Severe overheating of 17" MacBook Pro (2009) with 3.06 GHz processor
For around a year and a half I have been dealing with a computer that constantly overheats very quickly, presumably because I ordered a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU for my 17" MacBook Pro without realizing that it would make the surface of the computer super hot. I recently looked at the new generation of MacBook Pros and saw that the max they offer now is 2.8 GHz. Good move, Apple, but it doesn't help me feel like I didn't waste more than $3100 on a machine that constantly burns my hands.
While the computer was under warranty I complained to Apple and they replaced it with an identical model with identical overheating problems. Without any recourse that I knew of (or any other computer to use), I just kept on using it.
Now I am using applications that I did not use before that make the computer even hotter. And I can forget games -- while playing Tropico 3 in Bootcamp it got so hot that it even shut itself down. And Minecraft in OSX brought the CPU up to 225 degrees F according to smcFanControl, even with the fans at their max of 6000 rpm.
In order to use it to work I have to cover the area to the left of the trackpad with a hand cloth to keep it from burning my palms, and accidentally touching the area around the left speaker is nothing short of punishment.
Since my computer is out of warranty, Apple support does not want to have anything to do with me anymore. So I was wondering if anyone knew how to slow the CPU down in the hopes that I can work with something that does not burn my hand and make me break out into a sweat. Any tips?
I have a similar problem. Although in my case my computer (Macbook Pro 17 - 3.06ghz Core 2 Duo), isn't actually having any functioning problems .. but I worry that running the CPU's constantly around 90-100 degrees celsius can't be good for it in the long run.
It seems your model is getting even hotter than mine. I find running Logic Pro makes mine really work at high temperatures. Mostly when I work with video. And again if I'm running World of Warcraft, then the temperature rides pretty high at up to 103 Degrees.
I too have the SMC app on running the fans at maximum. For a while I've just thought that the computer simply is built to run at these temperatures .. indeed I'm sure it is. But I'm getting strange graphical 'lurches' in games now where everything appears to slow down and then catch up with itself. I'm pretty sure this is due to the graphics system being overworked, or perhaps the system CPU is getting way too hot to work properly. Have never had a system crash because of it yet .. but I fear that after a year of running my laptop as is .. that the temperature issue is finally catching up with it.
Does anyone know what the typical operating temperature of the Macbook Pro 17 inch (3.06 ghz Core 2 Duo) model is supposed to be? And i don't mean the idling temperature .. I mean the operating temperature during gaming, music creation and other high end means?
I wish there was a way to underclock the CPU just to see if that improves the temperature issue. But no one seem to know a way to do this.
Well .. you're not the only one. I do enjoy my Macbook and regardless of the temperature problem it is still the best computer I've ever had.
Similar Messages
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I want to connect my MacBook Pro (2009) with Apple TV
I want to connect my MacBook Pro (2009) with Apple TV
I updated my Mac to Mountain Lion OS X 10.8.2 (12C60)
I had tried connecting my Mac for many time but I could not.
iTunse is connected with Apple TVRead this link. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5404
2009 MBP is not supported for native AirPlay Mirroring. Sorry.
There are a couple of other pay-for apps that do this, but they're not as good... some people have had success. -
I have a Macbook pro 2009 with Snow Leopard. Which system can I install without running into complicated problems which I will not be able to solve by myself- a person with limited problem solving abilities. (Mountain Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite?)
It will make it easier to help you w/ your problem to know the size and RAM installed.
"Yesterday I couldn't update the maps on my Garmin because it said the OS I had wouldn't work"
What OS will your Garmin work with? Funny there was someone else that did that and upgraded to Yosemite and regretted it.
I'd say Lion if your Garmin is compatible.
Both Lion and Mountain Lion are downloadable from the Apple Store:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6106Z/A/os-x-lion
http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion
The OSs will get more resource hungry the higher you go. -
Hey guys,
This is the problem. My father just got an iPhone 5. He has a Macbook Pro 2009 with OS X 10.5.8. The iPhone is not compatible with this version since the iTunes is an older version as well. At our local Apple store in my home country, they told him he needs to upgrade (which I agree of) but that the memory of this computer is not enough to hold the newer OS.
