smcfancontrol on Macbook Air

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smcfancontrol on Macbook Air

Hey guys,

First, I'm pretty sure this isn't the right place the to this question but I couldnt find any other threads, so sorry in advnace.

I recently installed smcfancontrol and I'm pleased with its job.

However, whenever I exhaust a bit my macbook, I expected it to raise fans' speed correspondingly but it's just staying at the minimum speed I set, without "sensing" my macbook is getting hot and that better cooling is needed.

Plus, when I choose to disable smc and let the normal OS control the speed like it used to be before, it does the same and not adjusting fans' speed to heat like it used to do before.

Any thoughts how to solve this?

Posted on Aug 18, 2012 3:06 AM

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Answer 1

Denico

Level 3

670 points

Aug 18, 2012 3:26 AM in response to YadinCohen

Hi...

Try a SMC reset: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

/Dennis

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Answer 2

YadinCohen Author

Level 1

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Aug 18, 2012 3:39 AM in response to Denico

Thanks, though resetting it might be dramatic.

I wanted to know of the unadjustable situation is normal or not.

If it should adjust, I guess then I should reset.

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Answer 3

Denico

Level 3

670 points

Aug 18, 2012 5:27 AM in response to YadinCohen

Hi..

SMC reset is not very dramatic 🙂

It's not normal if it don't increase fan speed when temperature rises above normall operating conditions.

/Dennis

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Answer 4

YadinCohen Author

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Aug 18, 2012 7:04 AM in response to Denico

Just to make sure: I'm talking about that smcfancontrol which is an external app you can download to help control fan speed.

According to that guide, it seems it resets the entire control management tool which I obviously dont need.

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Answer 5

Denico

Level 3

670 points

Aug 18, 2012 8:57 AM in response to YadinCohen

Ok. if everything is ok, then do nothing 🙂

/Dennis

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Answer 6

YadinCohen Author

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Aug 18, 2012 9:04 AM in response to Denico

Lol, not everything is ok, but smc resetting, according to that guide won't help me because my problem is related to an app, smcfancontrol but not smc in general [even though that guide refers to smc but not in that meaning but in "system management controller"].

Or am I completely wrong and those two are the same?

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Answer 7

Denico

Level 3

670 points

Aug 18, 2012 9:10 AM in response to YadinCohen

The SMC controls, among other things, thermal management.

Regardles that you have SMC fan control installed the computers SMC still regulates the fan(s).

You say that the fan do not increase speed when temperature rises. That is not normal.

Hence the advice to try SMC reset as per the link.

/Dennis

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Answer 8

YadinCohen Author

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Aug 18, 2012 9:20 AM in response to Denico

It used to adjust automatically until I installed smcfancontrol, and and I said, even when I shut down smcfancontrol with a hope to summon the native fans' speed management, it won't appear.

So, lets say I do reset it -

I still want smcfancontrol installed because I love it, but if I install it again after resetting smc, won't it happen again?

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Answer 9

Mar 6, 2013 5:04 AM in response to YadinCohen

It will obviously happen again... I have the same problem too. First of all, smsfancontrol adjusts the SMC settings. So resetting the settings should fix it. I do recommend that you don't use the application anymore, since it is not offically supported. Anyway, if you want to use it again, you can. But you will need to reset the SMC settings once you want everything to be back to normal.

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