I was told by the Apple store "the first batch of MBA had heating issues"

[al82]

I made another post about how on this (my second MBA) and on the first one i had, if i left a video or divx to run for 15-20 minutes the fan would go to over 6000 rpm and the picture would stutter. Even youtube videos would begin to stutter.

I called the Apple store today (in regent street london) and told them i have to travel to almost 2 hours to get to their store and im pissed that i have already had to go twice and now have to again.

I said a 1.6 dual core should not stutter while playing youtube videos for twenty minutes. Her reply was "i am sorry you are having problems, i can assure you if you change it NOW there wont be any problems" i asked what has changed, she replied "the first batch had over heating issues on quiet a few of them but it has been sorted now."

Now the MBA slowing down is obviously due to over heating, a problem that i have had with both my MBAs. Before i even got to mention the thing would heat up from playing youtube videos or an episode of Simpsons she sounded like she had her reply ready, as if shed talked it about to numerous others.

I will be getting my third (last, if it doesn't work im done) MBA on sat or monday when they get more stock and will let it run playing two films back to back and see if it slows down.

It is 1.6 dual core and should be more than capable of running a divx file (not to mention it costs £1200) a file that my brother 3 year old £399 1.0 HP laptop can play just fine.

 

[teek]

ok that´s it then

Im returning mine.. the fan is going at full speed almost all the time, doesn´t really matter what programs i have running.

Cleaning it up and putting it back in the box for return

 

[al82]

Are you getting another one?

Im curious as to if the new ones really do have issue solved.

 

[malone]

I'm curious about this. Does anyone else have evidence that 'the first batch of MBA had heating issues'?

 

[grimslade]

Sounds like salesman (woman) BS to me.

 

[davidino77]

I was used to have these problems too but I discovered the culprit.
It's a leopard issue with SyslogD. If you unload it you are going to solve almost all problems. I was not able to find why this daemon was keeping my cpu stick to 100% so I disabled it. Just try to have a look at your activity manager, maybe you have the same issue.

 

[fredrickyoon]

Received mine yesterday, did a clean install and did notice that when the CD was inserted into the Super Drive, the fans did go dramatically up to around 6500 rpm, and then went down, once last night, when I was installing programs on the Air, the fan kept on whirling in the background, I safely shut down the Air and then rebooted and all was good.

Will have to do some more testing to see though.

 

[fredrickyoon]

How do you disable the SysLogD? Can someone give me step by step instructions on how to do this?

Thanks

I was used to have these problems too but I discovered the culprit.
It's a leopard issue with SyslogD. If you unload it you are going to solve almost all problems. I was not able to find why this daemon was keeping my cpu stick to 100% so I disabled it. Just try to have a look at your activity manager, maybe you have the same issue.

 

[sdf1fans]

I too had multiple problems with my MBA related to the fans pegging at 6200 RPM. My first MBA was in the first batch - and the second was from another batch - same problem. Seems to be related to having a second monitor or more than one USB peripheral plugged into the MBA. DVI brought the fans up faster than RGB - but it eventually pegged the fan speed regardless. The processor was at maybe 15% and ALL the temp were hovering around 50C. Any any all peripherals connected were Apple's own products - iPhone, keyboard, Cinema Display!

Thankfully my University Bookstore worked with me, first with the initial exchange - then the subsequent return and purchase of a MBP. Beautiful machine, love the concept - but my experience was HORRIBLE. I drink the Cool Aid along with a lot of us - but this one had me so frustrated that I gave up on the MBA.

Good luck with your computer - hopefully this information will shed some light on your problems.

 

[netdog]

My Kool-Aid doesn't make any noise.

 

[teek]

Are you getting another one?

Im curious as to if the new ones really do have issue solved.

Im not sure yet, I definitely want another one, but Im sort of disappointed right now so I need a day or two to "calm down" and make the right decision

It's my first Mac, and im gonna get a Mac for sure, just not sure which one right now.

 

[davidino77]

Open a terminal window and then issue this command:
you will be asked to insert your password

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.syslogd.plist

How do you disable the SysLogD? Can someone give me step by step instructions on how to do this?

