Thermal crash issue XP/Gaming

[akm3]

Apologies, I posted this first on 'Windows on a Mac', but then realized it might be more appropriate here.


I have one of the new Macbook Pros.

It seems when I start Windows, and start a game, the 9600gt starts churning out a tremendous amount of heat, but the fans seems slow in catching up.

The screen in the game will just go black and the machine will lock up. It'll do this two or three times, until the machine is warm enough that the fans come on.

Alternately, I can start the game and just don't do anything (sit around at a menu for example), this lets the machine warm more slowly, the fans kick on, and I'm good to go.

Anyone else having these issues? Any suggestions? I believe there is no direct way to control fanspeed in XP - and I don't want that anyway. I want it to control it's own fan speed better.

Tips?

 

[Radio Monk33]

Uh, I don't think computers need to be warmed up like a car engine..in fact I dare say that a fresh boot would be a better start than leaving it on for a while with residual heat then going into the game.

I expect that the fans not spinning up on time is not the cause, but perhaps a 3rd factor...maybe when you start the game right away the OS isn't done loading properly and that's causing the crashes?

 

[akm3]

Uh, I don't think computers need to be warmed up like a car engine..in fact I dare say that a fresh boot would be a better start than leaving it on for a while with residual heat then going into the game.

I expect that the fans not spinning up on time is not the cause, but perhaps a 3rd factor...maybe when you start the game right away the OS isn't done loading properly and that's causing the crashes?

Sorry, it's not that kind of 'warmed up'. It's that the computer gets hot so quickly, the fans take too long to respond, which causes a crash.

If it is 'slowly warmed' the fans have time to kick onto FULL SPEED and there is no crash. I need the fans to be responding and ramping up to full speed more quickly.

 

[Mackilroy]

I've read that this is a problem that Apple is looking into. The audio continuously loops after that, right?

 

[akm3]

I've read that this is a problem that Apple is looking into. The audio continuously loops after that, right?

That is correct.

So this is a more common issue? I wonder if it an easy software fix by updating the bootcamp drivers to something that is more aggressive with fan control.

 

[Mackilroy]

I don't know how common it is, but I've read a few reports of it on some of the Mac fansites. As far as fan control, have you tried using SMC Fan Control to turn the fans on before you begin the game? Though that's more of a stopgap solution...

 

[akm3]

I don't know how common it is, but I've read a few reports of it on some of the Mac fansites. As far as fan control, have you tried using SMC Fan Control to turn the fans on before you begin the game? Though that's more of a stopgap solution...

I don't think SMC Fan Control works in Windows, and I did try to download a version of it but it said my Mac was unsupported. Maybe there is a newer version (I think I read somewhere if I start it in OS X and then reboot to windows, the fans stay on)

 

[CJM]

Occurred on my iMac all too often. Got pissed off at it and built a gaming PC. (see sig) Considering it cost me about the same as a high end iMac, I'm really chuffed with the price/performance ratio.

I've had Macs for... 14 years; the majority of my life. Only since Intel hardware have I heard of overheating issues. My personal appreciation of Apple hardware has been lowered by quite a bit. Oh well, the Mac is still great for web browsing, chat and as a stereo.

 

[holybatfart]

Tips?

What about buying a cooling pad? I haven't tried one myself but I'm sure that'd help with the heat a little bit. I use a small fan that I set to the left side of my MBP about 3 feet away and aim it at the underside of the computer. I think it does a pretty good job. The MBP is still warm but not as hot as it would be without. Fans still sound like airplanes taking off though so i use earphones.

 

[akm3]

A cooling pad might help, and I'll investigate it. However, I think there is a fundamental product flaw if I require a cooling addition to use it properly.

 

[akm3]

The firmware update has completely fixed my issue. It's the only thing that has changed on the configuration, and the crashes are gone.

The fan is much more aggressive about coming on, quickly, when the heat starts cranking.

Much nicer.

-Allen