Please help, he does not really agree with buying a new computer just because of the versions.
Thank you, I appreciate your help.This is what I have. Thank you so much rdr4lfe.
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Hi all,
I'm trying to install Bootcamp on my machine.
I was running Parallels before but need Bootcamp in order to run heavy software on the PC side (e.g. Rhino/Maxwell/etc).
I have a Macbook Pro 17" from around 2009, running Mountain Lion 10.7.3.
Problem is, my internal CD Drive is broken and doesn't read discs, so it couldn't read the Windows installation disc (Windows Home Premium 7 64 bit - OEM System Builder Pack).
So, I rang Apple to try to fix it and they said it would be cheaper and faster to buy an external SuperDrive.
I explained that I wanted it to install bootcamp and they said, fine.
However when I bought the SuperDrive, it turns out its only supposed to be working with new Macbook Pro with Retina display, and other machines that don't have internal cd drives.
At first it didnt work, but then I found a helpful website which enabled it to work on my machine.
So I went ahead and started installing Windows through the BootCamp Assistant.
It partitioned my hard drive - success!
But then it turned into black screen, with message saying "CDBOOT: Memory overfloor error"
Help please!!!
I suspect the problem is either:
a) Old Macbook Pro can't boot from the Windows disk
or
b) The Windows OEM version is somehow not designed to work with Mac. I bought it secondhand off a guy, thinking it was the full version, silly thing to do!
Your thoughts and help is seriously appreciated!
Tomorrow I'm going to the Apple Store and also to buy a brand new copy of Windows, I guess.This has been resolved. It turned out that in spite of the message at the end of installation - "Windows could not complete the installation. To install Windows on this computer restart the installation" Windows was installed successfully but the problem was the Bootcamp drivers, it could not read them(install them) from my original OSX Istall DVD and I thought that that the whole package was not installed successfully. I will copy the intructions here as well since this thread may attract lots of other people with similar problem who may think it was not a good installation. Here you go:
Ok, after 3 sleepness nights I have found a solution and finally have a working Windows 7 Ultimate. I hope this will be helpful for everyone having similar issues and not have to go through the same nightmare.
Right away after logging in Windows for the first time insert the original Snow Leopard Install DVD and if Windows does not read it or install any drivers after clicking on setup.exe do the following:
Right-click on Start » Programs » Accessories » Command Prompt
Select Run as Administrator
Type cd /d D:, then press Enter
Type cd Boot Camp\Drivers\Apple, then press Enter
Type BootCamp64.msi, then press Enter
If you do not how to right click before installing the drivers the following:
Click on Start
Enter cmd in the search box
Instead of hitting the Enter key use Ctrl + Shift + Enter and will open a dialog box
Click Yes at the prompt and you will be running as an administrator.
If you do not have the original install DVD go the this link and follow the instructions(including the ones from the last comment):
<Edited by Host> -
How to upgrade a MACbook pro 2009 with a SSD?
Need help installing an SSD into my mid 2009 MACbook pro.
Yes as Clinton says this is correct.
I've used a Sata to USB connector which is only a few pounds instead of an enclosure for the clone, but then I wasn't keeping mt old HDD. But that's an option if you don't need it.
I also use Carbon copy cloner as this will clone your recovery partition as well. Apples disk utility will also clone drives but I'm not sure that it copy's the recovery partition.
I highly redomend my Samsung 840 pro 256Gb - it's about the fastest drive you'll get (nearly) but is backed by Samsung's unrivaled SSD reliability and 5 year warranty. I've also used an 840 basic model on an older macbook and was equally pleased.
Crucial's drives are reliable mac friendly drives but are somewhat slower on the write speeds vs the 840 Pro.
I'd avoid OCZ drives due to so many failures across their range although they do have great reviews and some models just edge the Pro on speed although it's fairly negligible.
