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Re-applied the thermal paste on my MacBook Pro... AMAZING results!

gazfocus said:
I'm replacing the bottom casing of my MBP when the new casing arrives. Do you think it's worth applying my own thermal paste when it comes to rebuilding the MBP into the new case?
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The heatpipes are attached to the bottom casing, so you will have to detach them from the cpu/gpu anyway, and it's a bad idea not to apply new thermal paste when putting it back together.

dquack said:
I was using HB to burn The Kingdom. I have used it before with no problems. My fan control only allows me to crank up to 3500 rpm. Will look for an update.
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I also believe there must be something wrong with your fans. Maybe one of them isn't working. If your thermal paste would be the problem, your idle temps would be much higher. But the extremely high temperatures under load indicate that there is some kind of ventilation problem... Try to crank up both fans separately with smcFanControl, and see if they both go to 'full throttle'.
 
I slid each fan control separately, both fans turned up to max then after about 2 seconds idled back down to about 3300 rpm. Is it normal under SMC for the fans to turn back to a slower speed after they ramp up?
 
I didn't read the whole thread, but if you're not having any luck getting any feedback from Apple, maybe a tech journalist would be interested?
 
dquack said:
I slid each fan control separately, both fans turned up to max then after about 2 seconds idled back down to about 3300 rpm. Is it normal under SMC for the fans to turn back to a slower speed after they ramp up?
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No, the fans should keep on running at the speed you have chosen (or higher). Did you download the latest version? There appear to be two editions (1.23 and 2.1) but they basically do the same thing, and they both work on my MBP.
 
I have 2.1.2 and the fans go back down to about 3,000 rpm after about 10 seconds, but there isn't a load on the computer. I was looking at the FAQ and it basically said if there is no load that SMC will vamp down, but if there is a load on the laptop that the fans will stay at the preset rpm.
 
Do these temps equal out? I thought if CPU A was hot the rest of the laptop would be running hot. I can put my finger where it hinges no problem, usually when it is cranking the CPU's I can hardly touch it there, but right now it isn't that bad even though my temps say it is over 200.

The left temp pic is Fahrenheit and the right is Celsius.
 

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I happen to have a MBP Late 2007 2.2GHz model. My GPU diode happens to be at 67C while the heatsink is around 12C less. Is that normal? This is when I I'm running like Safari, Finder windows and Firefox.

In addition, mine went through servicing due to the 8600GT problem.
 
hey all - i'm going to resurrect this thread so maybe i can get some answers...
i have the first gen macbook pro 17" 2.16 Core Duo (not C2D). over the last year it has had increasing problems with overheating... at a certain point the graphics will freeze - altho sound will continue - and a hard reboot is necessary. the only way i can make it thru a movie streamed on hulu for example is to have the fans running at approx 5-6000 rpm - i use SMC Fan Control for this. Expose is completely unusable as it leads to freezes probably 75% of the time, for the first two years this never happened. this is also a problem with DVD's altho less so for some reason... anyway, i became more and more frustrated with this problem - it began to happen when i was just using Photoshop heavily.
so i decided to reapply the thermal paste - this went off without a hitch, i applied a thin and even layer and noticed a *slight* change in temp, maybe a couple of degrees - *maybe*
last week i found out about Coolbook which i installed and have been using... i have to say the documentation for this app sucks and i have to wonder if i've set it up correctly...
but in any case i'm pretty damn frustrated...
why should a $2500 machine become nearly unusable after just 3 years?? i've had thinkpads that were 6 years old that worked better. my folks Dell's are probably 4-5 years old and have no problems... so what the hell? why should i have to run all this software which only partially helps, take out my damn logic board reapply thermal paste and STILL have this problem??
am i the only one?
are you listening Apple?
this is LAME.
bennett
 
bobthebob said:
hey all - i'm going to resurrect this thread so maybe i can get some answers...
i have the first gen macbook pro 17" 2.16 Core Duo (not C2D). over the last year it has had increasing problems with overheating... at a certain point the graphics will freeze - altho sound will continue - and a hard reboot is necessary. the only way i can make it thru a movie streamed on hulu for example is to have the fans running at approx 5-6000 rpm - i use SMC Fan Control for this. Expose is completely unusable as it leads to freezes probably 75% of the time, for the first two years this never happened. this is also a problem with DVD's altho less so for some reason... anyway, i became more and more frustrated with this problem - it began to happen when i was just using Photoshop heavily.
so i decided to reapply the thermal paste - this went off without a hitch, i applied a thin and even layer and noticed a *slight* change in temp, maybe a couple of degrees - *maybe*
last week i found out about Coolbook which i installed and have been using... i have to say the documentation for this app sucks and i have to wonder if i've set it up correctly...
but in any case i'm pretty damn frustrated...
why should a $2500 machine become nearly unusable after just 3 years?? i've had thinkpads that were 6 years old that worked better. my folks Dell's are probably 4-5 years old and have no problems... so what the hell? why should i have to run all this software which only partially helps, take out my damn logic board reapply thermal paste and STILL have this problem??
am i the only one?
are you listening Apple?
this is LAME.
bennett
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear you're having this issue; from what I understand if you're having graphics problems it may be the problem with the X1600 GPU in that machine.

It sounds like you may be out of warranty, but I think you can still take it to a Genius and have it looked at.
 
