My iBook's Fan Might Be Dead (?)

dmetzcher

dmetzcher

Metzcher.com
I noticed today that I hadn't heard the fan in my iBook running in my iBook running earlier today, despite it being rather hot (hot is normal, but the fan usually runs). I thought maybe I was just being a bit paranoid, so i booted into singl user mode. It was my understanding that the fans would run at full-speed the entire time I was in single user mode, but I couldn't hear anything running.

So...
Is my fan dead?
Can I test it somehow?
Is single user mode a good test?

If someone could reply tonight, I'd really appreciate it. I don't want to run it anymore if the fan has died. I also would like to take it to the Apple store tomorrow, if necessary.

Thanks!
 
There's a hardware test CD that came with your computer. I'm not sure whether this is actually tested with it, though.
 
fryke said:
There's a hardware test CD that came with your computer. I'm not sure whether this is actually tested with it, though.
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I feel stupid for not having thought about that CD. Thanks. I'll try it out and see if it does anything.

But, the single user mode is supposed to run the fans all time, even on an iBook, right?
 
As information, the regular hardware test didn't do anything special, but when the advanced hardware test ran, it sounded like the fan went full-speed for a few seconds and then slowly died down as the test progressed. The whole fan thing took about four or five seconds total, but it appears that the fan might be ok.

That still leaves the question about single-user mode. I thought that the fans were supposed to run a full-speed while in this mode?
 
Not necessarily - The fans in an iMac G5, or a PowerMac G5 are both software controlled, so fans are normal in single-user mode, and other testing. The fans in those models will also run under hi-temp, or high processor loads (hardware sensors do this) The fan in the iBook runs when needed, but is not controlled through software. The fan may or may not run during other testing. It's simply due to internal temp, and/or processor load.
 
DeltaMac said:
Not necessarily - The fans in an iMac G5, or a PowerMac G5 are both software controlled, so fans are normal in single-user mode, and other testing. The fans in those models will also run under hi-temp, or high processor loads (hardware sensors do this) The fan in the iBook runs when needed, but is not controlled through software. The fan may or may not run during other testing. It's simply due to internal temp, and/or processor load.
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Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of this.
 
fryke said:
You might find http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/12381 interesting (cpu temperature monitor software) for further testing...
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Thanks. Just downloaded it and will keep an eye on things today. I think the fan is fine though. I was just freaking out a little because there were no fans on in single user mode, but a previous post tells me that they might not be on in this mode anyway, so, as long as I heard the fan during the hardware test, I think I'm OK.
 
Well, what temperature (in Celsius _and_ Fahrenheit, preferrably, so anyone reading can understand it...) ;) does the tool show you for the CPU? My PowerBook seems to be around 60C/140F.
 
fryke said:
Well, what temperature (in Celsius _and_ Fahrenheit, preferrably, so anyone reading can understand it...) ;) does the tool show you for the CPU? My PowerBook seems to be around 60C/140F.
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Right now, the iBook's been running for about an hour, and is pretty warm. Here are the temperature readings in Fahrenheit and Celsius (F/C):

78.8/26.0 Battery (Specified Upper Limit is 163.4/73.0)
121.1/49.5 Graphics Processor Bottomside (Specified Upper Limit is not specified)
111.2/44.0 Hard Drive (Specified Upper Limit is not specified)
114.8/46.0 Power Supply/Memory Bottomside (Specified Upper Limit is 145.4/63.0)
121.5/49.7 Processor Bottomside (Specified Upper Limit is 181.4/83.0)

I've seen the temperatures a little higher, with no fan going, with the processory bottomside being in the 140s(F). It hasn't gone higher than that though, so far.

It's weird. In the past few days, I have not heard my fan going, but the temperature stays pretty constant. It could be that it's been cooler in my home and work offices, and the temperature just hasn't gotten high enough. I'm in NJ, and this week has been the coldest so far this winter. I seem to remember it running more often, especially when I worked it hard for a few hours.
 
Well: I think all's well with your iBook! Be _glad_ that it doesn't have to use the fan all of the time! When I'm using my PowerBook on battery (reduced processor speed etc.), Processor Bottomside (the most important temperature, I think...) is around your level (120/49). When it runs at full speed with external power supply, this goes to about 140/60 (as mentioned above). I'd just forget about it until a real problem comes up. This sounds perfectly normal to me. Maybe someone with a similar iBook can look at his/her iBook's temperature levels...
 
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