Mac Mini keeps crashing... Heat?

G

guyeva

Registered
My Mac Mini keeps crashing, and it's crashed three times today, and it felt hot each time it's crashed, so I disconnected it and put it in the freezer for a while to cool it off, because if I tried to restart it after it crashed it would just crash again, unless I cooled it in the freezer first.

I've been having to do this for months now, but lately I've noticed that a strong correlation between the crashes and streaming video online. All three crashes today happened while I was on Hulu watching streaming video, and it will go days without crashing otherwise.

I think the fan in this Mini might be cooked, or the thermostat, or something, but I have to do something about it, but I can't afford to take it to an Apple store for repair and I can't be without it for that long either, it's my ONLY entertainment.

Anyone know where I can buy a new fan for it or what else I might be able to do about this crashing problem?
 
It may be that the mini is simply clogged with dust. Have you ever opened a mini before? It's not difficult, but sounds like you're completely demolishing the innards while doing so (snap, crackle, pop!).

It may be prudent to open that mini up and check the level of dust on the inside. There are guides available with super-simple Google searches that will take you through the steps.

Is the mini still under warranty, or is it an older mini? If it's still under warranty, simply take it to any Apple Store and they'll fix it for you, free of charge more than likely.

In the interim, you may want to download and install the iStat pro dashboard widget, which will allow you to monitor the temperature of various components. If the temperature seems too high, then indeed the problem may be a faulty fan or sensor.

I would recommend against putting a hot mini in the freezer -- the extreme change in temperature over such a short amount of time is doing the mini absolutely no good, and the condensation risks may actually be damaging it more. I would recommend simply letting the mini sit and cool itself over several hours -- I realize the want to use the computer again without having to wait that long may be great, but you must weigh the benefits: use it now by freezing it and risk irreparable damage, or suffer through the time in hopes of fixing it?
 
ElDiabloConCaca said:
It may be that the mini is simply clogged with dust. Have you ever opened a mini before? It's not difficult, but sounds like you're completely demolishing the innards while doing so (snap, crackle, pop!).
Click to expand...

Yes, I've opened it before, I doubled it's memory which required opening it, and I opened it again not long ago to check for dust, but that just does not seem to be be the problem.

Is the mini still under warranty, or is it an older mini?
Click to expand...

It's way past it's waranty, I got it in 06 or so.

In the interim, you may want to download and install the iStat pro dashboard widget, which will allow you to monitor the temperature of various components. If the temperature seems too high, then indeed the problem may be a faulty fan or sensor.
Click to expand...

I'll see if I can find that iStat widget, do you have a link for it?

Thanx for the advice :)
 
Well crap, two problems with that there widget, it wants me to have 10.5, and I don't, and it wants money, which, in my special situation I don't have. Bummer....

I downloaded the iStat Nano widget, and that's supposed to work with 10.4, but when I try to run it it tells me " The File "iStat nano.wdgt" is not a valid widget and you cannot install it."

Well that's some pretty raw stuff.... So much for iStat anything. They can take a flying leap as far as I'm concerned.
 
guyeva said:
Well that's some pretty raw stuff.... So much for iStat anything. They can take a flying leap as far as I'm concerned.
Click to expand...

So you are complaining because you can't get something for nothing? I'm a certified Apple tech and had a fix, but I'll keep to myself now..You can take the flying leap.
 
I just wanted something that worked, and it didn't. It was freeware, so do you have a problem with me not going for the pay software? I hope you can get over it. [***deleted***] As it happens I downloaded it from another site, and this time it worked.

[***attack_removed***] Excuse me for being poor, I didn't do it on purpose, and I'm just trying to get a problem resolved. [***further_stuff_removed***]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow - tough crowd!
Just so there's no confusion, iStat Pro is actually a free widget, and will run on 10.4 or higher.
 
All calm down, please... We don't need to exchange such words on macosx.com. Had to edit a bit.
 
Yep, iStat Pro is completely, 100% free and runs on my 10.4 machine, my 10.5 machine, and my 10.6 machine just fine. Downloading from that site I linked to works perfectly.

Be sure you're not making a mistake and trying to download iStat Menus, which is not free, and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher.
 
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