Is Unity causing my Macbook to run near-burning hot?

Question

I have a macbook 5,1 with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS installed. Using the default Unity interface (that is, compiz).

With time the case on where the GPU is located gets very hot, a few more degrees and I'd hurt myself. This is usual for some gaming, but in idle state surely not. The fans get working, and I can keep running, but my poor laptop gets burned :( and battery is consumed faster.

Solution 1

This looks like a problem regarding Unity.It may be too powerful to handle and causes your laptop to overheat.

First of all you can monitor your GPU temperature by typing nvidia-settings in terminal.Alternatively, you can install indicator-sensors by typing the following list of commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:alexmurray/indicator-sensors

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install indicator-sensors

You can install laptop mode to your ubuntu machine which may solve your overheating problem by typing sudo apt-get install laptop-mode in terminal.

Additionally you may take a look at the power bug issue regarding the Linux Kernel workaround .

Last but not least,you can disable animations and effects from CompizConfig Settings Manager

Solution 2

I think mac 5.2 has also efi

here is a site which gives you a lead how to boot your mac with efi and not with a bios emulator you dont have to reinstall your ubuntu just scroll down and see at Fixing the Installation to bottom

my mac is now 5-10°C cooler and the startup is now very short

and update your drivers with x-edgers/ppa or with x-updates/ppa

i dont know if you already installed macfanctld thats a fan control config but install first lm-sensors and go into your terminal and type sensors-detect

now it will ask you what to do answer everything with enter or y after that install macfanctld

Comments

[darryn.ten]

Is your CPU usage unusually high?

[Admin]

Do you have any problem when you log into Unity 2D?

[imacake]

@darryn.ten No, i checked with htop.

[Timse201]

please see this thread askubuntu.com/questions/153647/macbook-8-1-overheating

[Scaine]

The linux kernel workaround you mention is for kernel 3.0. Phoronix claim that there are still kernel power issues in 12.04 (which uses kernel 3.2), but mostly only for older hardware. See updated article here : phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTA4MDA