[Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

kcirick · 2010-09-02 21:39:54

Hello,

I am trying to install Arch onto my macbook from 2008 (core 2 duo). The installation process went really well, but since then I've been having problems with the machine getting hot. Googling reveals that it's not uncommon. Then I found that I installed 32bit (=i686, correct?) version of Arch, but as I understand the core2duo macbooks should be 64bit...

I am pretty clueless when it comes to hardware, so I would like to know if this would cause the overheating? I would download and reinstall the 64bit version of arch if that is the issue. I really would like to install Arch onto macbook.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Edited the title of the thread to better reflect my question

EDIT-EDIT: I found out that this Macbook is Macbook(4,2), if it helps anyone...

Last edited by kcirick (2010-09-07 15:18:15)

litemotiv · 2010-09-02 22:00:59

32 or 64 bit has no influence on temperature, you should probably start by installing cpufreq.

Please use informative topic titles stating the actual problem.

kcirick · 2010-09-02 22:34:44

Thanks litemotiv. I will try that and see if it helps!

kcirick · 2010-09-03 14:26:51

An update on this issue:

I installed cpufrequtils and laptop-mode-tools, but the temperature is still much hotter than in OSX. I googled the internal structure of a macbook, and I think the CPU is at the normal temperature (I also installed lm_sensros and it's reading 56 degrees... I think that's normal temperature?). I believe it's the airport extreme card (wireless) that is really hot. I googled around but there doesn't seem to be an obvious solution.

The kernel module I'm using is broadcom-wl (It is BCM4328 rev3).

I think what I will do is downgrade the kernel to 2.6.34 and see if it helps

quigybo · 2010-09-03 15:57:49

Instead of downgrading you can always try the -lts kernel.

As for the temperature issue, I can't help much more than suggesting reading the wiki pages for normal laptops. There is some stuff on the wiki specific to macbooks too, which may be helpful?

Edit: not sure if this is useful http://www.lesswatts.org/tips/wireless.php.

Last edited by quigybo (2010-09-03 16:01:05)

anonymous_user · 2010-09-03 16:04:24

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/MacBook

kcirick · 2010-09-03 16:28:57

Update:
Naively following the suggestion on the wiki was the source of this problem.

Instead of installing the broadcom driver from AUR, using ndiswrapper and using bcmwl5.inf I got from Ubuntu forum solved the overheating problem. For some reason there is no ndiswrapper wiki page on Arch.

Labello · 2010-09-03 16:44:26

you should try fancontrol to regulate your fanspeed based on temperature-values. but this might require some additional modules to load before being able to control them.

kcirick · 2010-09-03 21:48:36

Just posting the ubuntu community documentation page that I found the driver for the ndiswrapper

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD … y_No-Fluff

And the thread is [Solved].

kcirick · 2010-09-04 06:51:31

Hello again,

I have somewhat a related concern. Right now my CPU temperature is hovering around 54C and it's not doing anything. It seems really high to me. Should I be worrying about this?

I'm going to post the output of lm_sensor but I'm not sure if this will be of any help:

[$] sensors
applesmc-isa-0300
Adapter: ISA adapter
Exhaust  :  1800 RPM  (min = 1800 RPM)
temp1:       +29.8°C                                    
temp2:       +51.8°C                                    
temp3:       +50.8°C                                    
temp4:       +53.8°C                                    
temp5:       +49.2°C                                    
temp6:       +65.0°C                                    
temp7:       +70.0°C                                    
temp8:       +50.8°C                                    
temp9:       +50.8°C                                    
temp10:      +50.8°C                                    

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 0:      +54.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)  

coretemp-isa-0001
Adapter: ISA adapter
Core 1:      +54.0°C  (high = +100.0°C, crit = +100.0°C)

I fear that the reading is incorrect. Also, /proc/acpi/thermal_zone is an empty directory and no /proc/acpi/fan directory. I think it's something fishy.

zenlord · 2010-09-04 10:06:41

I have a macbookpro 5,5 and I recently switched from using nouveau to nvidia because the left side of the keyboard was getting too hot. That solved all of my problems.

I would very much like to use the nouveau-driver, but its powermanagement features are non-existent and 3D-support is kinda nice if you want to steal some windows-souls. Not to mention that my battery lets me work for 3 hours instead of 2...

I'm still using broadcom-wl and I'm happy to say that my temperatures are very ok...

litemotiv · 2010-09-04 10:37:19

kcirick wrote:

I have somewhat a related concern. Right now my CPU temperature is hovering around 54C and it's not doing anything. It seems really high to me. Should I be worrying about this?

There currently is a heat/load problem with kernel 2.6.35, if you downgrade to .34 your cpu temp could drop about 5-6 degrees. 45 to 50 degrees is considered normal for your system.

Allan · 2010-09-05 00:35:10

When I first installed on my MacBook, I noticed that the fan control did not work at all... not that it would kick in by 55C anyway.

kcirick · 2010-09-05 14:14:11

Thanks to everyone for the inputs. I am still finding that my CPUs are warming up steadily even when it's idle.

I also noticed that the fan control didn't work on my Macbook, and found this solution:
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=71187

I also got the source code for cmp-daemon and compiled it myself. The fan control works now but there is still the problem of CPU core temperature much warmer than running in OSX.

litemotiv · 2010-09-05 16:24:28

Allan wrote:

When I first installed on my MacBook, I noticed that the fan control did not work at all... not that it would kick in by 55C anyway.

It's true that kernel fan control kicks in really late on the MBP, do you think we should submit a bugzilla item for that?

Allan · 2010-09-05 21:55:33

Maybe... I just wrote my own fan daemon: http://allanmcrae.com/2010/05/simple-ma … an-daemon/

litemotiv · 2010-09-06 06:51:11

Allan wrote:

Maybe... I just wrote my own fan daemon: http://allanmcrae.com/2010/05/simple-ma … an-daemon/

Yea i was already using that.

kcirick · 2010-09-07 15:17:54

Allan wrote:

Maybe... I just wrote my own fan daemon: http://allanmcrae.com/2010/05/simple-ma … an-daemon/

Thank you. This one looks more polished than the one I looked into. Using it now.

I will mark this one as [Solved]. Thanks again for the help!

Arch Linux

#1 2010-09-02 21:39:54

[Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#2 2010-09-02 22:00:59

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#3 2010-09-02 22:34:44

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#4 2010-09-03 14:26:51

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#5 2010-09-03 15:57:49

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#6 2010-09-03 16:04:24

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#7 2010-09-03 16:28:57

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#8 2010-09-03 16:44:26

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#9 2010-09-03 21:48:36

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#10 2010-09-04 06:51:31

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#11 2010-09-04 10:06:41

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#12 2010-09-04 10:37:19

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#13 2010-09-05 00:35:10

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#14 2010-09-05 14:14:11

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#15 2010-09-05 16:24:28

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#16 2010-09-05 21:55:33

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#17 2010-09-06 06:51:11

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

#18 2010-09-07 15:17:54

Re: [Solved] Macbook running very hot on Arch

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