MacBook Pro 15' mid 2015 temperature issues

Question

Level 1

9 points

MacBook Pro 15' mid 2015 temperature issues

I think my MacBook Pro has some kind of temperature problems. The fans are spinning really high without doing really much and sometimes the kernel_task is starting to block CPU capacity (which is an indicator that the CPU needs slow down). Here a snapshot of what iStat shows me:

Temperature values are in °C, so CPU is at 120°F and GPU at 125°F. And as you can see the CPU has really nothing to do right now and I waited a few minutes doing nothing before I took that screenshot. Are these values much too high? Is maybe something about the cooling broken?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS Sierra (10.12.5)

Posted on Jul 20, 2017 2:01 AM

Reply

Answer 1

flashflail Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 21, 2017 3:41 AM in response to Allan Jones

Thanks for all your answers!

Tried now also to get rid of the dust from inside. There was a lot and I thought that the problem was gone for about a few hours, but now the fans are going nuts again.

I did the hardware diagnostic but there was no issue detected:

Anything else I could try?

Reply

Answer 2

tjk

Level 9

51,166 points

Jul 20, 2017 8:22 AM in response to flashflail

Hi,

The temps are a little high, but nothing to worry about. The fans are high, unless they're the reason the MBP is not getting any hotter. Try resetting the SMC: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295.

Reply

Answer 3

Allan Jones

Level 9

73,892 points

Jul 21, 2017 3:32 AM in response to flashflail

Fans running at max speed in spite of very normal component temps could be caused by a failed temperature sensor on the logic board. If a sensor fails, the fan(s) it controls go into safety mode--running at full speed--to prevent heat that the dead sensor can no longer detect from damaging components.

You already have the Apple Diagnostics software on your computer; it will detect sensor failures. Please see this Apple article for instructions on using Diagnostics:

How to use Apple Diagnostics on your Mac - Apple Support

If it returns any error codes, immediately take a picture of the reporting screen with your phone or other external camera. That will help if you take it to Apple for repair and the error doesn't repeat in the store. Then tell us what codes were displayed.

The codes are quite cryptic but any code containing the term "4SNS" is a sensor error. This usually requires a logic board replacement that can be very pricy out of warranty. If you are in the United States, ask about a "depot repair." Those take longer--around one working week--but the cost of a full repair is about 1/3 of having the the computer repaired overnight in-store and it's still an Apple repair.

Reply

Answer 4

Allan Jones

Level 9

73,892 points

Jul 21, 2017 8:56 AM in response to flashflail

To see if a software issue is at play, you can do one of two things or, better, both.

1) A respected and long-serving member of these communities has created a simple utility that will take a "snapshot" of your configuration without revealing any sensitive information about you and your computer. It is Etrecheck, and is available here:

http://etrecheck.com/

Run it and, when its report displays, click Etrecheck's "Share Report" icon and then "Copy Report" from the resulting dropdown. Paste the entire report into a response to your own thread here. It will often allow us to quickly identify or eliminate software as the problem.

2) See this Apple article:

See how apps affect Mac performance, battery runtime, temperature, and fan activity - Apple Support

Step 1 is hugely important to getting a useful results. However, the test is dynamic (results update every couple of seconds) and can involve multiple screens so it is hard to get a single screenshot that helps us help with the issue. Option 1 creates a single "post-able" report that we can review for known issues.

Reply

Answer 5

flashflail Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 24, 2017 12:13 AM in response to Allan Jones

I tried Etrecheck and the results are at the bottom of my reply. According to this report it doesn't look like something is causing real CPU usage. I asked my colleague if he knows something about what it could be and he is currently experiencing a similar issue. Because we are both iOS developers and using Xcode (8.3.3) it seems to be Xcode is doing something really bad. With that in mind I compared how my MacBook is behaving when running Xcode (but it is completely idle, no build or indexing is running) and when it is not running. As soon as I start Xcode the fans are starting to speed up. Without Xcode running the fans are not audible. When I am actively doing something in Xcode it is starting to become way worse. So it has to be Xcode causing weird fan activity and slowing down the MacBook without even using the CPU a lot. So I may need to start a new thread because I have another issue than I thought. Thanks for all your help!

