Member Avatar for fallout4player

my mac(2011) 13 inch running windows 10 has a weird fan.
it turns on when in regular use like browsing online or word processing, having multiple windows kicks the fan on in a long but almost silent hum. at random times it is high pitched and very loud. is there something wrong?

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A few quick checks can narrow this down on a 2011 13-in MacBook Pro running Windows 10. First, look for spikes in CPU or disk that make the SMC ramp the fan: open Task Manager and sort by CPU, then Disk. Next, generate an energy report to spot chatty drivers or power settings that keep the CPU hot even when you are just browsing.

Run Command Prompt as Administrator:
powercfg /energy /output %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\energy-report.html /duration 90

This creates an HTML report you can open and review. See Microsoft’s reference for what the flags mean and how to read it. Powercfg command-line options.

Hardware-wise, and are on the right track about dust. Add two safety notes: disconnect the battery before blowing out dust, and hold the fan blades still so you do not overspin the motor. Short bursts of compressed air are safer than a household vacuum near the logic board. A Phillips #00 driver fits the lower-case screws on this model, and iFixit’s fan-cleaning guidance shows the hold-the-blades technique. Fan & Interior Cleaning.

If the fan still behaves oddly after cleaning, do these two things: 1) reset the SMC (on Intel Macs this can help with long-running fans) and 2) make sure Apple’s Boot Camp support software is current so Windows has the right Apple drivers. Keep your Mac laptop within acceptable operating temperatures. Download and install Windows support software on your Mac.

Finally, run Apple’s built-in hardware test (hold D at power-on) to check sensors and the fan itself. Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac. If you still hear a high-pitched whine at idle, the fan assembly may be failing and is inexpensive to replace.

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Member Avatar for rubberman

The fans are controlled by thermal sensors. If the motherboard and other stuff (power supply, etc) are dusty, this can exascerbate the problem of high internal temperatures. Take the cover off, and vacuum out the system (unplugged preferably). For hard-to-get at nooks and crannies, you can also use some compressed air in a can to blow the detritis out to be vacuumed up.

Sources of heat in a system? CPU, RAM, power supply, disc drives are prime candidates.

Member Avatar for CimmerianX

Rubberman is correct.

On the 2011, 13" macs, you can remove the bottom by unscrewing the tiny screws along the base plate. There are 2 sizes of screws, so keep careful note of what size screw came out of what hole. Pull the cover off with gentle force...use a flat head screwdriver to wedge the cover off. There will be sticky stuff holding it down. Clean the fans of dust then put it all back together.

Member Avatar for rubberman

And thanks for your post . This may help others as well. I am giving you an upvote for your post.

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