MacBook Pro (2010) Freeze

This issue is not HD related, it's an Nvidia / GPU issue.

2.66Ghz Core i7, 4GB RAM, high-res anti-glare.

I've had 2 or 3 freezes in Windows 7 boot camp in the last week. The two times I can remember were maximizing a window. It would get 98% maximized and then freeze.

+1 I have had about 6 lock ups. One last night.

I have i5 15" .. same problems.

Today had 3 consecutive freezings ... after turn-off I've been working for a couple of hours no problem.

Have also the USB 3b3b & 3b36 attention notice.

BTW: I feel the computer running hot!

I'm delaying my upgrade to an i7 17" MBP as well. I've read this entire thread, and (unlike the commenter above) I haven't seen any evidence that this issue is "fixed" by replacing the unit and/or HD. A few people here have gotten replacement units and/or replacement HDs but are saying the freezing problem persists.

To me, it seems like an Nvdia issue and/or an issue with peripheral devices. (It seems like a high % of people who have claimed the freezing problem are using their MBP with one or more peripherals.)

i installed gfxcard and have selected INTEL only..have seen no freezes although when i open new applications like mainstage or logic pro or start a conversation on skype, there is a bit lagging and it ***** because that happens in windows all the time. Have been using mac for the past 2 years and i have never experiences any lagging like this. So clearly this is not a solution. Apple needs to get an upgrade or something in order to fix this graphics switchin problem.

Agree. Lagging is annoying, for an 4GB i5 notebook no way

lagging also occurs when time machine is running, not sure if HD is to be blamed

freeze during video playback, possibly due to graphics switching

Is there more than one issue here?

Despite my previous posts (no freezing in past days since first use) I have had my first freezing 1/2 hour ago (lasting 10minutes) during operation on battery when trying to import AVCHD movies from a SD card inserted in the SD slot: screen froze, mouse got unresponsive 2min later and only after 10min waiting everything came back.
Moreover, I did, when MBP woke-up, the importing of the AVCHD files (for a total of 3Gb) on an external HDD (always on battery supply) and according to HW monitor (bresink s/w) CPU core temperatures hit 104°C !!!! Is it possible?
Moreover it appeared that it took only waiting to overtake 100°C to the fans to kick in!!!
What is strange too is that I have lifted the MBP of about 5cm above the table (in order to improve ventilation) but it did not change at all the effect on max temperature.
Tomorrow is the 14th day of life of my MBP: I am going to sleep (here in france) --> night will advise me whether or not to request to be refunded......(maybe going into an iMac....).
What do you think?

The intel docs state the following:

Max temperature at CPU core = 105°C.
Max temperature at Mem and GFX controller = 100°C.

In fact the docs state that Intel recommends the following:
Quote: Intel recommends full cooling capability well before the DTS reading reaches Tj,max.
Source: http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei7/mobile/specifications.htm

They recommend that the cooling components to operate at maximum capacity 10°C before the specified maximum allowed temperature.

My guess is that there's something firmware related going FUBAR in our MacBook Pro's related to thermal control. The CoreI7 has features that dynamically throttle CPU voltage. There are safeguards in place which reduce clockspeeds when things start to go outside of acceptable operating parameters.

Clearly in califfo1975's case this hasn't happened in the instance he recorded. In fact I would encourage everyone who is experiencing a freeze to hard reset immediately. Since as far as I have seen the laptops really seem to heat up when frozen. And operating a CPU outside of the specified operating temperatures can in fact fry the system literally.

Also do not leave your MacBook Pro unattended when it's frozen, it may be a fire hazard for as long as the unit is in this state.

Tech data about the CoreI7s can be found here: http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei7/mobile/specifications.htm

The chip in the MacBook Pro I7 is the i7-620m.

This is a direct link to the CoreI7 technical document containing the temperature related info:
http://download.intel.com/design/processor/datashts/322812.pdf
Search for "tj,max" (minus the quotes).

Message was edited by: Jeroen Leenarts

Add me to the list.

Lagging and freezes.
I´ve been able to reproduce the freeze by connecting my LCD to the MBP and running VLC, this automatically freezes the image and forces me to do a hard reset.

As for lags, these happen when there is a card switch, verified with GFXCard status..

Cant believe this! This is the second MBP with issues in less than a year! I had the chance to upgrade to the I7 from my previous 3.06 GHZ C2D which had the annoying click and pop and freezing HD.

That's 2 in a row, junior!

My post is confusing indeed:
Freezing occurred before starting to import with a very cool machine!
When it woke up from freezing, MBP was still cool
The heating issue is a second 'problem' that occurred after starting to import with a totally unfrozen and initially chill MBP.
I tried, some minutes ago, to render some imovie video in full HD: again 104°C max on CPU cores 1 and 3 (I mistrust a little bit HW monitor fro some reason...) and it seems that on battery fans kick in at higher temps than on AC adapter.
I will contact Apple tomorrow an probably .... give the MBP back....unless someone could at least try to import heavy AVCHD files (on battery) and monitor max temps. i will try in an apple store tomorrow too.
Cheers

Message was edited by: califfo1975

I have to say my problems are working with Windows7, not on MAC OS.

Also noted that after freezing & hard-reset, the fan starts to work.
Not so, when freeze occurs.

Maybe all the freezing is due to temp? ..... Ironic words game!

Where can I download the temp monitor sw?

Message was edited by: Maconde

Message was edited by: Maconde

During intense checksumming, movie playback, parring and unrarring I'm not having any thermal issues, my unit just warms up a nice and toasty temperature. On chip the temperature is somewhere in the range of 70 to 80 degrees and it drops right back down after completing the CPU intense operations.

I am glad that the temperature spike califfo experienced was during "normal" operating procedures. Because the dynamci throttling of the CoreI7's allows the die to spike to an absolute maximum of 125 degrees IF I READ THE DOCS CORRECTLY, for really short bursts. But Intel does not recommend configuring a firmware like that at all.

Message was edited by: Jeroen Leenarts

Jeroen please try to run on battery and to monitor with hw monitor, from bresink, the max temp during importation in imovie of heavy avchd files. Tell me if you see the same temp as me please. This might be very helpful to me to take the choice about this mbp. Thanks. Emanuele
post eventually in the other specific topic I opened in the mbp > 2008 forum

Message was edited by: califfo1975

If I do that, my system freezes quite fast. Running from my adapter seems to keep the freezes away. 🙂

Running on battery now btw.

Message was edited by: Jeroen Leenarts