CPU Overheating With Boinc

Questions and Answers : Macintosh : CPU Overheating With Boinc
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Kristiaan Davies

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Message 692376 - Posted: 17 Dec 2007, 22:19:05 UTC

Hi All,
im new to this, i used to process these units AGES ago when seti was a screensaver (more or less long before BOINC)

anyway, i thought i would get back into it, and figured i had a 2Ghz Intel Dual Core Mac may as well use some spare CPU Cycles up.

So i downloaded Boinc, joined the Seti Project (my old account nolonger seemed to exist) and started to process my first (Data packet) and within 60 seconds, BOINC had raised my CPU Core Temperature from 45 Dec C to 88!!!!

so i paused BOINC and sure enough the CPU core temp started to fall, i unpaused BOINC, it took a little longer this time (just over 2 mins) but sure enough eventually my CPU temp was at 87 Deg C again.

just thought i would let you guys know see if there is a reason for this, as i am not going to run this program whilst its doing this to my laptop.

its a 13" Macbook (white)
2Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
1Gb ram
80Gb HDD
OS X Tiger 10.4.11

let me know if you want any more details, (BTW my BOINC preferences are all standard i had not changed one)
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Dotsch
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Message 692382 - Posted: 17 Dec 2007, 22:41:19 UTC

With the default value BOINC uses 100 % CPU. But there is a CPU throtteling feature build in, which you can reduce the CPU load and the heat.
In the BOINC manager "Advanced" / "Preferences" / "processor usage" / "Use at most xx % CPU time" you can setup the CPU throtteling.

I strongly recommend you to use the CPU throtteling. I had the same problems with my MacBook, but with 50% on two CPUs the MacBook keeps cool (about 60..65°C) an the fans run about 3500 to 3700 RPMs.
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Profile Thanar
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Message 712579 - Posted: 14 Feb 2008, 20:08:39 UTC

Temperatures over 80C are regarded "normal" for MacBooks, as far as Intel goes. Over 90C (on my system at least) the processor pauses for a second or so to allow temperature to drop, which makes the whole system (even mouse movement) freeze for that time. This is a huge problem (let alone the fan noise) which has a couple of solutions.

First off, you should enable processor throttling which is available through BM's preferences menu item. I found that on my system 50% was OK, while 30% wouldn't even rev up the fan.

However, there is a better solution, both for running BOINC projects, but for laptop usage in general:
I recently installed CoolBook to change my MacBook's CPU voltage settings. Although this little tool is a bit tough to configure, although it cost me $10, I ended up with running SETI on 50% with the fan at it's lowest, when I should set it to under 30% in order to keep the fan from revving prior to installing CoolBook.

What's more, after I carefully set CoolBook, I ended up with 8 hours of battery life on my MacBook! Plus; it's better for the environment as well, since my CoolBook tuned CPU now uses around 30% less energy (dropped from 1.25V to 1.035V on 2Ghz).
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Natronomonas
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Message 718528 - Posted: 26 Feb 2008, 1:08:08 UTC - in response to Message 692376.  

Hi All,
im new to this, i used to process these units AGES ago when seti was a screensaver (more or less long before BOINC)


SETI wasn't just a screensaver back then of course; it was still using CPU cycles.


anyway, i thought i would get back into it, and figured i had a 2Ghz Intel Dual Core Mac may as well use some spare CPU Cycles up.


By using those spare CPU cycles, you are making the CPU do more work, which increases its heat output - thus your temperature rise. Most laptops are not designed for sustained 100% CPU use (unlike desktops, which is why you may not have noticed it before on the old 'screensaver'), so the suggestions already made (limit BOINC to 30-80% of CPU, reduce voltage etc) are good for reducing BOINCs impact. Having said that, I've got a laptop running at 100%, but I've found that you have to pretty much just try each laptop as it comes and see if its cooling system is up to the task.

So i downloaded Boinc, joined the Seti Project (my old account nolonger seemed to exist)

I'm pretty sure if you can remember the details, the old work units you processed can be added to your account. It doesn't count for anything, except an extra statistic on your page : )



Crunching SETI@Home as a member of the Whirlpool BOINC Teams
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Chris

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Message 722283 - Posted: 5 Mar 2008, 12:22:32 UTC
Last modified: 5 Mar 2008, 12:24:42 UTC

Im using a Macbook 2.16 dual 2 and decided to run it yesterday. The fans begin to spin yeah but my temperature stays about 70when running @ 100 cpu

When im doing things such as playing games etc sometimes it runs even higher anyway. Macbook has to have some mechanism for dealing with above normal temperatures but I dont think 80 is really anything to worry about.

I would say that the only thing I would be worried about is the fans constantly spinning, I dont want worn out fans lol

How hard is it really to configure cool book?? It seems like an interesting tool. But it sounds hard to use

Chris

13" Macbook (white)
2.16 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
2Gb ram
120Gb HDD
OS X Leopard 10.5.2
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Dotsch
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Message 722385 - Posted: 5 Mar 2008, 18:33:31 UTC - in response to Message 722283.  

How hard is it really to configure cool book?? It seems like an interesting tool. But it sounds hard to use

No Problem, if you use the CPU throtteling feature, which is included in the BOINC client.
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fyngyrz

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Message 724821 - Posted: 12 Mar 2008, 0:12:24 UTC

Your CPU is heating because it is doing a lot more work than it does with no demanding tasks going on. This is to be expected. If there was a danger to the computer, the Mac would speed up the fans it uses to control heat buildup.

There is no danger; however, there can be discomfort, as the Macbook can become annoyingly hot to have on your lap, for instance.

So, to resolve this:

Get the FREE tool "smcFanControl" and set the default fan speed up a little bit until the core temperature is where you want it.

End of concern.

--Ben
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haddock29

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Message 725739 - Posted: 13 Mar 2008, 22:24:34 UTC

My Macbookpro (Coreduo 2 GHz, 2 years old) runs seti at 100%, with a cpu temp of ¬90 C. The problem is not with the temperature, but with the fans. They accumulate a lot of dust,and may stop because of that: they have been changed twice. If the fans are running 24/24, you should clean them, say twice a year. Its like for desktops, but its more difficult to do.

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Questions and Answers : Macintosh : CPU Overheating With Boinc


 
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