EtreCheck version: 3.4.2 (436)

Report generated 2017-07-24 09:04:06

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime: 1:52

Performance: Excellent

Click the [Lookup] links for more information from Apple Support Communities.

Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.

Problem: Computer is too slow

Description:

Especially slow and high spinning fans when running Xcode 8.3

Hardware Information: ⓘ

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)

[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro11,5

1 2,5 GHz Intel Core i7 (i7-4870HQ) CPU: 4-core

16 GB RAM Not upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

Wireless: en0: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 237

iCloud Quota: 76.11 GB available

Video Information: ⓘ

AMD Radeon R9 M370X - VRAM: 2048 MB

Color LCD 2880 x 1800

LA2405 1920 x 1200

SyncMaster 1680 x 1050 @ 60 Hz

Intel Iris Pro - VRAM: 1536 MB

Disk Information: ⓘ

APPLE SSD SM0512G disk0: (500,28 GB) (Solid State - TRIM: Yes)

[Show SMART report]

EFI (disk0s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) <not mounted> [EFI]: 210 MB

(disk0s2) <not mounted> [CoreStorage Container]: 499.42 GB

Recovery HD (disk0s3 - HFS+) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

USB Information: ⓘ

USB30Bus

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Broadcom Corp. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

USB2.0 Hub

EPSON EPSON Scanner

Thunderbolt Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Virtual disks: ⓘ

Macintosh HD (disk1 - Journaled HFS+) / [Startup]: 499.07 GB (80.09 GB free)

Physical disk: disk0s2 499.42 GB Online

Time Machine-Backups (disk2s2 - Case-sensitive Journaled HFS+) /Volumes/Time Machine-Backups : 751.28 GB (156.58 GB free)

Physical disk: Disk Image 751.28 GB (156.58 GB free)

System Software: ⓘ

macOS Sierra 10.12.5 (16F73) - Time since boot: about 3 days

Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ⓘ

/Applications/Parallels Access.app

[loaded] com.parallels.virtualsound (1.0.36 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]

/Applications/Parallels Desktop.app

[not loaded] com.parallels.kext.hypervisor (12.2.1 41615 - SDK 10.9) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.parallels.kext.netbridge (12.2.1 41615 - SDK 10.9) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.parallels.kext.usbconnect (12.2.1 41615 - SDK 10.9) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.parallels.kext.vnic (12.2.1 41615 - SDK 10.9) [Lookup]

/Applications/Plantronics Hub.app

[loaded] com.plantronics.driver.PlantronicsDriverShield (4.3 - SDK 10.8) [Lookup]

/Applications/Tunnelblick.app

[not loaded] net.tunnelblick.tap (20141104 (Tunnelblick build 4270.4371) Unsigned) [Lookup]

[not loaded] net.tunnelblick.tun (20141104 (Tunnelblick build 4270.4371) Unsigned) [Lookup]

/Library/Extensions

[loaded] at.obdev.nke.LittleSnitch (3.7.3 - SDK 10.11) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.asix.driver.ax88179-178a (1.8.0 - SDK 10.10) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.intel.kext.intelhaxm (6.0.1 - SDK 10.9) [Lookup]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.tomtom.driver.UsbEthernetGadget (1.0.0d1) [Lookup]

System Launch Agents: ⓘ

[not loaded] 6 Apple tasks

[loaded] 167 Apple tasks

[running] 109 Apple tasks

System Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[not loaded] 37 Apple tasks

