cooling pad advice (MB Pro overheating)

[brettsinger]

Hello,
My MB Pro suddenly shut down the other day, and it seems that the cause was overheating. I'm already using smcFanControl, which helps, but not enough. I'd like a cooling pad that sits relatively flat. Either one with USB-powered fans or something else. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
-b

 

[spinnerlys]

What temperatures do you get in Celsius?

What MBP do you have (13", 15" or 17")?

What process does use so much CPU that it causes your MBP to overheat even with the fans spinning?

Have you cleaned the fans?

Maybe your CPU is faulty and even a cooling pad is only a temporary solution.

 

[brettsinger]

What temperatures do you get in Celsius?

48 with the add-ons (smc and a cooling pad with fans that I don't like bc it's not flat). Right now, with smc and the cooling pad off, I'm getting 56 C and climbing.

What MBP do you have (13", 15" or 17")?

15"

What process does use so much CPU that it causes your MBP to overheat even with the fans spinning?

Not sure. When the shut down happened I think all I had open was Firefox (lots of tabs) and NeoOffice. The shut down happened when the MB was unplugged and flat on my lap, not sure if that mattered. (Flat on my lap probably didn't help.)

Have you cleaned the fans?

Hadn't thought of that but I will now.

Maybe your CPU is faulty and even a cooling pad is only a temporary solution.

Really? I hope not. The machine is about 2 years old, iirc. Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.4 GHz, I think it was purchased early 2008.

 

[spinnerlys]

48"C or 56°C is quite good. What is the maximum temperature you had til now? When Flash is kicking in I sometimes get 60° to 70°C even with fans.

The CPU should hold out temperatures up to 90° to 110°C.

Maybe the shutdown was related to something else, a kernel panic perhaps.

 

[XxEjGxX]

those temperatures seem fine to me

it should only really get problems over 85

 

[brettsinger]

Hm. OK, thanks. It does feel kind of hot, however. Maybe a cleaning is a good idea.

 

[viggen61]

I use the Rain Design iLap. About the only gripe I have with it is that the "ruff" that is at the bottom of the keyboard needs to be reseated on the velcro periodically, as it tends to slip off.

 

[reebzor]

Yea I was gonna say, I only fire up smcfancontrol when my MBP reaches 80C. It never has shut off because of heat either.