Found a solution for Win 7 running hot in bootcamp

[dxerboy]

Hey all,

I’m writing because I’ve finally found a decent solution to the heat issue while running Windows 7 in bootcamp on my MBP.

With my 2011 MBP 13” I’m running windows 7 (ultimate, 64 bit) for software I use in my daily “work” environment, and was noticing idle temperatures around 60C, and approaching 70C under minimal loads. The same machine idles in the 30s in OS X. Also, coming from another win 7 laptop that idles around 30C, I concluded that win 7/bootcamp on the MBP was noticeably HOT. I was bummed.

My research taught me a few things:

Yes, the Sandy Bridge processors run “warmer” due to increased wattage: 35 -> 45 or something like that. Makes sense.
Yes, the architecture of the MBP is notorious for running hot if something is awry.
Yes especially in bootcamp.

I stumbled across a post that suggested the main problem in the windows environment seems to be poor fan control, i.e. even at moderately higher temps the fans don’t seem to spin up at all. I agreed with this observation and set out to find some fan control. I found MacFan in an older post on another forum, and it works great. It’s a bare-bones app that you run in cmd, but it has done the trick for me.

MacFan doesn’t mess around with the fan controls or settings other than upping the minimum speed. My fans were idling at the 2000RPM mark in win 7, and simply upping the min speed to 2750 immediately brought my CPU down from ~60C to ~48C. Ahhh sweet relief. I can barely barely hear a difference audibly—the machine is still near silent. (I assume they'll go back to 2000 in OSX based on claims, but I'll find out and report back.)

I run my machine in clamshell mode at work and it feels MUCH cooler to the touch. I’ve been using MacFan for a day now and so far so good. I’m not as worried about longevity of the machine anymore.

Here it is:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/macfan/
Read the “release notes” .txt file for instructions—basically you have give it a one-liner instruction in cmd but it’s dead simple.

I’m all ears if I missed another way to do this, but just wanted to share what I came up with and give back to the resource pool here at Macrumors.

Cheers, and happy cooler bootcamping. Funny how these things are exciting to us hehe…

 

[ninja2000]

I have been doing exactly the same with my 2010 and now my 2011 17" mbp.

I set a 3000 profile for general use and a 4200 for when I want to encode or game. Works perfectly for me.

If you reboot to OSX it will keep your current fan speed but if you put the computer to sleep, when it resumes it will be back to 2000rpm (in both OSX or windows)

 

[KelvinH]

I spend quite some time on Bootcamp Windows 7 64 bit playing Day Of Defeat: Source, a pretty old game. In fact, it's the only reason I use Windows on Bootcamp.

Yet, even with fps_max 130, my 2011 MBP 17" runs really hot. After a lengthy session of DoDS, I noticed temperatures of up to 98 degrees Celcius. Is this healthy.. at all?

What would you guys recommend that I do to keep the temperatures down while playing DoDS? I already ordered a laptop stand (Griffin Elevator) which should be in next Monday, and I did play around with fanspeeds using Macfan.

Would you guys recommend that I up the RPM to a higher minimum value?

 

[SilverOnemi]

I spend quite some time on Bootcamp Windows 7 64 bit playing Day Of Defeat: Source, a pretty old game. In fact, it's the only reason I use Windows on Bootcamp.

Yet, even with fps_max 130, my 2011 MBP 17" runs really hot. After a lengthy session of DoDS, I noticed temperatures of up to 98 degrees Celcius. Is this healthy.. at all?

What would you guys recommend that I do to keep the temperatures down while playing DoDS? I already ordered a laptop stand (Griffin Elevator) which should be in next Monday, and I did play around with fanspeeds using Macfan.

Would you guys recommend that I up the RPM to a higher minimum value?

Hello!

i own one 2.2 15, and at those temps you should be running the fan @ max which is arround 6200.

 

[341328]

Or you could complain to Apple about no drivers for the Intel graphics which is the real reason it is running so hot in Windows.

