Is my Mac Pro Hot?.....literaly!!!

[apfhex]

northbridhe doesnt lok that bad... i spose 160-170 and id get a bit anxious

My Northbridge temp is almost always around 165-175ºF (166ºF now) with very low CPU usage. Basically around the same as kitki83's temps. My other temperatures are about the same too.

The weather has been pretty hot around here lately but it's probably around 70ºF in here right now (I could use some thermometers I suppose).

 

[DoFoT9]

My Northbridge temp is almost always around 165-175ºF (166ºF now) with very low CPU usage. Basically around the same as kitki83's temps. My other temperatures are about the same too.

The weather has been pretty hot around here lately but it's probably around 70ºF in here right now (I could use some thermometers I suppose).

oh hhmmm intersting. what are these temps like compared to the xeon pcs?? i spose it would probably be hotter. where abouts physically is NB located? in the midst of all the heat


p.s.dont come to aust if u call 70 hot!

 

[After G]

My northbridge gets that hot as well (176°f) at the moment, i dunno if thats a good thing or a bad thing!

That northbridge seems pretty warm (172 degF), but hopefully nothing to worry about, hopefully.

The processor operating range for Intel can go as high as 95 C; I'd imagine they could get their northbridge to go at least that high. so running about 80 C sounds okay. I just thought it was strange because I've seen it (when bothering to check) in the 140 range (like below).

NorthBridge 142F

Except for the Northbridge my numbers look about the same, my Northbridge is about 40 degrees cooler than OP.

You guys didn't have any heavy tasks on while getting these numbers, I hope? I'm thinking that the northbridge just seems high because they're doing some work.

 

[apfhex]

p.s.dont come to aust if u call 70 hot!

No, it was at least 100ºF earlier, only now that it's past midnight is it not burning hot inside.

 

[DoFoT9]

kno why this could be happening??? is there always data/electricity/wateva travelliong thru the northbridge thus making it hot?? howmuch does the temp increase under load??

 

[DoFoT9]

No, it was at least 100ºF earlier, only now that it's past midnight is it not burning hot inside.

niiiicceeee.. ok ill give u that 100 is starting to push it, in humidity which im guessing youd have lots of

 

[thagomizer]

On my Mac Pro 2.66:

CPU A: 99
CPU B: 97
Ambient: 76
Northbridge: 180
Expansion slots: 104

Yikes!

 

[hugodrax]

On my Mac Pro 2.66:

CPU A: 99
CPU B: 97
Ambient: 76
Northbridge: 180
Expansion slots: 104

Yikes!

180 is hot, Running at those temps for extended periods will shorten the life of the chip.

For some reason the SMC software in the Mac Pro is not aggressive enough to insure things stay within safe temperatures. They need to readjust the RPM curves a bit. I recommend you download smcFancontrol and tweak the fan-speeds just enough to keep things 162 and under.

 

[kitki83]

UPDATE~

Installed smcFanControl

Drop my NorthBridge temp to to 157 average
I just increased rear fan to twice the speed from 500 to 1000.

 

[larryr3455]

Hot Northbridge

My Mac Pro has had low temps (noted via iStats widget) but after a year and a half at 2GB RAM I recently upgraded my RAM to 4GB and immediatley noted that iStats was showing Northbridge temp. at 160F. It was never that high before. I run my computer 24/7 and also run Folding@Home calculations on all four processors 24/7. I'm keeping my eye on that temperature and also fiddling with the minimum fan speeds using smcFanControl.

 

[trainguy77]

I wonder if the northbridges have bad thermal paste on them.

 

[DoFoT9]

My Mac Pro has had low temps (noted via iStats widget) but after a year and a half at 2GB RAM I recently upgraded my RAM to 4GB and immediatley noted that iStats was showing Northbridge temp. at 160F. It was never that high before. I run my computer 24/7 and also run Folding@Home calculations on all four processors 24/7. I'm keeping my eye on that temperature and also fiddling with the minimum fan speeds using smcFanControl.

well there is your problem right there, if your folding then its bound to make the temps as hot as possible. if i were you, id turn down the CPU usage to 80%, i did that on my MBP and the temperatures come down into my comfort level, and it gives you extra room to play with for other things such as backing up, opening large files etc.

I wonder if the northbridges have bad thermal paste on them.

if it were, maybe apple would replace it under warranty?

 

[trainguy77]

if it were, maybe apple would replace it under warranty?

Some how i doubt it. As i recall it happened before. I don't remember what model it was on.