Stef, I have my laptop downloading updates, running a vm and installing clunky windows software therein. The fan just started, so my reduced load theory seems to hold water. Something in what has been done in the image and/or vm has allowed things that once would cause my laptop to heat up to run w/o need of the fan. The fan *could* have quit, but that is now clearly not the case. Pharo is getting better. Bill