Problems after updating MacOS to Mojave

[KriStellar26]

Hi All. Right now I kind of wish I stuck with High Sierra. I had no issues with it. But I wanted dark mode, so I figured I'd try Mojave, and that's as far as I'd go. Ever since I updated to Mojave I've noticed my machine overheating. I can actually hear the fan running, which I don't think I ever heard previously. And it is hot to the touch on the bottom! I wasn't even using it both times I noticed it. It was sitting idle. I have a MacBook Pro 13-inch, Mid-2012. When I got it I upgraded memory to 16 GB and installed a 1 TB SSD.

My other problem which I reported here previously. Cannot get my external monitors to sleep when idle. So I have it set up so that the lid is closed and I have one external connected to the thunderbolt port and the other to the USB 3.0. No problems displaying both. But the displays will NOT sleep when idle! I have no trouble with it on battery, with no externals connected. And I noticed today that the screen saver engaged when only the thunderbolt monitor was connected. So it must be related to the USB 3.0 connected monitor. I use a bluetooth magic mouse/keyboard with this setup. I turn them off when not in use to preserve battery. I also have been noticing that the machine will not wake up when I turn the keyboard on. It used to be I'd hit the spacebar a few times and it would wake up. I've had to open/close the lid since the update.

These all may seem like minor annoyances mostly.. but it worked perfectly on High Sierra. The overheating is most concerning to me. Anyone have any ideas? Any resolutions to the display/sleep/wake issues would also be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[KriStellar26]

FYI - Before updating I did use Carbon Copy Cloner to do a complete image of my system.... and I have been considering going back if these problems continue. I rather have a fully functional system over dark mode!

 

[Taz Mangus]

Try doing an erase and install of Mojave.

 

[KriStellar26]

If doing that is the only solution, I would probably choose to restore back to High Sierra. I know High Sierra works as expected and I never had heat issues with that OS.

 

[MacUser2525]

If doing that is the only solution, I would probably choose to restore back to High Sierra. I know High Sierra works as expected and I never had heat issues with that OS.

I would say you have your solution then. To check on the heat get something like iStat Menus which will show the running process and see if a lot of mdworker threads are there. This would be the indexing of the new install it would heat up your machine while doing it and could take some time to complete. For the monitors no clue.

 

[KeesMacPro]

+1 for indexing.
Did you check activity monitor ?

 

[KriStellar26]

Yes I spent about an hour in activity monitor this afternoon. Though I’m not very familiar with macOS tasks. I updated to Mojave on 7/30. So how long should it generally take to do the indexing? I also thought it could be Google Chrome, I’ve seen complaints online about that taking CPU resources. But I just uninstalled it completely to see if that makes a difference (though I do rely heavily on Chrome). Earlier I only had two finder windows open, idle, and it was hot to the touch. Last time I noticed it I hadn’t used it in hours. I never turn it off, I just leave it plugged in closed on my desk when not in use. Then usually I can turn the keyboard on and wake it up.. which really just means to bring up the lock screen. I have to force the screen to lock right now because the displays won’t sleep. Then I just manually power off the monitors.

 

[MacUser2525]

Yes I spent about an hour in activity monitor this afternoon. Though I’m not very familiar with macOS tasks. I updated to Mojave on 7/30. So how long should it generally take to do the indexing? I also thought it could be Google Chrome, I’ve seen complaints online about that taking CPU resources. But I just uninstalled it completely to see if that makes a difference (though I do rely heavily on Chrome). Earlier I only had two finder windows open, idle, and it was hot to the touch. Last time I noticed it I hadn’t used it in hours. I never turn it off, I just leave it plugged in closed on my desk when not in use. Then usually I can turn the keyboard on and wake it up.. which really just means to bring up the lock screen. I have to force the screen to lock right now because the displays won’t sleep. Then I just manually power off the monitors.

