Mac Pro fans and heat

[netnothing]

So I am dealing with a RAM issue in another thread. I got RAM from OWC and was getting ECC Errors, so I'm having them ship new sticks. Supposed to get them tomorrow.

Anyway, I downloaded smcFancontrol and Temperature Monitor to test things (along with Rember).

Question on the Mac Pro fans. While running tests, I can get the memory up to 150-160F. How come the Mac Pro never seemed to increase the fans RPM? Does anyone know at what point the Mac Pro increases any of the fans? Does the temperature of the RAM + CPU + HDD have to equal a certain amount for a certain period of time to kick in?

I can manually increase them with smcFanControl....but the Mac Pro never seemed to do it on it's own.

I did run the extensive Apple Hardware Tests and those all passed (I even heard that testing the fans).

Thanks!

-Kevin

Just curious.

 

[netnothing]

Can anyone get me their temperature numbers for their Mac Pros? Including memory.

Please include Ambient temps for reference.

Also, let me know if your fans kick up and increase at all.

Thanks!

-Kevin

 

[SwitchingSoon]

Here. I wasn't sure how to get RAM temps.

 

[netnothing]

Here. I wasn't sure how to get RAM temps.

Thanks for posting. I think the only way to get the full list of temps with iStatpro is to switch the style to Tall, and make sure all the temp sensors are checked on in the prefs.

-Kevin

 

[netnothing]

Guess I should post my current readings as of right now.

Memory Module A1/A2 are the stock Apple DIMMS
Memory Module B1/B2 are the OWC 1GB DIMMS (actually, they are the NetStat DIMMS....that's what they sent)

As you can see, the OWC DIMMS are running hotter. This is under no load.

-Kevin

 

[SwitchingSoon]

Yikes. High Temps.

I don't know what any of it means.

i didn't bother getting RAM with heat those heatsinks.

bad?

 

[4God]

Yikes. High Temps.

I don't know what any of it means.

i didn't bother getting RAM with heat those heatsinks.

bad?

Yes, very bad. Hurry and get RAM with heatsinks.

 

[netnothing]

Yikes. High Temps.

I don't know what any of it means.

i didn't bother getting RAM with heat those heatsinks.

bad?

What's your memory configuration. Brand, Amount, and Location?

The one bad thing about iStatpro is that for some reason I can't get it to get a temp reading on anymore than the first 2 modules, I'm guess on Riser A1/A2. For me those are the stock Apple 512MB DIMMS. As you can see from my image, those are running cooler than the OWC DIMMS.

Yours are a little high, but looking at your system, it also looks like you were doing something (your CPU was working hard)? Alot of your readings were high...CPU, RAM, Power Supply. What's your setup look like? Is there airflow?

-Kevin

 

[SwitchingSoon]

I have the two apple 512s, and two non-apple 1 gbs (crucial).

Will this ruin my computer's future performance, or if I replace the 1gbs the computer should be fine?

I was working on photoshop. But that was yesterday. I just left photoshop open (along with a few other things). I don't turn off the computer...

Also, I have to force quit a lot of programs...does this have anything to do with it?

Sometimes when I open programs on the dashboard they won't show up, and i have to close other programs in order to open them. Is that problem ram-related?

 

[netnothing]

I have the two apple 512s, and two non-apple 1 gbs (crucial).

Will this ruin my computer's future performance, or if I replace the 1gbs the computer should be fine?

I was working on photoshop. But that was yesterday. I just left photoshop open (along with a few other things). I don't turn off the computer...

Also, I have to force quit a lot of programs...does this have anything to do with it?

Sometimes when I open programs on the dashboard they won't show up, and i have to close other programs in order to open them. Is that problem ram-related?

Yes, you should at least get RAM with the Apple Approved heatsinks.

Even then, as you can see from my temps, it seems as if airflow and heatsinks are critical.

I have this feeling that Apple's temperature limits for the Mac Pro are set really high so the fans never seem to come on.

I'm still waiting to hear from anyone that has experienced their fans revving up.

-Kevin

 

[MalcolmJID]

You say you have smcFanControl?

Well why dont you rev up the fans a little manually, but don't really listen out for the increase (in your ears).

It's possible they do actually rev without much change in sound. I think someone mentioned the fans were chosen because they have a low acoustic range or something to that effect.

 

[netnothing]

You say you have smcFanControl?

Well why dont you rev up the fans a little manually, but don't really listen out for the increase (in your ears).

It's possible they do actually rev without much change in sound. I think someone mentioned the fans were chosen because they have a low acoustic range or something to that effect.

Well....I can do that, but part of me says....why should I have to.

When doing my testing, I had not only iStatpro running, but also smcFanControl. At no point did the Mac Pro increase the fan speeds. I could see the rpm numbers from both apps.

I did manually ramp up the speeds and it did cool things down, but I don't want to have to babysit the machine. Apple should be doing that for me.

-Kevin

 

[Father Jack]

I have 2 Gb of Apple ram and 4 Gb of Crucial. Temperatures are OK

FJ

 

[netnothing]

I have 2 Gb of Apple ram and 4 Gb of Crucial. Temperatures are OK

FJ

Can you post your temps?

-Kevin

 

[MalcolmJID]

Well....I can do that, but part of me says....why should I have to.

When doing my testing, I had not only iStatpro running, but also smcFanControl. At no point did the Mac Pro increase the fan speeds. I could see the rpm numbers from both apps.

I did manually ramp up the speeds and it did cool things down, but I don't want to have to babysit the machine. Apple should be doing that for me.

-Kevin

If the fans are set anything like my MacBook they'll wait 'til it gets really hot before they rev up.

 

[CanadaRAM]

1 Gb FB-DIMMs can be expected to run hotter than 512 Mb FB-DIMMs, there's twice the number of transistors in there...

 

[apfhex]

Guess I should post my current readings as of right now.

My RAM temps are similar, maybe a little lower. 123-129ºF. 4x512MB modules from Apple. My other temps (ambient, HDD, CPU, power supply) are all 10-20ºF cooler than yours though.

 

[netnothing]

1 Gb FB-DIMMs can be expected to run hotter than 512 Mb FB-DIMMs, there's twice the number of transistors in there...

Any idea...generally...how much hotter I can expect 1GB DIMMS to be over the 512MB DIMMS? 10F higher?

Under little load, with an ambient temp reported as 70F, my Apple 512 DIMMS on Riser A are running 130F and 122F.

The OWC 1GB DIMMS on Riser B are running 137F and 131F.

Under load the OWC DIMMS tend to spike much higher than the Apple 512 DIMMS.

-Kevin