The System Management Unit (SMU) is a microcontroller on a device’s logic board that regulates key operations, replacing the older Power Management Unit. It communicates with the operating system to adjust power flow and prevent overheating. Malfunctions can be fixed with a manual reset or manufacturer workarounds.
System Management Units, also known as SMUs, are a relatively new form of control subsystem. Drives first appeared with Mac systems in late 2004. Essentially, the system management unit is a form of microcontroller that sits on the equipment’s logic board. The SMU works in conjunction with the operating system installed on the device and helps regulate the functioning of several key operations.
The system management unit was designed to replace the old power management unit found in older Mac products. The newer device was designed to incorporate all the functions of the older PMU as well as some other essential processes. The idea behind combining all these functions into one central unit was to improve the power supply functionality of computer models.
Operating as an advanced internal subsystem, the System Management Unit takes its orders from the operating system installed on the computer hardware. The operating system monitors the activity level of all the subsystems that make up the computer and communicates the status to the SMU. In turn, the system management unit implements power flow or speed changes to prevent components from overheating or using excess energy.
There are several key components that are governed by the system management unit. The hardware will receive commands generated by the SMU to adjust the operating mode of the system from on to off or from a sleep state to an inactive state. In addition, the unit will send commands to adjust the speed of the cooling fan and control the recovery process of various programs.
Like any computer component, the system management unit can sometimes malfunction. When this happens, you can manually reset the SMU and fix any problems resulting from this malfunction. When performing a manual reset does not eliminate the problems, the manufacturer provides several workarounds that can be employed before replacing the SMU is necessary.
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