Computer conundrum

johngalt

johngalt

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I've been having some frustrating problems with my 2011 MacBook Pro. It is the last of the 17" machines, and is still a beast of a machine even when compared to what is available new today. About the only thing it can't do is 4K video, which I don't care about. I would like to keep it going.

Last year the graphics processor died (which is somewhat common with this model). It is old enough Apple won't support it any more, but I found a local place that fixed it.

A while ago it started running very slowly, about 1/2 to 1/3 it's normal speed. I had a backup machine, so I put fixing it on hold while I finished last quarter's class. I finally got around to taking it to see the Genius, they diagnosed it as having a dead fan, so it was overheating and throttling the CPU.

I replaced the fans, it seems to be working again. Except it is not 100% reliable. I have a modeling program that takes about 24 hours to run. It can't finish processing without crashing and rebooting. I've tried swapping out the RAM with known good RAM from the other machine, it still isn't 100% reliable.

I have another appointment to see the Genius, but I don't expect them to find anything, as it needs to run for several hours before it crashes.

So I suspect it may have to be replaced. I might be able to find another similar 17" Mac Book Pro, but there is a risk that it has a faulty GPU that is on borrowed time or possibly other problems.

I don't like the new MacBook Pros, as they are
* expensive
* have lousy failure prone keyboards
* not upgradeable/fixable in any way
* even the battery is glued in to prevent the user from replacing it
* no ports that works with my stuff.
* no 17" screen
* but it would be faster

Instead of getting another laptop, a refurbished trashcan Mac Pro might be a better plan.
* it is marginally faster (however I am shocked at how little difference there is between it and mine)
* every refurbished Mac Pro, even if old, is supported by Apple as it is still a current model - it hasn't been updated since it was first released in 2013.
* but it will cost more than another 17" Mac Book Pro.
* it isn't portable.

Decisions...
 
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If the fans are going that fast then they are probably trying to keep up with the heat that's being generated. Lint and dust can be a problem too. Check the vents.

My laptop generates a lot of heat. So I bought a laptop fan on Amazon. It works very well and doesn't cost much.
[ame]https://www.amazon.com/Tree-New-Bee-Cooling-15-6/dp/B016PMVM7Q/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1522464552&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=laptop+fan&psc=1[/ame]

Assuming that's the problem of course. :confused:
 
I agree heat is the most obvious problem to check first. When I had it apart to replace the fans I also checked for dust. There wasn't really any dust in there.

I did finally find a linux tool that appears to work: istats

With my modeling program running full bore, it reports the cpu temp at 72 degrees C (which is hot!), both fans running at 5500 rpm which is apparently the max.

72 C sounds hot, but apparently the maximum is 100 C. My other machine, which is mostly idle, is at 56 C.

The modeling program I'm running has the machine maxed out. It has a 4-core i7 processor, and it is using all 4 cores running tasks in parallel. The program takes about 24 hours to run, last time I tested it out it ran for about 20 hours before it kernel-panicked and rebooted.

It would be a shame if it is dying, it's a beast - 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, 2.2 GHz i7, 4 cores (8 if you include hyperthreading), firewire, thunderbolt, USB (of which I'm not a fan, but I guess it works for keyboards...) card slot with eSATA card, DVD burner. Got me through most of my classes for my Masters degree.
 
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My laptop is also a beast. It's a gaming laptop with i7 2.6, two SSD drives, 32 GB ram, GeForce GTX video card, etc.....

After doing a little research I found that high performance laptops are prone to problems with heat. Once I stated using the cooling fan all that stopped.
 
I like Apple's stuff, but they haven't made a computer I want in several years. The maxed-out 2012 Mini I'm typing on right now was getting a bit draggy even with an SSD, so I put Linux on it, and now it's snappy again.

Have you already checked the usual used Mac sites, like PowerMax or Macofalltrades? Seems like you should be able to find a lightly-used refurb and swap in whatever parts you want to keep, like that monster SSD.
 
Andy Lowry said:
I like Apple's stuff, but they haven't made a computer I want in several years. The maxed-out 2012 Mini I'm typing on right now was getting a bit draggy even with an SSD, so I put Linux on it, and now it's snappy again.

Have you already checked the usual used Mac sites, like PowerMax or Macofalltrades? Seems like you should be able to find a lightly-used refurb and swap in whatever parts you want to keep, like that monster SSD.
Click to expand...

The last time I checked macofalltrades it didn't have anything that interested me. I'll have to look at PowerMax. I need to see the Genius before I do anything though.

