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Has your mini ever overheated?

gavinstubbs09

gavinstubbs09

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 17, 2013
1,386
256
NorCal boonies ~~~by Reno sorta
Just wanted to see if I was the only one!

The back story is I do all the computer stuff for a graphic design class at my school and we have 27 of the late-2012 iMac. As our server we chose a Mac mini Server and 5 months later it must have got so hot it just would shut off. And I was surprised to see that because it was in the rack server room where it's usually cold. Even when I was in front of it the little guy was getting so hot I had to just turn it off. Anyway it was sent to Apple and we got a replacement unit.

And we also upgraded to a Mac Pro :D
 
gavinstubbs09 said:
Just wanted to see if I was the only one!

The back story is I do all the computer stuff for a graphic design class at my school and we have 27 of the late-2012 iMac. As our server we chose a Mac mini Server and 5 months later it must have got so hot it just would shut off. And I was surprised to see that because it was in the rack server room where it's usually cold. Even when I was in front of it the little guy was getting so hot I had to just turn it off. Anyway it was sent to Apple and we got a replacement unit.

And we also upgraded to a Mac Pro :D
Click to expand...

5 months later? Hmnn...
Did you check it for dust build up before you returned it? If it ran 24/7 the machine may have moved enough air to clog the vents.

It is normal for a working mini to heat up. I don't know how hard your server normally works. Regardless, I don't recall seeing many problems like yours in the forums.
 
I run my Mini pretty hard for graphics and audio and no problems with overheating whatsoever. Maybe you need better airflow around it or need to clean the fan.
 
Celerondon said:
5 months later? Hmnn...
Did you check it for dust build up before you returned it? If it ran 24/7 the machine may have moved enough air to clog the vents.

It is normal for a working mini to heat up. I don't know how hard your server normally works. Regardless, I don't recall seeing many problems like yours in the forums.
Click to expand...

Definitely dust on the fan and also could even be blocking the vents on the heatsink.

I have three minis, one is a server and I clean the fan and vents every 6-12 months. There is actually no filter on the Mini so dust collects. Once there is an initial build up the rest of the dust really sticks.

I have never had a Mini overheat and I run them for days on 100% CPU capacity (Handbrake).

This issue is even worse on my MacBook Airs. The vents on the heat sink are so small they block only after a few months.
 
One time my 2006 model overheated and wouldn't turn back on for a few hrs. It was 105* out and my parents skimped on the ac that day.
 
I've got two Mac Minis but haven't had any trouble at all; every so often I pop open the bottom hatch and blow away the dust, maybe with an extra blast of compressed oxygen for good measure, seems to do the trick.

I have it way worse in my Mac Pro; every couple of months I have to ramp all its fans up to get rid of the worst of it, and blast away anything that's still stuck on the front surface.

The whole room with the Mac Pro is a damned dust trap, not sure why as there's almost zero storage.
 
opinio said:
Definitely dust on the fan and also could even be blocking the vents on the heatsink.

I have three minis, one is a server and I clean the fan and vents every 6-12 months. There is actually no filter on the Mini so dust collects. Once there is an initial build up the rest of the dust really sticks.

I have never had a Mini overheat and I run them for days on 100% CPU capacity (Handbrake).

This issue is even worse on my MacBook Airs. The vents on the heat sink are so small they block only after a few months.
Click to expand...

Opinio, if i'm not mistaken you modded your mini by cutting part of the base for increased air flow. Can you post a link to the forum where you described how you did it?
Cheers,
 
Has your mini ever overheated?

Nope. In fact, it runs in a nearly airtight enclosure (fire safe).

Granted, if I am going to run hours of handbrake jobs, I'll open the safe door.
 
mvmanolov said:
uhmmm… quick question, why a fire safe..?
Click to expand...

The Mini runs several server duties, including backups of household computers. I had both the Mini and the safe separately for a long time and one day I realized backup drives aren't that useful if there is a fire or theft, so why not put it all in the safe?

geoffpalmeruk said:
I'm curious on this one too.... how do you get the wires in / out?
Click to expand...

Power already runs into the safe from the factory for the heater and lighting. I bought a flat Ethernet cable, snipped one end off, ran it through the very tight fitting hole along side the round power cable, and put a new connector back on the end.

Only power and Ethernet are needed. As a server, it doesn't have keyboard, mouse, or monitor.

So it's never overheated even in an enclosed environment, but granted server duty is not particularly difficult.
 
ActionableMango said:
The Mini runs several server duties, including backups of household computers. I had both the Mini and the safe separately for a long time and one day I realized backup drives aren't that useful if there is a fire or theft, so why not put it all in the safe?



Power already runs into the safe from the factory for the heater and lighting. I bought a flat Ethernet cable, snipped one end off, ran it through the very tight fitting hole along side the round power cable, and put a new connector back on the end.

Only power and Ethernet are needed. As a server, it doesn't have keyboard, mouse, or monitor.

So it's never overheated even in an enclosed environment, but granted server duty is not particularly difficult.
Click to expand...

Heh, fire/theft is a good point. But still in a safe? That's a bit of overkill. That being said if I had a spare safe lying around, I probably would have done the same thing just to nerd it out. Lol well done sir! :)

Also, I certainly hope your safe is securely hidden behind a fake of an expensive Van Goh, or some. Other villainous device, like say a mockup of a live volcano island....?! ;)
 
gavinstubbs09 said:
Just wanted to see if I was the only one!

The back story is I do all the computer stuff for a graphic design class at my school and we have 27 of the late-2012 iMac. As our server we chose a Mac mini Server and 5 months later it must have got so hot it just would shut off. And I was surprised to see that because it was in the rack server room where it's usually cold. Even when I was in front of it the little guy was getting so hot I had to just turn it off. Anyway it was sent to Apple and we got a replacement unit.

And we also upgraded to a Mac Pro :D
Click to expand...

Mine has never overheated.
 
My sister gave me her dead PC to see if I could save the data on the hard drive. Opened the case and the CPU fan was completely clogged with dust. The fan wouldn't even turn, and of course the CPU was fried. The good news is the hard drive was fully functional.

So as a reminder to everyone (including me), go open your machines and vacuum the dust out. If it won't open at least put a vacuum on one air duct and blow compressed air in the other side.
 
fredr500 said:
So as a reminder to everyone (including me), go open your machines and vacuum the dust out. If it won't open at least put a vacuum on one air duct and blow compressed air in the other side.
Click to expand...

Using a vacuum to clean out the inside of a computer is horrible advice. You should always used compressed air from a bottle or that has a water filter on it.
 
I had am image of this:

ComputerSafeCartoon.jpg
 
just an update to this. i just got my mini and it is consistently running at around 53C

If i push it it will got a 100C but i really need to push it for that (installing a major game - and even then it cooled down to 60C ish in less that a minute after install was complete). In general every day use - web, mail, video, audio its as cool as a street cat :D and quiet as a house mouse :D

So, I have not done the mod that opinio posted, and am not sure that i will especially since i like it sitting flat under the tv :D
 
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