Super hot Powerbook

[lil tiger]

Lately my powerbook (12") seems UNBEARABLY hot. I use it on my chest/stomach while laying down. While I realize this is probably not ideal for the fan, it has never been this hot before. It is so hot I am breaking out in a sweat, and my small room becomes stifling (due to the door being closed with this heat source). I did send back my battery in the recall, but its not the battery side that is hot. Actually, its probably the coolest area. The hottest is the left side/top left. It seems to only get this hot while using the adapter. When it's running off the battery, it is only a bit warm (as expected). Does this mean my adapter is probably messed up in some way?

and FWIW, my dashboard CPU heat has it at 62C or 144F

 

[shu82]

That is pretty normal at least with my 17". I have to put it over the covers when I use it in bed.

 

[thedude110]

Can't say anything "officialish," but can tell you that my 15" PB (1.67) gets wicked hot all the time (as in like, "Crap! Is this going to burn me?" hot).

I used to joke that your PB is just trying to keep you warm. That it cares that much for you (and maybe has a mildly sadistic edge to that caring).

Fact is, the effing G4 (I love my G4/*pets PowerBook*) just runs hot.

 

[lil tiger]

Thanks for the replies guys! Maybe it just seems hotter because the weather is warmer..

Shu- how do you stand the covers AND the pb?

thedude- I know the feeling of 'is this going to burn me?' very well! I used my left hand to prop the pb off my stomach and when I removed my hand a few minutes later ,it was bright red- and it stayed like that for over an hour

I too, love it anyway <3

 

[zblaxberg]

my macbook pro gets to around 122 Fahrenheit normally

 

[shu82]

Thanks for the replies guys! Maybe it just seems hotter because the weather is warmer..

Shu- how do you stand the covers AND the pb?

thedude- I know the feeling of 'is this going to burn me?' very well! I used my left hand to prop the pb off my stomach and when I removed my hand a few minutes later ,it was bright red- and it stayed like that for over an hour

I too, love it anyway <3

If I don't, it gets so hot it is unbearable on my skin. It sucks to have a laptop I can't put in my lap. But I love it to death.

 

[deadpixels]

by experience the former powerbooks were normally much cooler than the mbpro's so it might not be normal if it's as warm as a mbpro. i can't say for a 12" though as i never owned one.

 

[JohanVild]

You can download Hardware Monitor if you're concerned about there being something wrong with it. It will tell you the temperature for the different components and recommended temperatures.

 

[aarond12]

by experience the former powerbooks were normally much cooler than the mbpro's so it might not be normal if it's as warm as a mbpro. i can't say for a 12" though as i never owned one.

My 15" MacBook Pro (2.16GHz Core Duo -- Fan Control extension installed) is significantly cooler than my 15" PowerBook G4 Aluminum (1.25GHz). When I operate the PowerBook on my lap, even with blue jeans on, my legs become red from the heat. I've heard the 12" PowerBooks are even worse!

I wish there was a similar extension to Fan Control for PowerPC-based laptops. It really keeps my MacBook Pro cool.

 

[deadpixels]

My 15" MacBook Pro (2.16GHz Core Duo -- Fan Control extension installed) is significantly cooler than my 15" PowerBook G4 Aluminum (1.25GHz). When I operate the PowerBook on my lap, even with blue jeans on, my legs become red from the heat. I've heard the 12" PowerBooks are even worse!

I wish there was a similar extension to Fan Control for PowerPC-based laptops. It really keeps my MacBook Pro cool.

you must have been unlucky cauz i actually owned a 1.25ghz alubook before and it wasn't near as hot as yours. it seems it's just pure luck as some report their mbpro as hot and some don't. i don't use fan control on my mbpro 2.16 and i don't have any problem with it.

 

[macnvrbck]

Ever since the last software update my PowerBook seems to be HOT all the time too with the fans running nearly constantly. I'm not sure what the deal is, but it's much louder than it has ever been!

I'll check the tempature when I get home.

 

[dcv]

Ever since the last software update my PowerBook seems to be HOT all the time too with the fans running nearly constantly. I'm not sure what the deal is, but it's much louder than it has ever been!

I'll check the tempature when I get home.

My 12" PowerBook has been running hot with fans on constantly (even after a reboot with only a few apps running) for the past few months. I put this down to the fact that I have little disk space left and do run lots of apps simultaneously. I'm not sure what difference the last Software Update would have made

To the OP: it's not really designed to be used on your chest/stomach! I think Apple call it a 'notebook' rather than a 'laptop' computer. Try standing it on a hard flat surface - a book, chopping board etc so as not to block the vents and burn your skin, or perhaps invest in an iLap.

 

[lil tiger]

thanks JohanVild, I will look into that!
dcv- I also have not much free space, I am gonna delete some stuff and see if that makes a difference.
ah, I will try a book or something, thanks

 

[lil tiger]

Just an update- I cleared up some space, and now it's back to how it used to be (warm-ish, but MUCH better than how it was when I made this thread) so thanks so much for the suggestion dcv

 

[dcv]

Just an update- I cleared up some space, and now it's back to how it used to be (warm-ish, but MUCH better than how it was when I made this thread) so thanks so much for the suggestion dcv

Excellent I really ought to take my own advice then as my PowerBook's constant fans are driving me mad! Perhaps I'll try to clear some stuff off mine this weekend...

 

[rossgumbrell]

My 12" gets insanely hot sometimes. Not so much about showing up in istat, but the casing itself. the bottom gets pretty hot but the killer is the bit just about the keyboard, the bit where the powerbutton is but right in the center.

I actually burnt my fingers on that once, like, literally BURNT. had 2 nasty red marks on my fingers, didnt blister though, that would have been worrying... that being said, ive never ever ever heard my PB fans come on and they are always shown as being off in system profiler. is there a way to check they are working?

 

[chex]

Ever since the last software update my PowerBook seems to be HOT all the time too with the fans running nearly constantly. I'm not sure what the deal is, but it's much louder than it has ever been!

I'll check the tempature when I get home.

same here; cpu and gpu at 55C

the fans almost *never* came on until the update, and I have 20+GB free

 

[dcv]

I downloaded that Temperature widget thing and mine is reporting a pretty constant 59 to 60C, fans always on. I'm down to 3GB space, so could really do with clearing some stuff off (not really an option though) or buying a new MBP!