Summer time

My 15" started overheating again now that the ambient temp is 75-80 instead of 60-65. Probably time to open it up and clean the cat fur off the fans and heat sink again.
 
bobthebob said:
hey all - i'm going to resurrect this thread so maybe i can get some answers...
i have the first gen macbook pro 17" 2.16 Core Duo (not C2D). over the last year it has had increasing problems with overheating... at a certain point the graphics will freeze - altho sound will continue - and a hard reboot is necessary. the only way i can make it thru a movie streamed on hulu for example is to have the fans running at approx 5-6000 rpm - i use SMC Fan Control for this. Expose is completely unusable as it leads to freezes probably 75% of the time, for the first two years this never happened. this is also a problem with DVD's altho less so for some reason... anyway, i became more and more frustrated with this problem - it began to happen when i was just using Photoshop heavily.
so i decided to reapply the thermal paste - this went off without a hitch, i applied a thin and even layer and noticed a *slight* change in temp, maybe a couple of degrees - *maybe*
last week i found out about Coolbook which i installed and have been using... i have to say the documentation for this app sucks and i have to wonder if i've set it up correctly...
but in any case i'm pretty damn frustrated...
why should a $2500 machine become nearly unusable after just 3 years?? i've had thinkpads that were 6 years old that worked better. my folks Dell's are probably 4-5 years old and have no problems... so what the hell? why should i have to run all this software which only partially helps, take out my damn logic board reapply thermal paste and STILL have this problem??
am i the only one?
are you listening Apple?
this is LAME.
bennett
Click to expand...

Im having EXACTLY the same problem with the same model. will try to apply the thermal paste as well and let you know. but i always had problems with my graphic card, expecially using boot camp because it was constantly overheating and freezing when using any kind of 3d application (games or shockwave stuff online) and i had to install drivers from the very first version of bootcamp in order to be able to do something. Now since about a month or so i cant even watch videos on youtube without having problems. That really sucks.
 
zakmckracken said:
Im having EXACTLY the same problem with the same model. will try to apply the thermal paste as well and let you know. but i always had problems with my graphic card, expecially using boot camp because it was constantly overheating and freezing when using any kind of 3d application (games or shockwave stuff online) and i had to install drivers from the very first version of bootcamp in order to be able to do something. Now since about a month or so i cant even watch videos on youtube without having problems. That really sucks.
Click to expand...

You don't have an 8600 right?
 
can someone tell me how to do this with the 17" Core Duo?
(not unibody)

i can't find it on the ifixit.com website.

i'd like to do this for my 17" CD 2.16GHz Macbook Pro

Also, how many tubes of Arctic Silver 5 do i need?
the site i found has one tube of 3.5 grams is that enough?
 
i am going to perform this operation on my CoreDuo MBP very soon (idles at around 80°C). so this is very good news :D:D:D:D

as for the other topic to the thread of it only lasting 3 years or whatever - its made to only last that long.. they want you to upgrade etcetc. stupid throw-away society!
 
80C? my Core Duo MacBook Pro idles around 65 and i use smcFanControl to keep it cool when chugging and in portable mode.

ive ordered a 250GB 7200.4 to replace my slow, aging 80GB 5400.2 so i will be in the guts soon, but i dont know if i would be able to take the mobo out and re-apply the thermal paste. will be interested in how your temps are afterwards Dofy!
 
richthomas said:
80C? my Core Duo MacBook Pro idles around 65 and i use smcFanControl to keep it cool when chugging and in portable mode.

ive ordered a 250GB 7200.4 to replace my slow, aging 80GB 5400.2 so i will be in the guts soon, but i dont know if i would be able to take the mobo out and re-apply the thermal paste. will be interested in how your temps are afterwards Dofy!
Click to expand...

hard to believe right?! but it seriously does idle at that. i dont modify the fans though, probably a silly move but i trust apple enough to do it properly :p

ive been inside the computer a coupla times in the last few days trying to get my optical bay HD caddy working (which is has not been doing), so im used to pulling everything apart. its actually pretty easy getting into the bottom of the computer! once i purchase the thermal paste and put it all in ill let you know how i go :)

also, i have a 500GB sammy in mine :D
 
richthomas said:
is it the 7200.4? how snappy is it? and whats the boot time like with all your data and settings.
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nope its only a 5400 lol they didnt have 7200's when i bought it!

its pretty snappy though! the consistent read/write of this drive are that of my old 7200RPM stock drive! so i was happy with the purchase.

boot times to the login screen are good, i would say about 1minute (just a guess), login times are pretty bad, probably another minute or two until i can get applications to start responding - i have heaps of things open and stuff.
 
Not unless they can tell you've been in the case.
A typical self application of the paste is not going to be any worse than Apple's application; which as best I can tell is bad.
 
jessica. said:
Not unless they can tell you've been in the case.
A typical self application of the paste is not going to be any worse than Apple's application; which as best I can tell is bad.
Click to expand...

Well, it doesn't take a keen eye to distinguish Arctic Silver 5 from typical rubbish thermal paste. Can you do it so they wouldn't notice?

Good thermal paste improves things significantly; this has always been true. It's the warranty that stands in the way...
 
On the note, I had no idea there'd be that much of a difference between Arctic Silver 5 and their crap. Having never done it myself and having no need to (between a Mini, MP, and MB Air), I would say if you're careful and can conceal it as it should very well be, possibly not.

I mean, is it so different that they can come back and say you did re-apply it? Or would it really take a keen eye (which many geninuasses don't have) to differentiate between the two?
 
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