My latest test has been running 18 hours, I did have one issue where the system was complaining that it was out of resources, and then the modeling program crashed. The Finder also got wonky and crashed. I think that is a software issue, not a hardware problem. I was able to restart the test and have it continue where it had quit, no kernel panics yet anyway.

I agree with you about the state of Apple's machines. One of the reasons I want to keep my old machines going. Rumor is there will be a new Mac Pro late this year, but I bet it will be expensive.
 
Kanewpadle said:
If the fans are going that fast then they are probably trying to keep up with the heat that's being generated. Lint and dust can be a problem too. Check the vents.

My laptop generates a lot of heat. So I bought a laptop fan on Amazon. It works very well and doesn't cost much.
Amazon.com: Tree New Bee Cooling Pad for 15.6 - 17-Inch Laptops with Four 120mm Fans at 1200 RPM, Black (TNB-K0025): Computers & Accessories

Assuming that's the problem of course. :confused:
Click to expand...

It looks like that laptop fan requires there to be vents in the bottom of the case? Mine doesn't have any vents there, just in the back. Possibly one of the reasons it is sensitive to heat.
 
2009 MacBook Pro 15 here. I also have a very early 17 that isn't supportable any longer but I still use to run an old edition of Photoshop CS2. We also have two Airs and an iPad or two.
Do you elevate the laptop off the work surface? Have you considered swapping in a solid state drive? They're getting silly cheap. This one runs a bit cooler since I put one in.
The App Store has a ton of CPU monitor apps.
 
I don't like computers......or people who like computers!


...........ok snowflakes.....it was a joke! A funny joke.
 
Andy Lowry said:
I like Apple's stuff, but they haven't made a computer I want in several years. The maxed-out 2012 Mini I'm typing on right now was getting a bit draggy even with an SSD, so I put Linux on it, and now it's snappy again.

Have you already checked the usual used Mac sites, like PowerMax or Macofalltrades? Seems like you should be able to find a lightly-used refurb and swap in whatever parts you want to keep, like that monster SSD.
Click to expand...

Sadly I agree with your "state of Mac." I've been running Macs since 1989, and although I obviously prefer the OS, I'm not quite a "fanboi." My 2009 iMac is still running just fine (aside from the Firewire chip having died some time ago, but I don't need it now), although one day I'm going to gird up my loins and put in a new HD just to be safe.

I'm typing this on a MacBook Air, which I really do like, but like just about all laptops today, probably not repairable if something goes wrong. I have zero interest in planned obsolescence and having to replace an expensive machine because of some minor internal failure. At least it sounds like the OPs machine might be repairable. Proper access to fans - which are tiny and prone to getting clogged - should be a design requirement on machines llke this.

Interesting that you were able to install Linux on the Mini. I'd heard that running Linux on Macs was difficult due to proprietary drivers. (If you have info on this, PM me) I run Ubuntu on a Lenovo T410 and for everyday stuff like e-mail and browsing etc. it's just fine. There's also an excellent CD ripper/converter app called Asunder that can simultaneously rip and convert to a number of formats. (Don't get me started on iTunes....) And its database lookup is also v. good.

To the OP, from what you mention of your problem, I wonder if the modeling program is simply too resource-intensive for a laptop, requiring too much processing power and making heat control too critical? A good cooling pad, with fans, might well help but this assumes that the case itself has enough thermal dissipation that keeping the bottom cool will be sufficient. I have a Cooler Master, which is made of perforated aluminum and has decent-sized fans that can be repositioned as required (depending where the hot spots on any given machine are). Only problem is that the fans are typically cheap and do tend to get noisy.
 
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The Genius found no issues, except that it is old and unsupported, which I expected. I'll have to try the cooling pad. Probably a good idea anyway, as I don't think laptops are really intended to be beat on for 24 hours straight.
 
JohnRippert said:
I am guessing the The Genius ran cpu checks and tests. I was wondering if the earlier cooling problems might have slightly cooked the cpu.
Click to expand...

The Genius ran their standard diagnostics, which checks the major components and did an extended GPU test, which passed. He did that because I told him that the GPU had previously failed and had been replaced by an independent repair shop.

One interesting comment - I mentioned that I ran the built in Apple Hardware Diagnostics (reboot and hold down 'D'), which passed. He said that isn't reliable and not worth doing.

Anyway, under their tests, both the CPU and GPU were withing the normal and expected temperature ranges.

The cooling pad isn't very expensive, so it makes a lot of sense to try.
 
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