Thanks

 

[ayeying]

My Syslogd has 0.00 CPU usage even with everything running. I did notice, more now, that the fan likes to hover over 4000 RPM unlike before where its hovering at 2500RPM. Right now, the fan would pretty much be at 6200RPM all the time after a little while. Even if the system's cooled down to ~50 deg C, the fan would still be at max for a period of time before deciding to slow down.

However, I haven't found any lag w/ watching videos yet.

 

[ayeying]

Ok, I'm doing a test to see if this sytem overheats and stuff.

So far, just playing youtube videos (music videos), with only background programs running, the system is hovering at 60 deg C w/ fans going at max (6200rpm). The CPU usage is only 25% give or a take a bit, on both cores.

No lag so far, I'm gonna leave it playing for an hour and see if it'll lag or not.

 

[al82]

I tried watching good will hunting avi on my friends 1.8 ssd and hers worked fine for almost 1 hour but then the fans kicked in full rev, temps went up. I minimized it and tried to use safari and just like mine it started to lag.

ayeying, let me know what happens, seems like a lot of people are having this problem.

I went to cnn.com and got through about 15 mins of news videos, then it started to lag and the videos skipped every 2-3 seconds.

 

[al82]

I forgot to mention, i have no usb devices or monitors plugged in to the MBA when i get these over heating problems.

 

[ayeying]

ayeying, let me know what happens, seems like a lot of people are having this problem.

So far, my round of playing Youtube videos didn't cause the system to "lag" but it did put my fans at 6200RPM. I've put it to sleep for a little while then restarted the system, fans now at 2500RPM, but once I start playing a normal 350MB avi file in Quicktime, within a few minutes, fan goes back to 6200RPM. CPU usage is only at 20-25% however.

I dunno, I might bring this to the apple store because watching videos, especially these non-HD videos shouldn't put the fans at max...

It appears that I'm having the same problem with the funs running at max, but the CPU isn't doing enough to cause one of the cores to shut down.

Edit: I only have headphones plugged in.

 

[ayeying]

Ok, apparently, if Im on battery, the fan stays at a cool under 60 deg C w/ 2500 RPM for videos, not for flash videos obviously. But it doesn't jump like when plugged in

 

[teek]

same as me then

Ok, apparently, if Im on battery, the fan stays at a cool under 60 deg C w/ 2500 RPM for videos, not for flash videos obviously. But it doesn't jump like when plugged in

This is exactly the same i am experiencing

 

[davidino77]

This is exactly the same i am experiencing

Yes, I can confirm
It seems that the battery charging process makes a lot of heating

 

[ayeying]

But even with a Full Battery, it still heats up like crazy. Furthermore, has anyone noticed the casing around the "ESC" "F1" and "~/`" key to be extremely hot, hotter then the bottom of the casing.

 

[NC MacGuy]

But even with a Full Battery, it still heats up like crazy. Furthermore, has anyone noticed the casing around the "ESC" "F1" and "~/`" key to be extremely hot, hotter then the bottom of the casing.

As a test, I just put 1Gig of files in trash and emptied with secure empty trash. I then put on a 700meg mp4 movie in QT. Both processors were pegged for near 35 minutes and not a hiccup in vid. Proc. got to near 90C and fans were a steady 6200rpm. I take it from serial number mine was made second week of '08.

I rarely run AVI - PC type files. I only use VLC when I have those and it does run hotter as do flash vid's.

 

[teek]

As a test, I just put 1Gig of files in trash and emptied with secure empty trash. I then put on a 700meg mp4 movie in QT. Both processors were pegged for near 35 minutes and not a hiccup in vid. Proc. got to near 90C and fans were a steady 6200rpm. I take it from serial number mine was made second week of '08.

I rarely run AVI - PC type files. I only use VLC when I have those and it does run hotter as do flash vid's.

How do I read the serial number to find out when it's made? Mine is W88078XXXXX

 

[Cybergypsy]

mine is not having any issues at all

 

[al82]

The top left of the key pad does get very hot.

I thought of trying something, i removed the charger and went on battery.
During my break i watched around 20 mins of videos on cnn.com and then the picture started falling behind the audio and the frame rate dropped.

I am trying one last time, if it doesn't work the way it should on my new MBA (third one) im going to get a MB and wait 6-8 months so they can sort out this over heating issue.