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Level 1

65 points

Permanent SOLUTION for the WHINE issue. STEP by STEP Instructions.

Hi all,

Your dreams have come true. There is a cure for the whine that requires no programs to run and persists between reboots.

It requires the editing of one file. Please attempt this only if you understand what you are doing. I take no responsibility for your actions.

Here are the steps:

1. Find the file: -> System -> Library -> Extensions -> IOPlatformPluginFamily.kext

2. Click the file and choose DUPLICATE from the File menu. Drag the copied file to somewhere safe.

3. Control click the original file to get: SHOW PACKAGE CONTENTS

4. Double click CONTENTS

5. Double click PLUGINS

Delete everything except:

ACPI SMCPlatformPlugin.kext

&

Simple_PlatformPlugin.kext

6. Control click ACPI SMCPlatformPlugin.kext and again SHOW PACKAGE CONTENTS

7. Double click CONTENTS

8. Open the file: Info.plist with a text editor. I use Subethaedit.

9. Look for the following:

<dict>
<key>DTC_WAB</key>
<integer>10</integer>
<key>DTC_WAT</key>
<integer>0</integer>
<key>GTC_WAB</key>
<integer>15</integer>
<key>GTC_WAT</key>
<integer>15</integer>
</dict>
</array>
<key>model</key>
<string>MacBookPro1,1</string>

Make sure the MacBookPro1,1 is there at the end of the block. The block above represents the CPU throttling values. You'll notice that the integer values in the last block are 10 / 0 / 15 / 15

There are other similar blocks related to other machine types. The first block is for "M9ADP1,1". The MacBook Pro Block is the second big block.

The important line numbers are 129 and 131. So look there.

Change those to:

<dict>
<key>DTC_WAB</key>
<integer>10</integer>
<key>DTC_WAT</key>
<integer>0</integer>
<key>GTC_WAB</key>
<integer>0</integer>
<key>GTC_WAT</key>
<integer>5</integer>
</dict>
</array>
<key>model</key>
<string>MacBookPro1,1</string>

So you have 10 / 0 / 0 / 5 in the integer values.

10. Double check things and then save the file.

11. Reboot to a no whine machine.

12. Enjoy.

With this method the only change is to the throttling matrix retaining all the code of the kernel extension relating to the MBP otherwise.

Today's technology, tomorrow's landfill., Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Apr 28, 2006 1:58 AM

288 replies

Apr 28, 2006 4:32 AM in response to Oben

My CPU is 1.83Ghz.
10/0/0/5 and 10/0/0/0 settings doesn't work

Apr 28, 2006 4:54 AM in response to Oben

Did not work for me either. The PhotoBooth/MagicNoiseKiller Hack still does the job though.

Beidomon

Level 1

20 points

Apr 28, 2006 6:12 AM in response to Mac Meyer

It worked for me but the mooing sound started happening and I switched it back because I can still get rid of the whine with the mirror widget and I can't get rid of the mooing.

Apr 28, 2006 6:27 AM in response to Oben

Although this seems to work for me in reducing the whine it also results in my battery lasting less than 2 hours rather than the 3 I normally get.

Apr 28, 2006 7:41 AM in response to Oben

Ripping wires out of your Mac OS software’s guts, as it were, is never advisable.

If this “solution” worked, was universally effective and did not have significant negative side-effects, I think Apple’s software and hardwrae engineers could figure it out and release an update that applied it and would have done so by know.

Randall Schulz

Apr 28, 2006 7:50 AM in response to Randall Schulz

Ripping wires out of your Mac OS software’s guts, as
it were, is never advisable.

Perhaps not for the average user who does not have a backup. However, these are our machines and we are free to experiment if we desire.

Furthermore, since Apple employees have stated previously that the CPU whine is "within specifications" we have no reason to think that Apple even has any inclination to even think about starting to look into fixing this problem.

If Apple came out and said "we are aware of this problem and are working hard on a fix" then I wouldn't mess around trying to fix it myself. However, they have been completely silent except to state that they don't think it's a problem.

Apr 28, 2006 8:01 AM in response to Maverick_808

I said it was not advisable, not that you shouldn’t feel free to shoot yourself in the foot.

If the problem were easily soluble, and I’m inclined to believe it was not written off without investigation, then Apple would have proffered that solution. Given that they did not, I doubt a simple solution is likely.

I’m most sceptical that disabling software components in the operating system will constitute a good solution.

Randall Schulz

Apr 28, 2006 8:19 AM in response to Randall Schulz

All Apple wants.
But I've spent 2.159,00 Euros for this MBP and I WANT all work fine and I don't want CPU Whine.
So, Apple must take an official position to permit to me and other Whine-people to decide if this is a little problem or this is a Problem.
I think this: if Apple will not fix this problem in the next month I'll sell this MBP.
If Apple say that CPU Whine is in his specs I sell MBP because CPU Whine don't is in my specs. I've had a lot of notebook but never I've seen a thing like this.
I am very sad that a company like Apple do this to his customer.

Apr 28, 2006 9:31 AM in response to Oben

The problem with this method is if you ever repair permissions, Disk Utility will see that the kernel extension was altered under a user account, and then repair it.

The result to this repair is the throttling comes back.

So, basically, repairing your permissions voids this tweak.
I just tested this, and thats exactly what happened. The edited integer values are saved, but the throttling comes back.

Any idea on how to alter the extension but insure that it won't be flagged for a permissions repair in Disk Utility so that the throttling does not return?

Elixir

Level 1

0 points

Apr 28, 2006 9:33 AM in response to Oben

solution worked for me. running different apps and i'm noticing better performance (lower cpu usage)

what does this mean? i'm afraid this has completely whiped out the speed stepping function.

Apr 28, 2006 9:37 AM in response to Oben

and is anyone else getting an error after rebooting?

"system extension could not be used... etc. etc.."

Apr 28, 2006 9:38 AM in response to Community User

Actually that's completely incorrect. Running permission repair does just that and resets the permission on the kext but it does not alter the contents back.

On my MBP after repairing permissions the fix still works. I've decided not to use it though since it reduces battery life by so much.

This works...

1) Start the mirror widget
2) Close the mirror widget
3) Put the MacBook to sleep
4) Wake the MacBook up

After doing that the whine stops. Weird.

Apr 28, 2006 9:40 AM in response to Community User

It's because when you save the file it saves it as belonging to you and kexts should belong to the system.

Just repair permissions to fix that.

Apr 28, 2006 9:47 AM in response to raingrove

I am pretty sure I knew what I was doing.

Famous last words 😉

Apr 28, 2006 9:52 AM in response to Maverick_808

if you read what i typed... you'd see that i said a permissions repair brings the THROTTLING BACK.

Permanent SOLUTION for the WHINE issue. STEP by STEP Instructions.