Fans Always On at 6200 RPM - REV C

I just upgraded to a MacBook Air 2.13 with the 128 GB SSD. From the moment I launch Firefox and start using the internet the fans almost immediately go to 6200 RPM. I am not viewing any websites with video, flash, or java. I am simply checking my GMail, internet banking, and reading cnn.com. What gives... The fan noise is loud and distracting. I am not performing any other tasks or using any other applications in the background. Is this normal? Is it Firefox that is intensive causing the CPU to heat up? I really want to keep this thing because it has no lines in the screen and works great. But what is up with the fans...

Just checked activity monitor and there is nothing out of the ordinary. I just picked this laptop up last night and only connected to a wireless network and installed firefox.

Message was edited by: Michael710

MacBook Air 2.13 SSD, Mac OS X (10.5.6), LED Cinema Display

Posted on Jun 24, 2009 7:25 PM

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13 replies

Jun 24, 2009 8:27 PM in response to Michael710

Exactly what processes are running and what percentage of CPU power are they using? Is there a process called mdworker running? If so, it Spotlight could be indexing your hard drive--especially if it is a new computer.

User uploaded file

Dave M.
MacOSG Founder/Ambassador  An Apple User Group  iTunes: MacOSG Podcast
Macsimum News Associate Editor  Creator of 'Mac611 - Mobile Mac Support'

Jun 24, 2009 8:35 PM in response to Mac-Medic

I am pretty familiar with how everything should work... But look below. I do not see anything out of the ordinary and the fans are just blasting away...

Copy and paste in text edit and stretch it out to read the info below... Really annoying that the fans are doing this.

Active Memory: 421.20 MB
Free Memory: 1.14 GB
Wired Memory: 138.92 MB
Used Memory: 609.35 MB
Inactive Memory: 49.23 MB
Total VM: 34.15 GB
Number of processes: 48

ID Process Name User CPU RSIZE VSIZE
0 kernel_task root 2.7 49.93 MB 1.06 GB
1 launchd root 0.0 556.00 KB 586.74 MB
10 kextd root 0.0 1.25 MB 586.19 MB
11 DirectoryService root 0.0 3.17 MB 588.82 MB
12 notifyd root 0.0 452.00 KB 586.17 MB
13 syslogd root 0.0 464.00 KB 587.24 MB
14 configd root 0.0 1.84 MB 587.20 MB
15 distnoted daemon 0.0 728.00 KB 585.59 MB
16 mDNSResponder _mdnsrespo 0.0 1.16 MB 587.49 MB
22 securityd root 0.0 1.85 MB 587.33 MB
26 ntpd root 0.0 844.00 KB 586.12 MB
27 usbmuxd _usbmuxd 0.0 948.00 KB 587.46 MB
28 update root 0.0 288.00 KB 585.57 MB
32 mds root 0.0 19.80 MB 714.74 MB
33 loginwindow Michael 0.0 5.53 MB 915.39 MB
34 KernelEventAgent root 0.0 652.00 KB 585.68 MB
35 kdcmond root 0.0 1,020.00 KB 585.73 MB
37 hidd root 1.8 1.54 MB 587.23 MB
38 fseventsd root 0.0 1.06 MB 591.70 MB
40 dynamic_pager root 0.0 704.00 KB 585.61 MB
42 diskarbitrationd root 0.0 964.00 KB 585.69 MB
46 blued root 0.0 2.02 MB 596.99 MB
47 autofsd root 0.0 672.00 KB 585.62 MB
49 socketfilterfw root 0.0 1.56 MB 585.93 MB
55 coreservicesd root 0.0 11.03 MB 604.32 MB
56 krb5kdc root 0.0 1.38 MB 586.05 MB
58 WindowServer _windowser 16.2 42.25 MB 958.99 MB
84 launchd Michael 0.1 516.00 KB 585.74 MB
87 AirPort Base Station Agen Michael 0.0 2.93 MB 890.60 MB
91 Spotlight Michael 0.0 19.28 MB 1.00 GB
92 UserEventAgent Michael 0.0 2.68 MB 589.07 MB
93 Dock Michael 0.0 10.29 MB 904.05 MB
94 ATSServer Michael 0.0 4.17 MB 637.52 MB
95 SystemUIServer Michael 0.0 9.09 MB 927.14 MB
96 Finder Michael 0.0 13.50 MB 935.87 MB
97 coreaudiod root 0.0 1.66 MB 587.70 MB
98 pboard Michael 0.0 588.00 KB 586.63 MB
105 iTunesHelper Michael 0.0 2.73 MB 2.58 GB
108 Firefox Michael 3.8 88.38 MB 1,015.59 MB
110 DashboardClient Michael 1.5 12.96 MB 921.67 MB
111 DashboardClient Michael 0.0 15.36 MB 905.32 MB
120 Safari Michael 0.0 41.21 MB 954.22 MB
130 mdworker Michael 0.0 2.77 MB 598.53 MB
133 PubSubAgent Michael 0.0 3.59 MB 588.16 MB
136 Quick Look Server Michael 0.0 3.23 MB 863.32 MB
138 Activity Monitor Michael 18.6 17.89 MB 995.60 MB
139 pmTool root 2.6 1.25 MB 595.69 MB
141 nmblookup Michael 0.0 1,020.00 KB 19.50 MB

Jun 24, 2009 8:48 PM in response to Michael710

Here is another example... The system has been idle for about 7 minutes now and finally the fans have hit 2500 RPM. I open Firefox and google Nokia N97. I hit the very first link that shows up (it is a sponsored link). iStat indicated the CPU temp goes from about 128 degrees F to 155 degrees F by simply visiting that link. Then I spun the Nokia N97 around in the interactive demo they provide and the fans come on right away. Nothing else going on in the background.

Jun 24, 2009 9:20 PM in response to Michael710

I believe the graphics circuit may be causing it. Maybe someone else that has one can test it on their unit and chime in here.

My old MacBook's fan would go wide open just watching a YouTube video.

User uploaded file

Dave M.
MacOSG Founder/Ambassador  An Apple User Group  iTunes: MacOSG Podcast
Macsimum News Associate Editor  Creator of 'Mac611 - Mobile Mac Support'

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Fans Always On at 6200 RPM - REV C

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