Existing users, 
I have an iMac which I purchased in October 2007. It's been working perfectly since I bought it, but recently I've been doing some things which I thought was making it run a little hot. I've known about this product, smcFanControl, for a while but never thought I needed it. But since I felt the computer was running a little hot (even after being sure the vents weren't clogged with dust, etc.) I thought I'd give it a try.
(Just noting here that I have NOT upgraded to Snow Leopard.)
I installed smcFanControl 2 days ago. This morning, my computer was dark and the internal fans were (quietly) spinning - I had put it to sleep last night, as I always do (I almost never turn it off completely), so it should not have greeted me this morning with spinning fans. It would not respond to keyboard presses, and I eventually needed to hold the power button for a few seconds to get it to shut off. Attempts to start it up resulted in the fans beginning to spin (quietly) but no startup chime/bong and the screen remained completely dark.
I have AppleCare and called for service (yes, at 9am EDT on a Sunday morning). They took me through an attempt to restart the SMC and a reset of the PRAM. Nothing worked - the computer will power up to the point where fans are spinning (at their usual whisper-quiet level) but no startup chime and the screen remains black. I now have an appointment at my local Apple Store for Tuesday afternoon, So even if this is something they can fix, I'm without my main computer for more than two days - yay timing, it's both back-to-school days AND two days after a major update to the operating system was released, so AppleCare or not I'm at the end of the line.
The recent installation of smcFanControl may have NOTHING to do with the problem I am experiencing. But it is the only thing that's changed on my computer recently, and since it's something that makes changes to the way the smc functions... it wouldn't surprise me if it were the culprit. So I thought I'd post this here as a potential warning to others considering the installation of this software.
smcFanControl
Control fans of your intel mac to cool it down, monitor temp.
Version: 2.2.2
Problem, maybe not related, but... - JohnMHammer
Just to update: The local Apple Store took three additional days after they finally let me bring it in to decide that the problem was the logic board, which they say needs to be replaced. They don't think it had anything to do with smcFanControl.The replacement part is supposed to arrive at the store today (8 Aug 2009) or tomorrow. Then they'll "get around to it when a technician becomes available" in another 7-10 days, as I was nonchalantly told by the in-store telephone representative. Because I guess the employees there are too busy figuring out which customers they'd like to have sex with and organizing parties for each other and sharing information regarding where to "score some good stuff" (which is all they were talking about during the two hours I waited for service last week when I dropped off my computer) to do a 90-minute repair job in less than a week.
Sorry that this turned into a rant about the employees at my local Apple Store. This was the first and only time I've needed service after 20 years of using Apple products. But after getting great phone support from Apple I was really disappointed and insulted by the behavior of the Apple Store employees both while I was there and in terms of how long they are going to wait before getting around to my machine even after the part finally comes in. And I've been without my main computer for well over a week now, and knowing that it's going to be another (needless) week to week-and-a-half is annoying, given that I paid the premium for AppleCare when I purchased that unit.
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Tuesday, September 08 2009 @ 08:02 PM PDT