Macbook Pro 2011 - Overheating Fix!? (3/10/11 Day 69)

Here's how I fixed the overheating problem on my 15" Macbook Pro:

I got my new 15" Macbook Pro this tuesday. And I saw some people reporting about overheating problems on the new Macbooks. I tried to run Portal, but my computer froze after about 2 minutes playing. I got another crash when I tried to export a short 720p video in iMovie.

The CPU was at about 90C at that time. After some research, I tried to reset the System Management Controller (SMC) - it controls the fans and some other power management stuff. And now my Macbook runs just fine! No more freezes and crashes. Although it still get's really hot, which might be a side-effect of the thermal paste issue.

Anyway, if you experience the same problems with your Macbook, maybe just try to reset the SMC. For Macbooks with the built in batteries, you just have to shut down the computer and then press shift+control+option+command+power button and release them at the same time.

Day 69 of my daily VLogs. I'm trying to upload one video per day for a whole year. Click subscribe to keep track of my life ;)


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[pablorea]

hey can you help me ... what gadget are you using to see the temperature in the macbook pro?? I can`t see any... I have been having that problem, it freezes, like thinking for some time and then works.. I just bought 8gb to upgrade it. Hopefully it gets better..

[dailyluke]

@pablorea it's iStat Pro, you can download it for free, just google it. Have you tried to do a software update? Apple released an update to fix this problem a while ago...

[duykhang524]

WTF only running portal stresses your mac so much even with no OC...

[dailyluke]

@duykhang524 I think Portal only uses like 30% CPU power... I actually did a 3D rendering in Cinema 4D and played Portal at the same time ;)

[rjohnson83]

WHch widget is that he is using? Anyone know?

[dailyluke]

@rjohnson83 iStat Pro, read the comments... xD

[DouacheV]

where is the SMC located? IDK where I can find it on my computer

[KASHEDS]

gaming on a mac what

[TomLovis]

@Levitikai be lucky you can even play it continuously - mine crashes after about 20-30 minutes playing even in pretty much the lowest settings and the smalest resolution before letterboxing because of overheating -.-'

[Levitikai]

Playing Skyrim on my Macbook Pro makes it so hot I think I could fry an egg on it.

[gunnziboy]

i cant hear hear anything from the sound of the fan in my macbook D:

[ej6060]

Go to my profile and watch my MacBook pro Overheat !!!!!!!

[Mcode3996]

Is this the 17"? I would not think the 17" would have problems playing most games.

[coccoborg]

@ATLMember Not Crysis, Crysis 2! I did the test with prime95 and temps go to around 85°C for all cores, however, prime95 does not reflect a real life condition.

[ATLMember]

@pixelboy45 It only voids your warranty if Apple finds out you did it, and they don't have any stickers or anything, so they shouldn't be able to. You also should definitely blow our your heatsinks, it sounds like they're become clogged with dust. Cleaning your heatsinks and getting new paste will certainly solve any of your issues, though Macbooks run hot by default, so you might still have overheating with really intense applications. But nothing that results in emergency shutdown.

[pixelboy45]

@ATLMember I didn't, but this first happened when the machine was just over 12 months old. And I was trying to get it fixed under warranty, thermal paste would have certainly voided the warranty. turns out they didn't fix it under warranty anyway. I have been running it fine with the current modification for the last few months without it overheating, but possibly the thermal paste is the underlying problem, although, I would have thought thermal paste would have lasted longer than 12 months?