Should not take near a month to do the indexing, was there anything in there showing a lot of cpu time usage when you were looking at it?

 

[KriStellar26]

I am going to attach a screen shot of the top processes for CPU time. Does this tell you anything?

 

[MacUser2525]

I am going to attach a screen shot of the top processes for CPU time. Does this tell you anything?

Yes next to nothing taking any of the processor, at ~12% the WindowServer is the same as mine with dozens of windows open. I think I am out of ideas here there appears to be nothing running taking a lot of the CPU to heat it up. You may be back to your original idea of going back to the old OS.

 

[KriStellar26]

Yeah it’s pretty weird considering now I have nothing open except Safari (I removed Chrome for now). The CPU graph below is almost flat. But earlier it was all over the place. It was definitely worse. But I can’t imagine Chrome alone caused the heat issue.. it was definitely hotter earlier, but it is still pretty hot now with nothing really happening. So this makes no sense.

 

[MacUser2525]

Yeah it’s pretty weird considering now I have nothing open except Safari (I removed Chrome for now). The CPU graph below is almost flat. But earlier it was all over the place. It was definitely worse. But I can’t imagine Chrome alone caused the heat issue.. it was definitely hotter earlier, but it is still pretty hot now with nothing really happening. So this makes no sense.

One thing that could be worth considering is replacing the thermal paste now I look at the age again. If you have not done it before it is best to get someone who knows how to do it. But I would think that if it is is the original still in there it is well past it useful life and is rather dried out / useless by now.

Edit: A good cleaning of the fans in it would be another thing to be done when apart.

 

[AppleSmack]

FYI - Before updating I did use Carbon Copy Cloner to do a complete image of my system.... and I have been considering going back if these problems continue. I rather have a fully functional system over dark mode!

Try resetting PRAM

Reset NVRAM on your Mac – Apple Support (UK)

If one or more settings stored in NVRAM aren't working as expected on an Intel-based Mac, resetting NVRAM may help.

support.apple.com

And resetting SMC https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201295

If that doesn't resolve things, I'm glad to read that you imaged the system before updating... Just revert back to High Sierra.

 

[KriStellar26]

Try resetting PRAM

Reset NVRAM on your Mac – Apple Support (UK)

If one or more settings stored in NVRAM aren't working as expected on an Intel-based Mac, resetting NVRAM may help.

support.apple.com

And resetting SMC https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201295

If that doesn't resolve things, I'm glad to read that you imaged the system before updating... Just revert back to High Sierra.

Thank you. I tried that right after updating, as it was suggested for the monitor issue on another thread I started. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to have helped either issue. I tried doing the SMC again last night, and again no improvement. The heat problem doesn't appear to be present right now (on battery, no external displays) -- but then again the lid is open, which also allows more ventilation. If I had more space I would probably just leave the lid open. But I work from home now, so I have to accommodate a work PC also.

If it keeps up I may just end up reverting back

 

[KriStellar26]

One thing that could be worth considering is replacing the thermal paste now I look at the age again. If you have not done it before it is best to get someone who knows how to do it. But I would think that if it is is the original still in there it is well past it useful life and is rather dried out / useless by now.

Edit: A good cleaning of the fans in it would be another thing to be done when apart.

I did open it up yesterday to check for dust etc. I was able to blow it out without removing any parts. But it didn't help. I'll have to look into the thermal paste thing too... but being this started after the update, I doubt that is the cause of the heat. But it definitely can't hurt things! I have only had the device since 2016. I bought it brand new in box in 2016. I wanted the ports and CD rom and the ability to upgrade RAM and storage. So technically I have only used it now for about 4 years.

 

[MacUser2525]

I did open it up yesterday to check for dust etc. I was able to blow it out without removing any parts. But it didn't help. I'll have to look into the thermal paste thing too... but being this started after the update, I doubt that is the cause of the heat. But it definitely can't hurt things! I have only had the device since 2016. I bought it brand new in box in 2016. I wanted the ports and CD rom and the ability to upgrade RAM and storage. So technically I have only used it now for about 4 years.

