX 10.10.1 Yosemite. I can't say this problem started right after I upgraded to Yosemite, but it definitely did not happen before. Upon going to wake my computer up from sleep (whether the lid was open or closed - it has happened either way) the fans are running at full speed and the computer remains unresponsive to mouse clicks, keystrokes, hitting the power button once. I end up having to force a power off/on cycle. This does not happen every time the computer enters sleep. It most often happens after I have left it overnight but I have had it happen after only 30~ minutes of non-use.
Any ideas?

Hello Etherel90,
After reviewing your post, I have located an article that can help with in this situation. You may want to consider performing a PRAM reset:
OS X Yosemite: Reset your computer’s PRAM
If your Mac doesn’t seem to be remembering your speaker volume, display resolution, or the disk it should be using during startup, you may need to reset your computer’s PRAM.
Resetting PRAM may change some system settings and preferences. Use System Preferences to restore your settings.
Important: To print these instructions, click the Share button in the Help window, then choose Print.
Choose Apple menu > Shut Down.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Option, Command (⌘), P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
Turn on your Mac.
Immediately press and hold the Option-Command-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
Continue holding the keys down until your Mac restarts, and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
Release the keys.
After resetting your computer’s PRAM, you may need to update your speaker volume, display resolution, and startup disk preferences. For more information about PRAM, see the Apple Support article About NVRAM and PRAM.
Thank you for contributing to Apple Support Communities.
Cheers,
BobbyD

2009 17" Macbook Pro fans running at max speed aafter hard drive upgrade.

I recently picked up a 17" 2009 unibody MacBook Pro with Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8ghz, 4gb RAM, SuperDrive and a Samsung 1TB hard drive. The system did not come with the original hard drive and I don't have any other hard drives to test and verify that the new larger hard drive is the cause. I have tried a clean install of Snow Leopard, Lion and even Mountain Lion but no matter what my fans always running at max speed (5k+ RPM). I have looked at iStat and the temps of any of the components in the machine never show more than 42*C so the fans should never be running at full blast. Oddly enough smcFanControl shows 0* temp but fan speds for both left and right are always 5.5k+ and very noisy. Using HDD Fan Control I am able to get at least the right fan to run at a controlable speed but its silence is drowned out by the left fan that still runs on full blast. I have already done multiple SMC resets and PRAM resets with no change in the condition. These noisey fans are driving me insane! I have run every available update as well. Is there a chance that the hard drive or something elses temp not being supported or detectable by OSX is causing the fans to default to the fail safe constant high speed?!

rriggin wrote:
I will have to try that when I get can find the original discs because I have been unable to boot into the diagnostic utility with my Snow Leopard, Lion, or Mountain Lion discs. More than likely I am thinking a sensor failure because even booting into Ubuntu Live USB thumbdrive the fans still run at max.
Well your just a regular pirate. There is no Mountain Lion disks, it's not even out of Beta and avaialble to the public yet
We thought you were just mistaken but now your tech handy enough to boot a Mac off a Linux live USB, so that means you've been bad and downloaded MT Lion off a P2P network or something.
If your beta testing 10.8 your bound to secrecy and not allowed to be discussing it and posting this sort of question on this forum, but the other one.
If you know anything, OS X must "talk" to the hardware or else the default setting is to race the fans. Linux doesn't do this by default as it's designed for generic PC's which a Mac may appear to be one it's not really. Apple only supports OS X and Windows 7 on Mac's, not Linux.
Obviously something on your machine is SEVERLY messed up in hardware, likely a dead sensor, you bought a used lemon that someone didn't want to pay to get fixed.
Want to try Linux?, read this

Macbook Pro fans run max speed constantly.

I have one of the pre-aluminum body Macbook Pros, a 2.2 Intel Core 2 Duo with the 15" monitor. For the past few months, both my fans have been running full blast (6000+ rpms) from boot to shutdown. I've tried reseting the SMC, PRAM, and even the misleading "Repair Drive Permissions," but my fans stay full blast. Using Activity Monitor and the Terminal command to check CPU usage, When I have Firefox open everything runs with about a 89%-90% CPU idle. No strange printer problems sucking up my CPU, not watching youtube videos, just high fan speed. I'm hoping it's not a logic board issue. Any suggestions?

Hey, just dealt with the same problem...I think it is finally solved!
Online people offered all sorts of suggestions about the activity monitor, printer queues, etc. Nothing worked. Then I remembered that when I updated to Snow Leopard, it warned me that ONE OF MY APPLICATIONS WAS INCOMPATIBLE.
I searched everywhere (e.g. application support, preferences) and deleted EVERY SINGLE SHRED of that application (Viruscan from McAfee), even the plist files. Finally, no more fan running hot for no good reason!
Hope you can remember which of your apps was incompatible, if not, you may want to delete non-essential applications you have downloaded. Good luck!

Macbook Pro Fan Speed

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