MacBook Pro fans won't speed up

I have a MacBook Pro (Early 2008) 2.6Ghz with a 200GB drive and 4GB RAM.
The problem is that i.e. I'm creating a movie in iMovie, so the computer does a heavy task, the CPU works at lets say 75% and according to iStatPro, it's temperature reaches 80-82 Cº, but the fans won't go over 2500 rpm! Is that normal? Because I'm pretty sure that when I first got the machine almost 2 years ago the fans would go much faster on occasions...
I noticed the problem while I was still in Leopard, and now that I upgraded to Snow Leopard it continues...
I tried the SMC reset but nothing happened. Should I be worried? I always use a fan pad underneath my MacBook Pro and I still get these temperatures! What should I do?

Hi spyros_1,
I find that the fans are "reactive" rather "proactive" in cooling the machine. With that being said, I don't really hear my fans fire up until the temperature on the machine begins to reach the low 70s (Celsius). However at 80 degrees, the fans are usually humming closer to 6000rpm than they are to 2500rpm.
The other thing, I've noticed a few separate instances where iStat Pro does not report the correct reading. Over the weekend, my fans were very audible and iStat Pro reported that they were at 2000rpm (idle).
It might be worth bringing the machine in for diagnostic, just for peace of mine.

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Macbook pro fans won't turn on

So, I have a Macbook pro (15", 2.35 ghz, mid 2009) and have had a LOT of issues with it. While under apple care they all got taken care of, most recently I had everything replaced when they shipped it incorrectly back to me and the battery blew up and I got a new logic board, display, bottom case.. etc. My coverage shortly ran out, and now I'm running into a major problem.
My fans will NOT turn on. Ever. I installed smcfancontrol and basically no matter what I set the speed to, my fans remain at 000rpm. Also, I feel like when I first installed smcfancontrol i had both 'right' and 'left' fans, but now I only have 'left' as an option (but maybe im imagining that?). Anyway, my computer will get up to 105 degrees (celcius), occasionally if I have just too many tabs open, but usually if I'm trying to play a video. If I try to play something on YouTube or Netflix, it gets to 105 almost immediately and I have to stop the video. Randomly my computer will be down in the 50s-60s range, but typically it's running at 80/90/+, and there doesn't seem to be any common link
In addition to smcfancontrol, I also tried uninstalling any/all fan controlling programs, doing a few restarts once the trash was emptied, and then doing both an SMC reset and a PRAM reboot. Afterwards, I checked out iStat which told me "Fans: Left fan 0rpm". I was advised to try smcfancontrol again, and still, I only get left fan and 000rpm. I am a recent college grad trying to find a job, I cannot afford to get my computer fixed through apple (YET AGAIN!) without coverage so I'm really hoping there is something that I can do to try and fix this. Desperate for advice, thanks!

update: i forgot because it's been so long, but every now and then, if i hold the computer at a certain angle, and it's in a really good mood, the fan will kick on high. But not everytime i hold it at a specific angle. sometimes if i move it, the fans will shut off, and i can try to put it back in the same exact position and nothing will happen. Which tells me that the fan physically works, so i'm assuming it's a logic board problem??

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 Fans at high speed

My macbook pro has been running at high speeds, non-stop, for a few days now. I tried resetting the SMC, but that did not work. Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Reset the SMC
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
Repair the HD via disk utility
This is the Mac Pro desktop forum. I requested your post be moved to the MacBook Pro laptop forum.

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

IMac Overheats & Fans Won't Speed up to Cool

I have a 2007 iMac that for some reason the fans won't speed up above idle and so if it's put to heavy use eventually it will overheat and shutdown. It was a while before I had installed software that measured temperatures of devices or fan speeds inside the iMac and then determine what was happening and that indeed the iMac would shut off when the power supply got too hot.
Then I found some of these apps that let you control the fan speed manually or customize the threshold and with some of these I was able to speed the fans up. The one I chose as the best was Derman's version of Fan Control, a control panel which is automatic and effectively keeps all the temperatures normal and has been my solution to the problem. Many people seem to like SmcFanControl for some reason but I don't because it's crude and totally manual in setting the base fan speed which keeps the fan running higher than normal all the time but doesn't help much to cool if the iMac gets really hot unless you manually speed up the fan more.
The whole thing baffles me. Why can this control panel speed up and control the fans just fine and effectively cool the iMac but left to it's default control it does nothing and allows the iMac to overheat? And has anyone had this problem and found a way to fix it?

