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Tiger likes the heat!!! PB getting hotter than hell

DaveClarkOne said:
Following this advice, I see something chewing on my ram and processor called "Window Server" --is this Bill's hot and sexy stuff? And if so, how do I get rid of it (I do have Virtual PC, but it isn't running w/out my permission)
Click to expand...

Window Server isn't something you should kill. It's essentially the display manager, or in other words, everything you see on screen. Window Server is a UNIX term for the computer's GUI. It has nothing to do with either VPC or Microsoft Windows. It's normal for it to eat a sizeable chunk of RAM and occasionally some noticeable processor usage (Exposé, Dock effects, window resizing, etc.).
 
DaveClarkOne said:
Following this advice, I see something chewing on my ram and processor called "Window Server" --is this Bill's hot and sexy stuff? And if so, how do I get rid of it (I do have Virtual PC, but it isn't running w/out my permission)
Click to expand...
WindowServer has nothing to do with M$. WindowServer is the parent of Finder and is how we see windows in the GUI. It can't be gotten rid of. If it is using a large amount of CPU, them you may have a corrupt icon or file on your desktop. Try moving items off your desktop into a folder one-by-one until CPU goes to normal. Then the last item moved is the culprit.

Edit: I did not see similar post above until after I posted.
 
I'm beginning to think it's GPU related, too.

I just closed all my apps and let the powerbook sit there. It's been sitting now for 20 - 25 minutes and the fan is still going full bore. The PB is doing nothing. No screen saver or anything, just displaying the desktop in all it's beautiful glory. At this point, it's greyed out a little bit for energy savings, but the fan is still spinning at max speed.

Also, when the fan first comes on, it starts at full speed. There are no intermediate steps, like I used to have with Panther when I was doing a lot of work or something. It's appearing that the only time the fan goes off is when it finally goes to sleep because I haven't touched it for a bit.

My specs: Ti Powerbook 800 Mhz, 1Ghz RAM, 80GB HDD, SuperDrive, OS 10.4 (I've had Tiger installed now for about 5 days)

I know this behavior is not normal based on my experience with Panther.

I took a screenshot of the Activity viewer and the average CPU % was about 3-5% maybe... If that. So, the only other place for all the heat would be the GPU.

And there is a lot of heat. I'm sitting in my room here with the door closed, and the room with my powerbook and junky Windows 2K PC running, is getting really warm.

I hope I get something to fix this soon. I don't really want to use my powerbook with the cooling fan running constantly. Not only will it wear out sooner, I just don't like having to hit the function keys and trying my best not to singe the tips of my fingers on the metal nearby. (That and the thought of instant infertility doesn't appeal that much to me.)

Please help Apple!!!

Thanks...
 
I concur

As soon as I installed Tiger mine runs hotter. It appears to be more efficient, especially by having much more RAM free constantly. But I have the same problem where the fan no longer comes on in intermediate steps. With Panther it was hard to know if the fan was on, it was very difficult to hear. But now it comes on roaring, almost sounds like a PC laptop. I miss that slow speed, it cooled it and was inaudible.
 
Somethin about that GPU...maybe Core Image is doing it? My PB kicks on a lot more often as well. I wonder if the non Core Image Supported VCards are having the same issue. The Towers don't have that problem, as they have more fans, and more air cooling space.
 
engelhart said:
I havn't checked the temps but on a mere qualitative assessment, it seems that the fans on my 17" 1.5ghz Powerbook are coming on far more often than they used to (and I have never used Virex).

Intriguing.

Simon
Click to expand...

Same here. Never used Virex too. Yesterday my Powerbook was running extremely hot. Over 120F... Restart solved problem... I feel like it might have something to do with the GPU... Any other 128 MB VRAm users have hot powerbooks?
 
I just updated my powerbook to tiger. I sure hope it doesn't get hotter than it was. It used to get almost too hot to touch!
 
Upgraded the PB in my sig to 10.4.1 today.

Temperature Monitor says my PB is running at a nice 39 deg C now with Safari, iChat, iTunes and 5 widgets in the dashboard. It did hit 41 deg C earlier when i was moving some files around. System uptime since update: ~4 hours, all with the PB sitting either on my lap or on my recliner.

I will say this.

Before i did my new install i:

Repaired Permissions
Ran MacJanitor
Ran MacSweeper
Reparied Permissions again
Restarted--> then did archive and install

Working great....
 
hard drive 5400rpm

Put me on the list of hot powerbooks..
Tiger is running much hotter than Panther. Don't know why.
But I didn't help the cause by putting in a 5400rpm Toshiba 60gb hard drive. The fan is on 24/7 now.. i'm disgruntled. I had the replace my last toshiba hard drive because it fried (basically, S.M.A.R.T. status said it was failing, then it crapped out.. I think that was due to the overnight video compressions and stuff..) I must admit, i haven't had the best luck with macs.. got it replaced 3 times within the first 3 months.. then had a complete break down of the hard drive which I had to format like 5 times.. then my lacie porsche drive craps out and have to get it replaced.. hmm, video stuff is not very good on these things surprisingly.

The only activity on the acitvity monitor is itself at 8%.. Hmm, I'm thinking it's the hard drive too..

PB 12" 1ghz 60gb 5400rpm 768mb ram
 
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