[loaded] 167 Apple tasks

[running] 114 Apple tasks

Launch Agents: ⓘ

[running] at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent.plist (Objective Development Software GmbH - installed 2017-02-08) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2015-10-07) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (Google, Inc. - installed 2017-03-29) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (? b18e39a7 be93c7fb - installed 2017-03-24) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.parallels.mobile.prl_deskctl_agent.launchagent.plist (Parallels, Inc. - installed 2016-07-28) [Lookup]

[running] com.synology.SynoSIMBL.plist (? bba1eb5c cb4a97c0 - installed 2015-11-13) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.synology.SynoSIMBL_RefreshFinder.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-03-23)

[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist (Apple Inc. - XQuartz - installed 2015-10-16) [Lookup]

Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[running] at.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist (Objective Development Software GmbH - installed 2017-02-08) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist (? 856489a3 0 - installed 2015-06-18) [Lookup]

[running] com.adobe.agsservice.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2017-05-29) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (? 2afb3af7 18a4fa69 - installed 2017-06-23) [Lookup]

[running] com.cisco.anyconnect.vpnagentd.plist (? a7cbca7 198a7d28 - installed 2016-03-25) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.github.IngmarStein.Monolingual.Helper.plist (Ingmar Stein - installed 2016-07-28) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist (Google, Inc. - installed 2017-04-18) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.intel.haxm.plist (Shell Script 42f307e7 - installed 2015-11-27) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper.plist (Microsoft Corporation - installed 2017-07-11) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist (? 6d8cb30e 442fdde9 - installed 2011-03-10) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.helper.plist (Microsoft Corporation - installed 2015-07-24) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (Shell Script e3fefdd2 - installed 2016-12-13) [Lookup]

[running] com.parallels.mobile.dispatcher.launchdaemon.plist (Parallels, Inc. - installed 2016-07-28) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.parallels.mobile.kextloader.launchdaemon.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-04-29)

[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.privileged_startx.plist (Apple Inc. - XQuartz - installed 2015-10-16) [Lookup]

User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2015-08-31) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (? 5c76f5f6 1c9bb8a9 - installed 2015-10-14) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist (Dropbox, Inc. - installed 2017-07-13) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.parallels.mobile.startgui.launchagent.plist (Parallels, Inc. - installed 2016-07-28) [Lookup]

[running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist (Spotify - installed 2017-05-31) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.valvesoftware.steamclean.plist (? 7516593f f03ac3b1 - installed 2017-06-30) [Lookup]

[loaded] tv.plex.player-helper.plist (? cc7bdb1f 781aae0c - installed 2017-06-20) [Lookup]

User Login Items: ⓘ

iCloudStatus Programm

(/Applications/iCloudStatus.app)

Plantronics Hub Programm - Hidden

(/Applications/Plantronics Hub.app)

iTunesHelper Programm (? 0 - installed 2017-07-20)

(/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

Dropbox Programm

(/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Skype for Business Programm

(/Applications/Skype for Business.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 121 build 13 (installed 2017-04-05) Check version

o1dbrowserplugin: 5.41.3.0 (installed 2015-12-16) [Lookup]

Unity Web Player: UnityPlayer version 5.3.5f1 (installed 2016-07-08) [Lookup]

AdobeExManDetect: AdobeExManDetect 1.1.0.0 (installed 2015-06-29) [Lookup]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 10.1.16 (installed 2015-10-14) [Lookup]

FlashPlayer-10.6: 26.0.0.137 (installed 2017-07-12) [Lookup]

AdobeAAMDetect: AdobeAAMDetect 1.0.0.0 (installed 2015-08-31) [Lookup]

Silverlight: 5.1.50901.0 (installed 2017-07-17) [Lookup]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2017-05-22)

Flash Player: 26.0.0.137 (installed 2017-07-12) [Lookup]

googletalkbrowserplugin: 5.41.3.0 (installed 2015-12-11) [Lookup]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.5.3 (installed 2015-07-30) [Lookup]

AdobePDFViewer: 10.1.16 (installed 2015-10-14) [Lookup]

