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Will mb be cooler without CD-drive?

F

folky

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 18, 2010
6
0
I was wondering could i cool down my macbook black by taking off the cd-drive. How hard is it to remove it? Will there be any erros when i start the computer without cd-drive?

I've opened the case many times and cleaned it and i also know what kind of softwares i am using. Still the computer gets very hot (fan start to spin fast) with light load.

The best scenario would be that you could install new fan to replace the cd-drive :D

PS i know that the cd-drive is not heating up the computer but there would be much more space for air circulation.
 
I'd suggest you leave the optical drive in the Macbook. Blackbooks, like your's, do get very hot and spin their fans a lot even under a light load. There isn't really anything that can be done about it.
 
If temp is what you're after, have you tried using smcFanControl to keep the fans running a little faster at their default speeds?
 
The noise is the issue. I dont want the fan to spin constantly. This is how maybe 2 fans (the extra one on the place of the cd-drive) would keep the overall noise lower.
 
Another one in the optical drive area will not help. It'll just move hot air around in that little place. Where would you get power for it as well?
 
AFAIK, your fan already constantly spins, you just don't hear it until it gets into higher RPMs (4000+?)

If you bump it up 500RPM (just a tiny bit from default RPM), it may keep it cooler longer, before it has to rev up to a RPM that you can hear.
 
The same place the cd-drive gets? And also there is the hole where the cds get in to give more air.
 
And btw yes i know that the fan is spinnin constantly but the noise is not there before the higher rounds.
 
But there is no heat sink for the fan to cool off and the cd slot is slim and covered with a fabric to keep dust out. Hence, very little air could be forced through it, even with the protective fabric removed.
 
Intell said:
But there is no heat sink for the fan to cool off and the cd slot is slim and covered with a fabric to keep dust out. Hence, very little air could be forced through it, even with the protective fabric removed.
Click to expand...

Ok that's good point. Thanks for the information.

Still, any experiences removing the cd-drive? Will the computer boot normally?
 
blackburn said:
if your brave enough you could change the thermal paste. Apple usually did a sloppy job on older macbooks
Click to expand...

+100. Change the thermal paste and make sure heatsink is reattached well. That will fix it.

And I can confirm as well that these Macbooks will work without an optical drive just fine. Taking one out requires removing a few screws including a tricky one under displays/speaker cables. Not too hard though.
 
I don't think removing the CD drive will make it cooler. The CD drive doesn't contribute to the heat unless its in use... If your blackbook is getting hotter than you would like, try turning the fans up with SMC Fan Control or try using it in a cooler enviroment and on a cool, hard surface ;)
 
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