Aperture and High CPU Temps

[trbutler]

So, I bought a new 15" MacBook Pro (Mid-2009 - 2.8 GHz) and Aperture. I've been trying to import the iPhoto library that was on my PowerMac G5 onto the new system. I'm having a number of problems, but here's the biggest: As Aperture has been processing the 60,000 photos, it has been causing the laptop to become extremely hot. Hot enough to worry me.

So, I installed Temperature Monitor and "CPU Diode A" is showing temperatures as high as 100 degrees C, with an average temperature between 80-90 degrees C while Aperture generates JPEG previews.

When it kept hitting 100 degrees C, I bought a Logitech Cool Pad thingamajig, which seems to be maybe keeping it a little lower, but it is still hitting 90 degrees easily.

Question: is this normal? It seems like going that close to the maximum temperature threshold (105 degrees C is rated as the maximum by Intel) for a Core 2 Duo isn't good.

Thoughts?

 

[spinnerlys]

How fast are the fans spinning (iStat will help you with that)?

Also there is a software called FanControl (for Mac OS X) to adjust the fan speeds depending on the temperature.

Aperture is highly CPU (and GPU) dependent when rendering previews, so the temperature has to go up.

 

[iLog.Genius]

Normal for the temperature to go up. The question that should be asked is if the computer is turning the fans up to the appropriate level to cool down the CPU.

 

[RaceTripper]

My MBP also hits 90-100 when running a lot of processing in Aperture such as generating previews (2560 px for my system), or doing complex rendering for adjustments.

 

[trbutler]

I can hear the fans increasing, but I was using Temperature Monitor, which doesn't report speed. I'll give it a whirl. What I do notice is that the temperature slowly creeps up to 90+ C and doesn't ever get below it unless I close Aperture.

Would it help Aperture for me to switch to the faster GPU? I've been sticking with the 9400M thinking it would run cooler.

I'll get fan speeds and report back...

 

[RaceTripper]

I run on my 9600M GT and it still gets very hot.

 

[trbutler]

Ok, when it first turns on, it seems that both fans are already running at ~2000 RPM. The left fan, I've noticed tonight, has started making a constant, low whirling/grinding sound that is rather annoying, even when running at this speed.

At 80 degrees C it was still running at just above or below 2000 RPM. At 86, that is still true. 92 and it still hasn't done anything. Could it be the fans are configured incorrectly? I've never used Fan Control... could it be they somehow got off of factory settings another way, and if so, can I somehow just reset to factory specs?

 

[trbutler]

I run on my 9600M GT and it still gets very hot.

Thanks. Do you notice better performance on things like preview generation with the 9600M? Is that the sort of work Aperture is capable of offloading to the GPU?

Thanks!

 

[spinnerlys]

Ok, when it first turns on, it seems that both fans are already running at ~2000 RPM. The left fan, I've noticed tonight, has started making a constant, low whirling/grinding sound that is rather annoying, even when running at this speed.

At 80 degrees C it was still running at just above or below 2000 RPM. At 86, that is still true. 92 and it still hasn't done anything. Could it be the fans are configured incorrectly? I've never used Fan Control... could it be they somehow got off of factory settings another way, and if so, can I somehow just reset to factory specs?

2000rpm for both fans is the standard (and slowest) speed.

To get higher fan speeds at higher temps use FanControl It's easy to use and hasn't smegged up my system yet.

http://www.lobotomo.com/products/FanControl/

 

[Dan73]

Ok, when it first turns on, it seems that both fans are already running at ~2000 RPM. The left fan, I've noticed tonight, has started making a constant, low whirling/grinding sound that is rather annoying, even when running at this speed.

At 80 degrees C it was still running at just above or below 2000 RPM. At 86, that is still true. 92 and it still hasn't done anything. Could it be the fans are configured incorrectly? I've never used Fan Control... could it be they somehow got off of factory settings another way, and if so, can I somehow just reset to factory specs?

Sounds like you need to reset your SMC.

Even if you get your fans properly working, Apple stock settings are not that great in my opinion and I'd recommend getting fan control anyways. Even while gaming my temps never go above 65c. Although it can get a little noisy.

 

[RaceTripper]

Thanks. Do you notice better performance on things like preview generation with the 9600M? Is that the sort of work Aperture is capable of offloading to the GPU?

Thanks!

I haven't tried to compare. I just automatically use the 9600M GT. Aperture uses the GPU, but I don't know what it does and doesn't do on it. Previews take long enough, but I really start to see poor performance when doing multiple adjustments (levels, noise reduction, edge sharpening, etc). I usually start with thousands of RAW images in a project (shoots from races) before I start culling, so I don't how much having lots of photos in the library impact Aperture.

One other thing. I use smcFanControl and have it set for 4000RPM when I'm running on battery (and likely to do CPU/GPU intensive work) and 2000 RPM when on battery. When Aperture runs the CPU up to 90+ the fans run at 6000+.

 

[xcvista]

Aperture 3.2.1 also cranks up my MacBook too. (2.7GHz i7-2620M with Intel HD 3000, 8GB RAM)

 

[GuitarG20]

Ok, when it first turns on, it seems that both fans are already running at ~2000 RPM. The left fan, I've noticed tonight, has started making a constant, low whirling/grinding sound that is rather annoying, even when running at this speed.

At 80 degrees C it was still running at just above or below 2000 RPM. At 86, that is still true. 92 and it still hasn't done anything. Could it be the fans are configured incorrectly? I've never used Fan Control... could it be they somehow got off of factory settings another way, and if so, can I somehow just reset to factory specs?

sounds like you need to reset your SMC. Other than that... well, you can certainly try a program like fan control to spool up your fans quicker if you don't like the way Apple does it (lots of people don't, supposedly, but I don't usually mind)

 

[Ant.honey]

I'm not sure what you expect asking a laptop to process 60,000 photos and it not get hot..?