MeetingJoinPlugin: Unknown (installed 2017-07-11) [Lookup]

User internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

WebEx64: 1.0 (installed 2016-10-17) [Lookup]

Safari Extensions: ⓘ

[enabled] Open in Internet Explorer - Parallels - http://www.parallels.com (installed 2017-07-11)

3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

Flash Player (installed 2017-06-23) [Lookup]

Java (installed 2017-03-24) [Lookup]

Time Machine: ⓘ

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: ON

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 499.07 GB Disk used: 418.98 GB

Destinations:

TM [Network]

Total size: 751.28 GB

Total number of backups: 43

Oldest backup: 28.04.17, 04:56

Last backup: 24.07.17, 08:54

Size of backup disk: Too small

Backup size 751.28 GB < (Disk used 418.98 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

16% kernel_task

14% Electron Helper

11% WindowServer

4% Teams

3% diskimages-helper

Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

1.46 GB kernel_task

948 MB Google Chrome Helper

795 MB SourceKitService

563 MB lldb-rpc-server

472 MB Xcode

Top Processes by Network Use: ⓘ

Input Output Process name

526 MB 1.16 GB kernel_task

3 MB 869 KB mDNSResponder

459 KB 412 KB Dropbox

442 KB 17 KB com.apple.WebKit.Networking

202 KB 88 KB netbiosd

Top Processes by Energy Use: ⓘ

14.88 Electron Helper

12.44 WindowServer

5.54 Teams

2.70 diskimages-helper

Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

4.97 GB Available RAM

197 MB Free RAM

11.03 GB Used RAM

4.77 GB Cached files

542 MB Swap Used

Software installs: ⓘ

OneDrive: 17.3.6916 (installed 2017-06-24)

OneDrive: 17.3.6919 (installed 2017-07-03)

Compare Folders: 1.1.9 (installed 2017-07-11)

Microsoft Lync for Mac: (installed 2017-07-11)

Microsoft AutoUpdate: (installed 2017-07-11)

Adobe Flash Player: (installed 2017-07-12)

Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac: (installed 2017-07-12)

Microsoft Excel for Mac: (installed 2017-07-12)

Microsoft Word for Mac: (installed 2017-07-12)

Microsoft Silverlight Internet Browser Plugin: 5.1.50901.0 (installed 2017-07-16)

Microsoft Remote Desktop: 8.0.27312 (installed 2017-07-20)

Install information may not be complete.

Files deleted by EtreCheck: ⓘ

2017-07-21 20:46:39 - ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.pcv.hlpramc.plist - Unknown

2017-07-21 20:46:39 - ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.pcv.hlpramcn.plist - Unknown

2017-07-21 20:47:56 - /Library/LaunchAgents/com.cisco.anyconnect.gui.plist - Unknown

2017-07-21 20:47:56 - /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.wireshark.ChmodBPF.plist - Unknown

2017-07-21 20:47:56 - /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.wireshark.XQuartzFixer.plist - Unknown

Reply

Answer 6

Allan Jones

Level 9

73,892 points

Jul 24, 2017 7:56 AM in response to flashflail

Several things to try:

1) Quite a number of people are reporting Little Snitch causing issues with the last couple of verison of Mac OS. Try diabling it and testing.

2) I'm not sure what these re for:

[running] com.synology.SynoSIMBL.plist (? bba1eb5c cb4a97c0 - installed 2015-11-13) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.synology.SynoSIMBL_RefreshFinder.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-03-23)BL

but anything with SIMBL in the name makes me nervous. There were a number of adware attacks based on SIMBL and "Refresh Finder" sounds like a system modifier--seldom helpful.

3) Most third-party back-up schemes like MS OneDrive,Google Drive, Carbonite, etc can slow the computer, especially if you have only a slow to modest internet connection speed. The only one I've used that doesn't seem to affect my performance is DropBox. See what happens if you disable One Drive and just use Dropbox.