hot laptop.

My macbook pro 2.33 ghz has been shutting down unexpectadly the last few days.
Joshua Whalen wrote on :

My macbook pro 2.33 ghz has been shutting down unexpectadly the last few days. The one thing all the shutdowns have had in common is that the left side of the computer was exceedingly hot at the time.

So, I download istat, and saw that my left fan is running at 1500 rpm, while my right fan is running at 6000 rpm, and my processor is running at 200 degrees farenheit!

Anyone know if there's a natural reason the left fan might be behaving this way, wht the normal speeds should be, and well, anyhting else relevant.

replacing it is easy; the machine is out of warranty so I can do it myself, but I just want to know if that's what I need to do. A second opinion, I guess.

thanks!

Joshua

David Empson replied on :

Joshua Whalen joshuafwhalen@redacted.invalid wrote:

My macbook pro 2.33 ghz

Presumably the late 2006 model, as I can't find any other MacBook Pros with that speed.

has been shutting down unexpectadly the last few days. The one thing all the shutdowns have had in common is that the left side of the computer was exceedingly hot at the time.

So, I download istat, and saw that my left fan is running at 1500 rpm, while my right fan is running at 6000 rpm, and my processor is running at 200 degrees farenheit!

200 degrees farenheit is about 93 degrees celcius. Way too hot for a Core 2 Duo.

Anyone know if there's a natural reason the left fan might be behaving this way, wht the normal speeds should be, and well, anyhting else relevant.

The normal fan speed on my 2.2 GHz MacBook Pro (mid 2007 model, which is very similar to yours - just a newer generation CPU, chipset and graphics controller) is about 2000 rpm on both sides. I have never seen it slower than 1998 rpm. If the computer works hard and the temperature rises, both fans ramp up to about the same speeds. My fans usually get up to the 4000 rpm mark if the CPU temp is getting into the 60 degree celcuis range (normal idle operating is in the 40s).

Given the pattern you are observing, it is very likely that your left fan or part of its control circuitry has developed a fault.

The System Management Controller is desperately trying to increase the fan speed due to the CPU getting hot, but the left fan isn't responding correctly.

replacing it is easy; the machine is out of warranty so I can do it myself, but I just want to know if that's what I need to do. A second opinion, I guess.

Stephen replied on :

On Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:28:31 -0400, Joshua Whalen joshuafwhalen@redacted.invalid had a flock of green cheek conures squawk out:

My macbook pro 2.33 ghz has been shutting down unexpectadly the last few days. The one thing all the shutdowns have had in common is that the left side of the computer was exceedingly hot at the time.

So, I download istat, and saw that my left fan is running at 1500 rpm, while my right fan is running at 6000 rpm, and my processor is running at 200 degrees farenheit!

Anyone know if there's a natural reason the left fan might be behaving this way, wht the normal speeds should be, and well, anyhting else relevant.

replacing it is easy; the machine is out of warranty so I can do it myself, but I just want to know if that's what I need to do. A second opinion, I guess.

thanks!

Joshua

Too many dust bunnies...

Mr. Muckel replied on :

in article qle1551j3n77luu6oq5b688k66fr25d930@redacted.invalid, Stephen at yes@redacted.invalid wrote on 7/5/09 9:38 AM:

On Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:28:31 -0400, Joshua Whalen joshuafwhalen@redacted.invalid had a flock of green cheek conures squawk out:

My macbook pro 2.33 ghz has been shutting down unexpectadly the last few days. The one thing all the shutdowns have had in common is that the left side of the computer was exceedingly hot at the time.

So, I download istat, and saw that my left fan is running at 1500 rpm, while my right fan is running at 6000 rpm, and my processor is running at 200 degrees farenheit!

Anyone know if there's a natural reason the left fan might be behaving this way, wht the normal speeds should be, and well, anyhting else relevant.

replacing it is easy; the machine is out of warranty so I can do it myself, but I just want to know if that's what I need to do. A second opinion, I guess.

thanks!

Joshua

You got a bad fan. Go to iFixIt.com and replace it with a new one.

Warm regards, Mr. Muckel