As you have already noted, the problem with SMCFanControl is that it only sets a higher minimum speed which leaves the user to have to manually ramp it up (or define a higher preset for various level tasks) when running something that will tax the CPU. Cooler idle speeds will do little to extend the life of your computer. My new Quad-Core i7 Mac Mini idles at a cool 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit (yes, that is COOL in computer terms to those that think it's hot because a day in Arizona at that temperature feels very hot).
Manual control is better than nothing if you know you're going to play a game or encode a file, but it stinks if you have a batch of files and you leave the room and it finishes and your fan keeps needlessly running at higher speeds (possibly for days if you left on a trip and left a list of videos to convert while you're gone). I've left feedback on SMCFan's web site, but perhaps having an upper limit is beyond the author's capability?
Derman's Fan Control has exactly the features needed, but sadly it hasn't been updated since 2007 as far as I can tell (Leopard Era) and thus may not be suitable for a newer Mac running Mountain Lion (the preference pane is also not 64-bit). iMacs and Macbook Pros all have different fan setups for different equipment and my Mac Mini has its own case fan. In my case, a Quad i7 will quickly reach 180+ degrees Fahrenheit or hotter when encoding with Handbrake at full speed. Apple's own fan FINALLY kicks in beyond a smidgen at around 90C/190F, but it doesn't reach near full speed until it gets hotter yet (it seems content to let the CPUs roast at 90C/190F; I think Intel's automatic throttle is at 105C/221F, so perhaps Apple thinks that 90 is perfectly fine. I'll admit the case isn't super hot or anything, but the concern should be the shelf life of the CPU and other components in the computer, not whether it will run at that temperture for weeks or months or even a year or two.
My PowerMac Digital Audio PPC tower (upgraded to 1.8GHz/1.5GB with dual 1.5TB Sata drives and used as a whole house audio/video server for over 6 years on nearly 24/7 and god knows how much before I bought it used in 2006) still works fine (case fan is starting to get a bit noisier, but still functions and the machine was on 24/7/365 for the most part! It was built in 2001! That's 11 years with no component failures and over 4 years 24/7 on the 1.5TB drives). I'd like my new Mac Mini Quad i7 to last at least half that long.
In short, there aren't many good solutions because no on has bothered (or at least bothered to update) a good fan control for the Mac. I found a fan control program to run in Windows on my Macbook Pro and it has no configurable options, but automatically ramps at a very good set of default temperatures and so it's just set to automatically run at startup and forget (I wish I could say the same about OSX; Apple's defaults seem to be set for quiet operation with little thought about longevity).
I'd gladly pay a few bucks to have a good quality fan control program in OSX that is up-to-date, 64-bit and works fine with my new computer in Mountain Lion. It's a shame I can't seem to find one to buy.

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.

My MacBook Pro 13" won't turn on 90% of the time I try to get it running, and when it does turn on, even on a charger, it shuts down if I stop using it for 2 seconds and it won't turn back on. Should I replace the battery?

My MacBook Pro 13" won't turn on 90% of the time I try to get it running, and when it does turn on, even on a charger, it shuts down if I stop using it for 2+ seconds and it won't turn back on. Should I replace the battery? It doesn't hold a charge either...

EmadJamal,
the battery won’t melt because of long connection to the AC charger, although that has the potential of reducing the battery’s life.
Do you have access to a second 60 W AC charger to test with your MacBook Pro, or access to a second 13-inch MacBook Pro against which your AC charger could be tested?

How can I erase the data on my 2009 macbook pro that won't turn on because of a faulty motherboard? Do I just remove the hard drive, install it in a working mac, and erase it that way?

How can I erase the data on my 2009 macbook pro that won't turn on because of a faulty motherboard? Do I just remove the hard drive, install it in a working mac, and erase it that way? Thanks.