Let's all complain together and get some change.....

 

[The-Pro]

Or you could complain to Apple about no drivers for the Intel graphics which is the real reason it is running so hot in Windows.

Let's all complain together and get some change.....

i agree
+1

 

[dxerboy]

Ya I have to admit that even with this and other solutions for upping the fan RPMs, I still wasn't comfortable running that much warmer/hotter all the time (My OS X idles in the 30s).

I tried parallels and it works fine for what I do in the win 7 environment. I'm impressed with how fast it is. Since it runs so much cooler, and my 2011 MBP handles it great, I'm going with that.

 

[Crackrash]

parrallels is the way to go you say?

Ya I have to admit that even with this and other solutions for upping the fan RPMs, I still wasn't comfortable running that much warmer/hotter all the time (My OS X idles in the 30s).

I tried parallels and it works fine for what I do in the win 7 environment. I'm impressed with how fast it is. Since it runs so much cooler, and my 2011 MBP handles it great, I'm going with that.

I`m giving MacFan a go. To keep the temp at around 50 C I´m running each fan at 2800RPM.
Your saying that Parallels doesn't run as hot as bootcamp?
What temp does it idle in in windows?

 

[dxerboy]

I`m giving MacFan a go. To keep the temp at around 50 C I´m running each fan at 2800RPM.
Your saying that Parallels doesn't run as hot as bootcamp?
What temp does it idle in in windows?

My idle temps are not seemingly increased by running parallels, since it runs in the mac environment. They're almost always in the 30's (with fans at minimum RPM). I.e. sitting at 36 at the moment with chrome, parallels and iphoto loaded up. Doesn't matter if I'm in the windows 7 window.

I promise I'm not a Parallels shareholder--I'd strongly suggest trying it if you think it might work. I was impressed with how easy it was to setup. It instantly recognized my bootcamp partition as bootable, no fuss no muss. One network setting to be able to share with other windoze machines, printers, etc., and voila. I'm stoked at how robust it is in my work environment. I mainly run office and a database software on our network and it's perfect so far, along with the convenience of switching between operating systems with a mouse click. It's like having two machines in one--pretty awesome. Sorry for gushing on, but for me the experience really is that good.

Parallels 6 -- I just bought it for $40 via their student deal. Free trial, can't go wrong giving it a try... of course if you're gaming it might be a whole other ball game.

Either way good luck

 

[Huntn]

I'm interested in using this. I may have overlooked it in the replies, but how does a app called Mac Fan, which I assume works natively in MacOS function when running Windows7? I'm using Bootcamp, unless this only works in parallels?
Thanks!

 

[Crackrash]

I´m running MacFan from the commandprompt in bootcamp. I´m thinking it´s solely created for people running windows on mac machines. It does the job fine.
It does bug me to be running my fans at 3000 rpm's to keep temperature around 50C in idle mode though.

dxerboy I'm sure you could get some shares from parallels if you show them the thread it sounds convincing. I will give it try.
I´m going to be running 3ds max with some heavy rendering in parallels so I guess it's going to be put to the test. Thank you for pointing me in that direction

 

[spanish2]

Or you could complain to Apple about no drivers for the Intel graphics which is the real reason it is running so hot in Windows.

Let's all complain together and get some change.....

Hi i have mid 2012 MBP running Sierra...256gb ssd 1tb Hdd via data doubler 16GB memory just bought off Ebay...when trying to install Windows 7 via bootcamp...while windows is expanding the files...the laptop gets very hot and shuts down 2 minutes later.... right now i have parallels running windows but i find it a bit slow...An suggestions??? seem like it gets hot even during windows installation....the last time i installed windows i had to take off the back and fan the freaking motherboard to get windows 7 to install....then when finally got setup....after 5 minutes boom shuts down.....I would really to run Windows 7 dual boot. I can't believe my early 2008 15 inch runs windows 7 much cooler and doesn't shuts off(well the fans i keep on max and sometimes for two days straight it runs).