As Clinton says, avoid the Samsung Evo drive. I wanted to buy this drive as it is a great drive - but there are many users that have had compatibility issues with it when installed in a Mac. This may rectified on a future firmware update possibly, but until it's proven I would avoid it for now. -
How do i updates itunes on a macbook pro 2009 10.5.8 to newer 10.6.8
Hey guys i hope someone can help me. I recenlty brought an older model macbook pro 2009 with itunes 10.5.8 on it. for a great low price of $ 300 dollars. How ever i cant update a newer version of itunes to replace the 10.5.8. So everytime I plug my new ipad into the older mac it says i need itunes 10.6.8 or higher. how do i update to a newer version for free???? youtube was not helpful or goole. So I am stuck.
Upgrading to Snow Leopard
You can purchase Snow Leopard through the Apple Store: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple Store (U.S.). The price is $19.99 plus tax. You will be sent physical media by mail after placing your order.
After you install Snow Leopard you will have to download and install the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 and give you access to the App Store. Access to the App Store enables you to download Mountain Lion if your computer meets the requirements.
Snow Leopard General Requirements
1. Mac computer with an Intel processor
2. 1GB of memory
3. 5GB of available disk space
4. DVD drive for installation
5. Some features require a compatible Internet service provider;
fees may apply.
6. Some features require Apple’s iCloud services; fees and
terms apply. -
Trade in value of MacBook Pro 2009 2.26Ghz
i have a late 2009 macbook pro model with 2.26 ghz core 2 duo 160 gb hard drive and 2 gb ram i am wondering what price it would be worth now as i am finding things painfully slow. and also anyways of speeding it up. also answers in australian currency would be much a appreciated
You can check eBay and/or http://www.mac2sell.net/
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Since upgrading to Maverick I seem to have 4 internal screens registered which plays havoc with my external screen setup. Does anybody have any ideas on how do deal with this?
I have a MacBook Pro 2009 with
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256 M on
OS X 10.9.1 (13B42)
When on my MBP Screen I have alreade four synchronized internal screens registered, when plugging in my external screen (used to work no problem on snow leopard) and de-synchronize the screens I geet five screens with the programs running on a screen I can't access. Kinda stumped here - any ideas?Sounds like the external display is set to be treated as a separate space, which is the default setting. Go to the Mission Control system preference and uncheck "Displays have separate Spaces". If I understand correctly what you are describing, that should take care of the problem.
Regards. -
Macbook Pro 2009 has gray screen, safe mode won't work
I have a Macbook Pro 2009, with a new hard drive installed in August of 2013. I opened my computer a couple days ago to a gray screen with a prohibitory sign and a spinning gear that will not disappear. I have no backup and tried to backup my hard drive to an external drive in Recovery Mode, but I got an error message and the backup did not work: the image could not be created. So I decided to try Safe Mode, but the Macbook will not enter safe mode. Is there any way to get onto the computer just to backup a handful of files onto an external drive before I format my drive and start over? Am I doing something wrong by trying to enter safe mode? (I held down the Shift key after the chime and released it when the Apple logo and the gear appeared) Any help is appreciated. I've read all the topics in the forums I could find on this issue, but none of the directions seem to help. Thank you.
LisaLoParo,
no, you’re not doing anything wrong in trying to boot into Safe mode.
I can think of three possible alternatives to Safe mode to try:
If you have an external disk, you could boot from the grey Mac OS X Install DVD which came in the box with your MacBook Pro, and try copying files from your internal disk to the external disk;
If you have a bootable external disk, you could boot from it using Startup Manager, and try copying files from your internal disk to the external disk;
If you have access to a FireWire 800 cable and a second Mac with a FireWire 800 port, you could try booting your MacBook Pro into Target Disk mode so that it can be used as an external disk from the second Mac, and try copying files from your MacBook Pro to the second Mac.
You’d only need to try one of these three alternatives; if you try one of them and it doesn’t work, then you’d get the same result by trying either of the other two. Good luck. -
my macbook pro 2009, was stored in a Speck case and rubbermaid stoage tote that was left in a RV over the winter in WI that sat outside all winter. Is it ruined? will I be able to still use it and all my data? I don't currently have it with me. I am just hoping that when I get it back it will work for me. Any tips, help, support would be helpful! Thank you!
