MacBook Pro shuts off after intense games

[kolax]

Recently, I've noticed my MBP running hot (sometimes about 60'C when I'm not doing anything). Fans are usually on at 4000rpm and that's without any fan control software.

I installed Need For Speed - Pro Street (via Boot Camp), and after about 10 minutes of playing, Windows XP will force the computer to go into standby. The bottom of the MBP is unbelievably hot, and if I check the temperatures if I restart in OS X the CPU is still cooling down from a hot 96'C.

This can't be normal...

 

[Beric]

What are your specs and your graphics card? And how are those compared to the requirements of the games you're playing?

 

[GaseousPlatypus]

This is a result of your computer's temperature exceeding it's safe operating temperature, so that's why it's automatically going into standby.

96º is ludicrously hot. I notice mine gets up to 70-80 playing games, but at that point I think the graphics card throttles back, since I've noticed my framerate takes a hit at high temperatures.

I'd bring it in to an Apple store and have them check it out.

 

[kolax]

What are your specs and your graphics card? And how are those compared to the requirements of the games you're playing?

GeForce M8600GT 256MB, and I'm using 175.63 nVidia drivers, although the heat problem was the same with the stock Boot Camp drivers.

My MBP is well within the requirements. It isn't the performance I'm concerned about, it is the fact that it gets this hot. I've put the laptop on its front (so the exhaust is up in the air to allow the hot air to rise through the exhaust) and it runs cooler, but still damn hot.

Unfortunately the nearest Apple Store is a drag away, but I'm considering a trip.

 

[peapody]

hmm So is this the symptom of the faulty GPU? I have been wondering what users will experience with the card.

 

[Firefly2002]

Doubt it's related to the GPU.

Given that your CPU is hitting 96C, it probably means (definitely, actually, as things cool quickly) that you're definitely over 96C.

My Toshiba laptop would shut down after a while of playing Max Payne 2 and sometimes Doom 3; then I undervolted it from 1.308 V @ 1.6 GHz to .940 V. It never did that again.

Computers automatically shut down (newer ones anyway, including the MacBook Pro) when they hit a certain temperature.... sometimes this is user-adjustable, sometimes not. This can apply to different components, such as the CPU, HDD, and I guess maybe the GPU, though GPUs are very easy to throttle so I don't see why that would happen.

 

[tonkadu]

Same here

My macbook pro does the same thing (shuts off abruptly) when playing games and performing other processor intensive tasks. I have a 15" MBP 2.16Ghz Intel Core Duo w 2gb ram and the 256mb radeon X1600 graphics chip running OS X 10.5.4 (although my cpu has done the same thing with Tiger as well). The shut off also happens while ripping cds, using parallels, and strangely, while printing large pdf documents to certain printers. My temp on shut off is generally slightly above 250 F (at least this is what temp smc fan control tells me the processor is running at). I had my logic board replaced and and it still does the same thing, it's really frustrating. At this point I've just given up hope and avoided doing some of the things that cause the shut downs. Let me know if you ever figure it out.

 

[Radio Monk33]

Hmm assuming there's no overclocking involved, that's definitely not normal. Maybe they can reapply the thermal paste on the CPU?

 

[hijaxOO7]

Hmm assuming there's no overclocking involved, that's definitely not normal. Maybe they can reapply the thermal paste on the CPU?

As said above, how long have you had your macbook? Use arctic silver, best way to apply it is to take off the heatsink, put your finger in the corner of a ziplock bag, put some on the outside of the bag on the tip of your finger (small amount) and apply it to your processor.

It sounds like a classic overheating problem.

 

[kolax]

My one year guarantee is up with Apple, but I have a second year with John Lewis (retailer I bought if from). I'm going to take it in and see if they can get the thermal paste reapplied through their 3rd party vender (Scotsys).

Having checked out a few stats from people who have reapplied the thermal paste, I'm amazed how cooler it is. My average idling temperature is about 60'C, and going up close to 90'C when encoding video.

 

[ftored]

Maybe try some of those cooler bases too that you put laptop on. Sometimes they help a lot Just for your gaming if that is where the problem is in peak.