importing labeled cds, fans going nuts

[spitfyre]

So I started to import a few cds that have homemade labels on them onto my Aluminum MB. The computer started heating up to 80 C and the fans were going 4000 rpm. It was making loud whirring sounds and sounds like an engine dying. When I stopped importing things, it went back to normal.

My question is, was that a normal response to a labelled cd? I would have thought it just wouldn't read it. I made a genius appointment just in case there's something wrong with the fans. But I suppose they're just going to tell me to not use labelled cds, which will be LAME b/c I have tons of shows to import.

Rarr. Rarr. Any thoughts are much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[NewMacbookPlz]

Are you sure it was the system fans and not just the optical drive spinning up the disc initially?

They can be quite loud.

 

[spinnerlys]

As the optical drive is a slot-in drive, labeled media can be a problem, as they might be not thin enough.

But as NewMacBookPlz said, it could be the optical drive, that made the loud sound.

 

[spitfyre]

Hmm. Yes, I guess you are right. That is the sound of the drive. It is still getting really hot though ... and not importing correctly. I guess I will just have to import them to my PC and then transfer them. Did you hear that Apple?! How about you Justin Long?

Lousy slot drive.


Thanks for the comments

 

[spinnerlys]

The CPU gets hot while importing, as it has to convert the media to whatever format you chose to.

As the CPU is housed in a small case, the airflow is not like as in a desktop computer.

 

[spitfyre]

Yeah, it's just that it only gets to 70 C and about 2500 rpm when importing a disc without a label. I haven't had it get this hot before.

 

[spinnerlys]

That's strange, but maybe the thicker CD is disturbing some kind of workflow, as the DVD drive opening is more closed up.

Maybe.

Does the drive have trouble reading the contents of labeled CDs?
How does it do compared to normal CDs?

 

[harcosparky]

Yeah, it's just that it only gets to 70 C and about 2500 rpm when importing a disc without a label. I haven't had it get this hot before.

Labeled disks have two issues ...
1) Thicker
2) Heavier


Yeah the labels are not that heavy, however the drive mechanism are not that heavy either. The added weight of the paper label can put an increased load on the drives motor, causing it to draw a tad more current and generate more heat.

I have not used homemade labeled disks in over 5 years.

Wanna see a mess, wait until you put a disk in there and the label decides to separate from the disk!!!!!!!

EDIT: ALSO if that drive label is NOT PERFECTLY CENTERED it throws the disk OUT OF BALANCE. Like an unbalanced tired on a car it will VIBRATE and create MORE NOISE.

 

[Galley]

Labeled disks have two issues ...
1) Thicker
2) Heavier


Yeah the labels are not that heavy, however the drive mechanism are not that heavy either. The added weight of the paper label can put an increased load on the drives motor, causing it to draw a tad more current and generate more heat.

I have not used homemade labeled disks in over 5 years.

Wanna see a mess, wait until you put a disk in there and the label decides to separate from the disk!!!!!!!

EDIT: ALSO if that drive label is NOT PERFECTLY CENTERED it throws the disk OUT OF BALANCE. Like an unbalanced tired on a car it will VIBRATE and create MORE NOISE.

That sounds like the most logical answer.

 

[SqB]

My MacBook is very un-tolerant (word?) of any type of out of balance or wobbly cd's. It just flat refuses to read some of them. It might be a good idea to go out and get a cheap cd-rom and put it in a cheap enclosure to do what you're working on. It will probably be more tolerant of those cd's and if they do go and fall apart on you, it won't be inside your MB.

 

[mkrishnan]

That's strange, but maybe the thicker CD is disturbing some kind of workflow, as the DVD drive opening is more closed up.

Maybe.

Does the drive have trouble reading the contents of labeled CDs?
How does it do compared to normal CDs?

I think the problem is also that the labeled CDs have poorer dynamic balance than unlabeled CDs (because the label isn't perfectly centered and symmetric), and so the drive has to work harder, trying to spin up and spin down, and the computer has to work harder, trying to speed up and then getting read errors and metering the drive back down and so on.

I find that older CDs (which warp a little) do a similar thing.


EDIT: Yeah, the poster above me, who typed faster, is saying the same thing.

 

[SqB]

I find that older CDs (which warp a little) do a similar thing.


EDIT: Yeah, the poster above me, who typed faster, is saying the same thing.

Good point on the older CD's. I've found that many of the cd's that I have that have spent any time in the car cd changer will give me trouble. Probably because the FL heat has warped them. If I put those same cd's in my other cd drives, no problem. The MB is just very picky like that.

 

[mkrishnan]

Good point on the older CD's. I've found that many of the cd's that I have that have spent any time in the car cd changer will give me trouble. Probably because the FL heat has warped them. If I put those same cd's in my other cd drives, no problem. The MB is just very picky like that.

I think it all has to do with drive design physics...

- Drives that are faster have more issues with dynamic instability (since it goes by, what, the angular velocity to ... the fourth power?) So, computer drives have a much bigger issue than drives in cars that are reading CDs at 1x.

- Drives that have a small chassis have less stabilizing features, a less bulky spindle, etc, so they do worse also (so in general the issues are worse in notebook drives than desktop drives... I personally think the tray loading notebook drives are quite bad, because their trays are so flimsy)

- And then finally slot-loaders, aside from the thickness issue, are generally worse than tray-loaders, at least in my experience. The slot is purely an aesthetics thing -- I think that from a purely functional standpoint, the trays are quite superior. But then I use discs infrequently enough that, even for my external USB drive for my netbook, I went with a slot loader because I think they're prettier.