Storage temperature is listed as down to -13º F
Line voltage: 100V to 240V AC
Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz
Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
Storage temperature: -13° to 113° F (-24° to 45° C)
Relative humidity: 0% to 90% noncondensing
Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet
Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet
Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet
So I would think you're OK . The battery will need a charge but I don;t see any reason why there should be a problem as long as there was no water involved. -
Apple thunderbolt display can work with a macbook pro 2009?
Apple thunderbolt display can work with a macbook pro 2009 (mini display port? The image passes through the mini display port to the monitor, but the connections (Firewire, USB, ethernet) do not work. Can you confirm?
I'd love to get confirmation if this is the case too. I was all ready to buy the new iMac until I found I couldn't use it as an external monitor for my DisplayPort-based MacBook Pro. And then I was all ready to buy the new display.
I really hope Apple hasn't restricted this to purely Thunderbolt-equipped Macs. I know I'll end up upgrading my MacBook at some point but I can't do so just yet, and this means I'll have to go for some third-party display, camera, speakers etc for the new Mac Mini which is crazy.
James -
Cannot play audio from macbook pro 2009 to tv using hdmi with adapter
MacBook Pro 2009. I cannot get audio from my my macbook pro to tv using an hdmi adapter
That is because the 2009 MBP does not support audio via the minidisplay port. You will have to tap the audio output port for audio and use the RCA audio input connections on the TV.
Ciao. -
MacBook Pro 2009 new hard drive install results in very slow function and freezing
I just wanted to post my resolution to a problem that I had trouble finding an answer to on these forums.
Short version:
I replaced the hard drive in my 2009 MacBook Pro because the computer froze and upon reboot the Disk Utility said it was corrupted, but with the new hard drive the computer ran very slowly and often showed the spinning rainbow wheel. I replaced the SATA cable that connects the hard drive to the motherboard and it works perfectly once again.
Long version:
Recently my MacBook Pro (2009 running Snow Leopard) froze up and I performed a hard reset by holding down the power button. When I turned the computer back on it would not boot OS so I ran disk utility from the Snow Leopard install DVD. The test said the hard drive was corrupted, and since the computer is way past warranty I decided to change the drive out myself. I bought a 500GB Seagate Momentus 5400 Drive from Amazon, opened the computer and replaced the existing hard drive with the new one. When I first booted from the OS install DVD, my computer was not recognizing that any hard drive was present. I read somewhere on these forums that sometimes the formatting on new Seagate drives can't be read by MacBooks and they need to be reformatted using another computer, but I tried simply taking the hard drive out and putting it back in a couple of times thinking maybe I had just not plugged it in correctly. After the 4th attempt the hard drive magically showed up, and I was able to reformat the drive and install OS and even Windows XP on bootcamp.
Everything seemed to be okay but applications were running slowly considering this was a fresh drive and OS install. Over time, the computer started to hang more and more. In OS I would get the spinning rainbow wheel even when doing something as simple as opening a browser window in Chrome or trying to type into a text field. When I tried to use Windows it would simply freeze after only a short time and I'd have to do a hard reset.
I went to the Genius Bar at the Apple store which was unhelpful, so I continued searching through these forums to try to figure out the problem. I noticed a lot of people had trouble with the SATA cable that came with the computer because it's quite thin and delicate, and would get damaged when changing out the hard drive. However most of these people seemed to experience a question mark when starting up the computer, whereas mine would fully boot and be functional for a time. I thought it unlikely that a damaged cable could possibly leave the computer partially functional. Finally though I gave in a dropped the $26 for a new SATA cable on Amazon. As soon as I installed it the problem was fixed, and the computer runs as fast as when I first bought it. I don't know if I damaged the cable changing the hard drive (I was extremely careful) or if my original hard drive was not actually corrupted and the cable was already damaged. I mentioned the possibility of the cable being damaged at the Apple store and the representative said that often times they fail because people carry the laptop with one hand, and because of the way this model was designed this puts a lot of pressure right on that thin cable. Regardless, if you do plan on changing out your hard drive in your MacBook keep in mind that the SATA cable is sensitive, and that if you experience problems with a fresh hard drive and OS install the SATA cable is a likely culprit.If you think you have either a hard drive or a cable problem, to the best of my knowledge the only product that can help isolate both of them is Scannerz. You can check it out at:
http://scsc-online.com/Scannerz.html
I think that's the correct link. If it isn't and you're interested and that's wrong, just google it. I'd also check out their downloads section, especially the sort of short document on using path isolation to detect and isolate problems.
