Fan and CPU problem

[bigboba]

Hi there.

My computer illiterate father has asked me to try and help him out with his Macbook. I think it's a 2008 model (2ghz intel core 2 duo, 1.5bg ram running 10.58). Unfortunately, when it comes to the troubleshooting side, I'm not a lot better than he is.

Basically the CPU is constantly above 60 and often above 70 degrees C. As a result the fan is never below 5rpm and sounds like a small plane trying to take off. Even when just turning on and not running anything.

The mac itself doesn't feel slow at all, programs aren't lagging at all or anything.

What i've done so far:

-Tried hoovering out the fan via the back vents
-Run disk utility repair
-Checked activity monitor - initially thought i'd solved it on locating installerdb but then realised it was just disk utility running
- looked into printer queues as someone else suggested, but not the problem

Any other ideas?

Or could it just be case of the fan being old and dying? The laptop hardly moves from my father's desk so hasn't been bashed around in bags a lot, so this would surprise me.

thanks

 

[spinnerlys]

Try an SMC reset.
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

When you did a look at Activity Monitor ( Applications / Utilities / ), did you select All Processes*and sort by CPU to see what the culprit may be.

image below uses sorting by CPU as an example

 

[bigboba]

I did yes. Looking at it again now, there's still nothing in there that shouldn't be.

 

[bigboba]

OK, I've finally managed to get my Dad off the computer long enough to do an SMC reset, but it still doesn't seem to have solved anything.

Any other ideas anyone?

Thanks

 

[happle]

thermal paste might need to be reapplied. after a while the paste dries out and cant transfer heat very well making your cpu hot and fans work harder.

you might want to look into having it done. its relatively easy if you know someone good with that kid of stuff.

 

[ECUpirate44]

Its either the paste or the fans. Hopefully the thermal paste is just dried/worn. If you are going to do this yourself, be sure to watch a few youtube videos of 10 year olds doing it first so you don't make the same mistakes they do. It's not a difficult repair, but that paste is nasty if it gets in the wrong places on you mac.

 

[happle]

Its either the paste or the fans. Hopefully the thermal paste is just dried/worn. If you are going to do this yourself, be sure to watch a few youtube videos of 10 year olds doing it first so you don't make the same mistakes they do. It's not a difficult repair, but that paste is nasty if it gets in the wrong places on you mac.

yeah like this guy said its not hard young kids do it on ps3's and laptops all the time. but if your like me with a bit of ocd about that sort of thing id rather have someone a bit more qualified than me do it.

if i did it id constantly be wondering if it was put on right and if it could have been better lol.