Yes but the way Apple does these things it will have sat on a shelf for a couple of years at least. They only make a model for a couple of years at most then it is all from the leftover stock when you buy it for those out of date models. That would be six years which is a long time, there are numerous threads on here about redoing the brand new machines to get better temperatures because of bad pasting jobs. Who knows if it will help but it should not hurt to do it.

 

[chrfr]

Ever since I updated to Mojave I've noticed my machine overheating. I can actually hear the fan running, which I don't think I ever heard previously. And it is hot to the touch on the bottom!

Audible fans and a hot laptop bottom are not indicative that the computer is overheating. When you upgrade, the computer will spend time reindexing the drive and your photos library, and this can take several hours or more to complete.
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Yes but the way Apple does these things it will have sat on a shelf for a couple of years at least.

Apple sold the 2012 MacBook Pro 13" for 6 years. They do not make all the computers in advance and leave them in inventory; that's bad management to do so and ties up money in inventory unnecessarily.

 

[KriStellar26]

Audible fans and a hot laptop bottom are not indicative that the computer is overheating. When you upgrade, the computer will spend time reindexing the drive and your photos library, and this can take several hours or more to complete.
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Apple sold the 2012 MacBook Pro 13" for 6 years. They do not make all the computers in advance and leave them in inventory; that's bad management to do so and ties up money in inventory unnecessarily.

Yeah someone else brought this up.. but the computer was updated 7/30. It’s been almost a month.

I assume overheating because it just about burns my hand to touch it. I can’t imagine that’s good for the internal components? I usually (since I got it) have a protective case on my MacBook too. But I removed it yesterday to hopefully reduce heat. Or until I can get it to stay cool.

 

[MacUser2525]

Apple sold the 2012 MacBook Pro 13" for 6 years. They do not make all the computers in advance and leave them in inventory; that's bad management to do so and ties up money in inventory unnecessarily.

Pathetic, it is not bad enough they go with couple of year old tech most times in in them, they used it for six years afterwards besides.

 

[MacUser2525]

Yeah someone else brought this up.. but the computer was updated 7/30. It’s been almost a month.

I assume overheating because it just about burns my hand to touch it. I can’t imagine that’s good for the internal components? I usually (since I got it) have a protective case on my MacBook too. But I removed it yesterday to hopefully reduce heat. Or until I can get it to stay cool.

Another one to try, you said you made backup. Is it bootable? If so try booting from it and see if the same symptoms are maintained. Then you have tracked it down to the new OS for certain. From that point I would say trash it and go back to the old reliable.

 

[KriStellar26]

Another one to try, you said you made backup. Is it bootable? If so try booting from it and see if the same symptoms are maintained. Then you have tracked it down to the new OS for certain. From that point I would say trash it and go back to the old reliable.

Yes I did. And I booted to it yesterday. But probably not for long enough. It was so hot to start, I probably didn’t give it long enough to cool down. Maybe I will try that later. And leave it booted to that for a couple days. Unfortunately I messed up my Backblaze backup while doing that too. Another thing to figure out after I get this sorted.

 

[MacUser2525]

Yes I did. And I booted to it yesterday. But probably not for long enough. It was so hot to start, I probably didn’t give it long enough to cool down. Maybe I will try that later. And leave it booted to that for a couple days. Unfortunately I messed up my Backblaze backup while doing that too. Another thing to figure out after I get this sorted.

Lovely it is always the way when these things start to mess with you, it goes from one thing to the other. Just to try to drive you crazy I think some of the time.

 

[AppleSmack]

Have you tried scanning with malwarebytes?
And do you run your browser with ublock origin?

Crypto mining scripts on some websites or malware can send the CPU mad!

It would be a coincidence for this to happen after an upgrade, but it's worth a try.