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Fixing the 2011 MBP Heat Issues
- Thread starter 1BadMac
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I would say if you print this thread and bring it in saying you want a machine that is not hot please remove the excess paste . A smart store manager might tell his tech to clean it. That photo could be something nice to print for a request to clean your machine.
Do you think Apple will correct these blobs a few weeks down the line? Do they currently all have that much thermal paste or was it just some lazy guy squeezing a whole tube into some laptops when they were manufactured? 
Do you think Apple will correct these blobs a few weeks down the line? Do they currently all have that much thermal paste or was it just some lazy guy squeezing a whole tube into some laptops when they were manufactured?
The original 2008 UB had the same issues reported. I'd assume the process has been the same throughout the life of the UB so if you were fine with buying one last month you should be fine buying one now.
I think the actual problems caused by this are pretty rare even though I'm sure we'd all get lower temps if the stuff were applied correctly. The vast majority of the machines are fine, but we see the problems reported on the forums because people that have fine temps aren't making threads.
I do not believe any Apple store genius bar person is going to be allowed to crack open a new MBP and reapply paste. They will likely,at best, swap out your machine. Which, may or may not have just as much thermal paste.
You're right, an Apple store would never do it. There are advantages to going to 3rd party resellers that have good tech people in-house. I'm considering stopping by one today and asking if they did the paste re-application if I'd still be fine under Applecare.
I don't understand why apple would use so much thermal paste in the first place if it could cause overheating issues. Do they not know? I cant seem to wrap my head around this - a bunch of random people on the internet know how much is needed but apple doesn't?
I would guess they weigh the possible returns due to overapplication of the paste vs. possible returns due to underapplication and it is better to go over than under... even though it always seems the thinnest layer you can make is the best.
Along the lines of tools, probably one of the most important things and not just in the case of the Macbook pro, USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB. The screws are easily stripped, the ribbon cable connecting the op. drive to the logic board is easily torn.
If you don't have the right type or size of screwdriver for the screw, it's usually best to wait till you get it rather than improvise. I can't stress this enough. Other than that, reapplying thermal paste is a pretty easy job so don't stress, just be careful. I also recommend using céramique as it's held up quite well for me.
If you don't have the right type or size of screwdriver for the screw, it's usually best to wait till you get it rather than improvise. I can't stress this enough. Other than that, reapplying thermal paste is a pretty easy job so don't stress, just be careful. I also recommend using céramique as it's held up quite well for me.
This goes for any electronics really. Stripping screws can be bad in electronics as usually 1 screw makes a big difference in some way.
Also, AS5 and Ceramique will more or less give you the same performance, and in the end both will harden up quite a bit. I've heard Ceramique is more like cement-hard, though. I do want to try it one day...
@OP: Are the picture pre-application? Because it looks really globby in those pictures.
I plan to push this point when I have a site; to check the paste and have it reapplied every so often. I repasted a MacBook Air when I replaced the display about a year back, and the customer reported (without knowledge of the CPU paste being replaced) that it would be uncomfortably hot on less occasions. I used AS5 but I'm open for any better suggestions. Also, it was a Rev A MBA and the factory paste was still gummy... I figure that's decent longevity.
I'm looking to expand my computer repair business to the internet via shipping throughout America.
I'd be happy to do a pasting job for a few chums to gain references. You pay shipping both ways, then write a referral or leave contact information for future customers...
PM
I'm looking to expand my computer repair business to the internet via shipping throughout America.
I'd be happy to do a pasting job for a few chums to gain references. You pay shipping both ways, then write a referral or leave contact information for future customers...
PM
MBP thermal paste experience
I re did the past on my 2.4 core 2 as it was a lot noisier and hotter than when I fist bought it. I even cleaned/lubbed the fans.
There was NO noticeable change for me after doing all of this, currently my temps are 61 C just posting this page My fans are only 2000rpm but when the temps are this high it doesnt take much to make them spin up load, a youtube video will do it everytime.
Im posting this as a warning that re applying the paste isnt a magic bullet necessarily.