Scannerz can detect both errors and irregularities. It uses the surface scan progress as a reference. Cable problems never show up at the same location because they're typically intermittent. Surface problems always show up at the exact same place. That's the only product (at least commercially available) that can do that.
I don't know if this information is of any value to you because it sort of sounds like you've already solved the problem, but it might be of use if you have problems in the future.
In any case, I've seen several posts on several different sites where people were reporting insulation break down on some of the SATA cables. Apparently the insulation breaks down and the cable starts shorting to the case. -
I have a 13 inch MacBook Pro (2009) & the "White Screen of Death" is present. Need help?
I have a 13 inch MacBook Pro (2009). Recently I bought an extended hard drive because I had used up the memory on my iDisk. As I was running the Time Machine back up on my new extended drive, the battery on my Pro ran out causing it to shut down. Once I hooked up my Pro to the power cord & logged in, the "White Screen of Death" appeared on the home display. Obviously the battery still works, my phone is able to charge along with the extended drive, I am able to adjust the lighting on my keyboard along with adjusting the brightness on my screen, but the "White Screen" remains. I need help in determining the cause of this issue & the steps I'll need to take in order to resolve this. I love my Pro, all my documents, photos & music are on it & the last thing I want to do is kill my wallet by buying a new Pro. So could someone on here please help me? It would be greatly appreciated & I thank you in advance!
Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.
Step 1
The first step in dealing with a boot failure is to secure your data. If you want to preserve the contents of the startup drive, and you don't already have at least one current backup, you must try to back up now, before you do anything else. It may or may not be possible. If you don't care about the data that has changed since your last backup, you can skip this step.
There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to boot. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
a. Boot into the Recovery partition, or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) When the OS X Utilities screen appears, launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in this support article, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.”
b. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, boot the non-working Mac in target disk mode. Use the working Mac to copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
c. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.
Step 2
Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to boot, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can boot now, one of the devices you disconnected, or a combination of them, is causing the problem. Finding out which one is a process of elimination.
If you've booted from an external storage device, make sure that your internal boot volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
Step 3
Boot in safe mode. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Post for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
When you boot in safe mode, it's normal to see a dark gray progress bar on a light gray background. If the progress bar gets stuck for more than a few minutes, or if the system shuts down automatically while the progress bar is displayed, your boot volume is damaged and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to step 5.
If you can boot and log in now, empty the Trash, and then open the Finder Info window on your boot volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name.) Check that you have at least 9 GB of available space, as shown in the window. If you don't, copy as many files as necessary to another volume (not another folder on the same volume) and delete the originals. Deletion isn't complete until you empty the Trash again. Do this until the available space is more than 9 GB. Then reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.)
If the boot process hangs again, the problem is likely caused by a third-party system modification that you installed. Post for further instructions.
Step 4
Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
Step 5
Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see Step 1.) Select your startup volume, then run Repair Disk. If any problems are found, repeat until clear. If Disk Utility reports that the volume can't be repaired, the drive has malfunctioned and should be replaced. You might choose to tolerate one such malfunction in the life of the drive. In that case, erase the volume and restore from a backup. If the same thing ever happens again, replace the drive immediately.
This is one of the rare situations in which you should also run Repair Permissions, ignoring the false warnings it may produce. Look for the line "Permissions repair complete" at the end of the output. Then reboot as usual.
Step 6
Reinstall the OS. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade.
Step 7
Repeat step 6, but this time erase the boot volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically reboot into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer your data from a Time Machine or other backup.
Step 8
This step applies only to a Mac Pro tower, not to any other model. A dead logic-board battery can cause a gray screen at boot. Typically the boot failure will be preceded by loss of the startup disk and system clock settings. See the user manual for replacement instructions.
Step 9
If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.
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