iMac overheat

[Mugwumper]

More RAM, or fewer processes?

Again, those temps are normal for aluminium iMac. Why? Because computers get hot. Computers in small cases get hotter and unless they shut down on their own, its ok for them.

Eidorian is right about MacBook temps. Mine sits idle and has the dollowing temps:

CPU - 139 F
HD - 104 F
RAM - 122 F
(ambient - 75 F)

Your eyes would be like O_O after you see my iMac G5's idle temps:

CPU - 158 F
HD - 138 F
ambient also 75 F.

Yeah, my G5 (20", 2GB RAM) is similar: 153F with just Firefox running.

What has always bugged me is what causes the fans to go on? For example,
if I'm just running iTunes, listening to Internet radio, why is it quiet for an hour or more, and then the fans start whining? Goes from 1500 RPM to 4400 in less than 5 minutes. The temperature has gone from 140F to maybe 155F. The fans are so loud that I can't hear the music. Then it calms down after 10 minutes.

Also, just running Firefox (no surfing) will often start the fans.

So what's the problem? 1) I have 5 or 6 widgets in the Dashboard - will it be quieter if I get rid of them? 2) Does running Spaces have any impact? or 3) Is this a by-product of 10.5? I sure don't remember this in 10.4.

Needless to say, if I have Firefox, Mail and Word or Powerpoint all running simultaneously, it's so noisy that I really can't work. I've thought about trying to see if running Safari by itself is any better than just Firefox. And
then, trying to run EyeTV with my Elgato Hybrid is darn near deafening, and not even possible if any other apps are running.

And the big question: if I get a 24" Al iMac and go to 4GB RAM, will this fan noise go away? Or is it the same problem and same reasons? In the near future, I'll need to be running XP as well - will the fans be on full-time? Maybe a Mac Pro is a better solution, with better cooling?

I suspect I'm just trying to do too much, but I really don't recall this being a problem in 10.4 . . .

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[eXan]

Yeah, my G5 (20", 2GB RAM) is similar: 153F with just Firefox running.

What has always bugged me is what causes the fans to go on? For example,
if I'm just running iTunes, listening to Internet radio, why is it quiet for an hour or more, and then the fans start whining? Goes from 1500 RPM to 4400 in less than 5 minutes. The temperature has gone from 140F to maybe 155F. The fans are so loud that I can't hear the music. Then it calms down after 10 minutes.

Also, just running Firefox (no surfing) will often start the fans.

So what's the problem? 1) I have 5 or 6 widgets in the Dashboard - will it be quieter if I get rid of them? 2) Does running Spaces have any impact? or 3) Is this a by-product of 10.5? I sure don't remember this in 10.4.

Needless to say, if I have Firefox, Mail and Word or Powerpoint all running simultaneously, it's so noisy that I really can't work. I've thought about trying to see if running Safari by itself is any better than just Firefox. And
then, trying to run EyeTV with my Elgato Hybrid is darn near deafening, and not even possible if any other apps are running.

And the big question: if I get a 24" Al iMac and go to 4GB RAM, will this fan noise go away? Or is it the same problem and same reasons? In the near future, I'll need to be running XP as well - will the fans be on full-time? Maybe a Mac Pro is a better solution, with better cooling?

I suspect I'm just trying to do too much, but I really don't recall this being a problem in 10.4 . . .

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Its just heat that causes your fans to speed up. After my iMac G5 turns on it has the CPU fan speed of 1500 RPM and is rather quiet. But after a few minutes the CPU heats up to 70C and fans run at 2200-2400 RPM when idling. Its normal - jus the minimum fan speed is not enough to keep the CPU cooler than 70C in your amdient temperature.

Alu iMacs are very quiet. In a completely silent room I can hear the low hum only when I put my head rather close to it. When under load they are a bit louder, but iMac G5 sounds like a vacuum cleaner next to it