Im looking to upgrade to the 2011 and sure I want a little more power but heat/noise is just as big an issue, I live in Australia and in summer I just sweat intensely on a warmish day just surfing the net, so much so that the sweat has warn little pits into the aluminum where my right hand rests.
Im having major 2nd thoughts about getting the new model after reading all these heat reviews, I thought the 32nm architecture was supposed to make them less power hungry and therefore make less heat, Ive been waiting over a year for sandy bridge only to find that I might just end up with the same problems I currently have but have to pay $2000 for the privilege.
Im thinking its the cpu with a gpu directly on top of it that is a major factor in this issue.
I re did the past on my 2.4 core 2 as it was a lot noisier and hotter than when I fist bought it. I even cleaned/lubbed the fans.
There was NO noticeable change for me after doing all of this, currently my temps are 61 C just posting this page
My fans are only 2000rpm but when the temps are this high it doesnt take much to make them spin up load, a youtube video will do it everytime.Im posting this as a warning that re applying the paste isnt a magic bullet necessarily.
Im looking to upgrade to the 2011 and sure I want a little more power but heat/noise is just as big an issue, I live in Australia and in summer I just sweat intensely on a warmish day just surfing the net, so much so that the sweat has warn little pits into the aluminum where my right hand rests.
Im having major 2nd thoughts about getting the new model after reading all these heat reviews, I thought the 32nm architecture was supposed to make them less power hungry and therefore make less heat, Ive been waiting over a year for sandy bridge only to find that I might just end up with the same problems I currently have but have to pay $2000 for the privilege.
Im thinking its the cpu with a gpu directly on top of it that is a major factor in this issue.
This is nothing new... I cleaned off the thermal paste on my late '06 MBP, and it started running about 10ºc cooler. I sent it in for repair, and it came back running 10º hotter. Gotta love Apple
I haven't had a reason to open it back up though, so it's still running hot.
I haven't had a reason to open it back up though, so it's still running hot.
solution for heating... at least for mine
Ok, don't know if this helps to anyone but at least for me worked out.
I bought a MacBook Pro 13" one month ago. Since a couple of week it started the well know "heating issue".
this was the initial situation:
I check the Activiy Monitor and noticed that SyncServer was taking 18%- 19% of CPU usage. I thought it was not that high but compared with the other processes is very high (between 0 and 2.6% for Finder). Anyway, I decided to quit SyncServer and in one minute this was the result:
It have stayed like that so far. I have to mention that ical has to be closed otehrwise SyncServer will turn again on.
Now, I don't really know whether I did bad in quitting SyncServer or not. If it serves for syncing devises or applications taht run with ical I think I can live without them but with a melted Mac...
Please let me know whether this helps to someone and what you know about the SyncServer...
Cheers,
H
Ok, don't know if this helps to anyone but at least for me worked out.
I bought a MacBook Pro 13" one month ago. Since a couple of week it started the well know "heating issue".
this was the initial situation:
I check the Activiy Monitor and noticed that SyncServer was taking 18%- 19% of CPU usage. I thought it was not that high but compared with the other processes is very high (between 0 and 2.6% for Finder). Anyway, I decided to quit SyncServer and in one minute this was the result:
It have stayed like that so far. I have to mention that ical has to be closed otehrwise SyncServer will turn again on.
Now, I don't really know whether I did bad in quitting SyncServer or not. If it serves for syncing devises or applications taht run with ical I think I can live without them but with a melted Mac...
Please let me know whether this helps to someone and what you know about the SyncServer...
Cheers,
H
It only voids the warranty if you break something in the process or something is broken as a result of the mod.
If something breaks that isnt related to that, they won't give you hell.
I use throttlestop in Windows to prevent turbo boost. I only use Windows to game and this keeps my CPU temps in the low to mid 80s whereas it used to turbo up to 100C with no real performance improvement. I shouldn't have to do this, the thermal paste should have been perfect to begin with but I'm not willing to void my warranty.
They should come up with some method of dispensing a fixed (and ideal) amount of thermal paste at the factory.
They should come up with some method of dispensing a fixed (and ideal) amount of thermal paste at the factory.