You put the internal drive in an enclosure. If you choose to keep the drive, you don't need to erase it.
(110687)

My MacBook Pro 2009 won't turn on. It suddenly won't charge and when it did I shut it down and now it won't turn back on. Charging shows green and the green little dots are showing on the side. I tried smc reset, command p r, what else?

My MacBook Pro 2009 won't turn on. It suddenly won't charge and when it did, I shut it down and now it won't turn back on. Charging shows green and the green little dots are showing on the side. I tried smc reset, command+p+r. Any other suggestions before i take it to apple service center?

A four year battery could be dead. I'd contact an Apple Service Center.

Have CS 5 Installed on my iMac and works ok. But installed on my new MacBook Pro it won't open NEF files from my Nikon D810. Displays NEF icons, but when I try and open them the response is: Make sure latest RAW updates are installed. If problem persists

Have CS 5 Installed on my iMac and works ok. But installed on my new MacBook Pro it won't open NEF files from my Nikon D810. Displays NEF icons, but when I try and open them the response is: Make sure latest RAW updates are installed. If problem persists follow link: http://www.adobe.com/go/kb407111. Have installed Bridge 5.0.2.4; Raw Ref Version 7.0.0.308; DNG converter_8_7_1.dmg; Bridge 5.0.2 Update 2. Also same problem with Lightroom which I don't normally use. Lightroom_3_LS11_mac_3_6.dmg installed.

In the link you posted it states that the Nikon 810 requires ACR 8.6 or newer.
Version of ACR are specific to versions of Photoshop. You cannot use 8.6 nor even 7.0.in CS5.
I believe that ACR 6.7 is the latest that will work with CS5, so make sure you have this installed and get rid of ACR 7.
Having 2 versions of ACR will cause problems.
You have already downloaded DNG Converter 8.7.1.
Have you double clicked the DMG file to allow you to install DNG Converter on your computer?
Be aware that DNG converter is a stand-along application and not a plug-in.
You need to open DNG converter at select the FOLDER that contain your .NEF files.
Don't open the folder and try to select individual files, it doesn't work that way.
After converting your D810 files to DNGs you can then open the DNGs in CS5
The problem is your camera didn't exist when CS5 & its version of ACR was developed.
i don't use Lightroom, but the list mentions Lightroom 5.6 as needed to open D819 so your 3.6 version of LR won't cut it.

MacBook pro still won't back up, not even with a cable.

I backed up my G4 tower wirelessly. I backed up my G4 Powerbook using an ethernet cable to the Timecapsule LAN port. (Of course now that I've upgraded to 10.5.2 neither of their airport cards works anymore. No fix for that so far.)
But the MacBook Pro still won't back up. Not even with a cable. I've tried using the cable to the Timecapsule's LAN port. Nothing. I've tried connecting to the Timecapsule's ethernet port. Nothing.
In fact, when I go into network preferences....ethernet is not even an option for connecting to anything. My choices are: Airport, Bluetooth and Firewire.
Exactly how am I supposed to back up my MacBook Pro? It won't do it wirelessly and I can't do it with an ethernet cable either.
Timecapsule POS!

Hmm...let me see if I can help you. In your Network preference pane, click on the '+'. Then select Ethernet from the drop down menu. After you click OK, you should be able to configure the ethernet interface to connect to your TC. After that, you should be able to connect to it with the your ethernet cable.
As far as your not being able to use your MBP's airport, I'm not certain what that particular problem is - I haven't had any problems with my TC and this MBP that I'm using (indeed, my problem is connecting wireless with my PB G4 (with WPA that is, it'll work using WEP)).
Hope my first paragraph helps you.

MacBook Pro (2011) Won't Charge Without Restart

Hi guys, I searched the forums for this problem but couldn't find a match. When I plug the power cable into my 2011 17" MacBook Pro it won't take a charge and the light on the cable doesn't come on. However if I restart the computer, the light will come on and it will start charging. This sounds like a software issue to me and I haven't had the problem until recently so I'm guessing it's caused by the latest OS X update. Has anyone else experienced a similar issue and found a fix?

Reset SMC. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
Choose the appropriate method.
Best.

MacBook Pro fans won't speed up

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