Kernel Task RAM Usage

I'm just wondering what's up with the RAM usage on my macbook. Right when I start up 500MB of RAM is being used (wired and active), 100MB of it being the kernel task. After a typical session of use, I close all programs and find that the RAM usage is about 800MB and the kernel task is using 250MB. Just wondering why the kernel task's RAM usage creeps up like that and doesn't go back down. It's just a little perplexing to have the same exact programs running and be down 300MB of free RAM.

I was having the same problem and looked into it, this may help:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11084568&#11084568

Similar Messages

  • Kernel Task over 400% CPU usage

    Hello, I have some questions about the Kernel Task in my activity monitor.
    Recently, after a hard disk failure, I have my Macbook Pro wiped and start afresh with Mavericks. All was well, but it slowed down tremendously in the last couple of days. I checked the activity monitor and Kernel Task is always around 400-470%, sometimes it even peaked to 1000+%! I closed all my applications but it is still taking up all my RAM. I cannot work when it is freezing up every 2 seconds. What is the problem?
    Here is the report, if it helps:
    EtreCheck version: 1.9.12 (48)
    Report generated 3 August 2014 12:38:14 BST
    Hardware Information:
      MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011) (Verified)
      MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1
      1 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2 cores
      4 GB RAM
    Video Information:
      Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB
      Color LCD 1280 x 800
    System Software:
      OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 1 day 8:2:57
    Disk Information:
      WDC WD5000LPVX-00V0TT0 disk0 : (500.11 GB)
      EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
      Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 499.25 GB (121.06 GB free)
      Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
      HL-DT-ST DVDRW  GS31N 
    USB Information:
      Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
      Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
      Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
      Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
      Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
    Thunderbolt Information:
      Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
    Gatekeeper:
      Anywhere
    Kernel Extensions:
      [not loaded] com.m-audio.driver.firewire.dice (2.4.2 - SDK 10.6) Support
    Launch Daemons:
      [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
    Launch Agents:
      [running] com.maudio.profire.helper.plist Support
    User Launch Agents:
      [loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
    User Login Items:
      iTunesHelper
      Google Drive
    Internet Plug-ins:
      FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
      Flash Player: Version: 14.0.0.145 - SDK 10.6 Support
      QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
      JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 14.9.0 - SDK 10.7 Check version
      Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
    Safari Extensions:
      Searchme: Version: 1.3
    Audio Plug-ins:
      BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
      AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
      AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
      iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
    iTunes Plug-ins:
      Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
    3rd Party Preference Panes:
      Flash Player  Support
      PreferencesPane  Support
    Time Machine:
      Time Machine not configured!
    Top Processes by CPU:
          11% Disk Utility
          11% repair_packages
          7% helpd
          5% WindowServer
          3% hidd
    Top Processes by Memory:
      233 MB Finder
      66 MB mds_stores
      49 MB WindowServer
      37 MB mds
      34 MB Disk Utility
    Virtual Memory Information:
      1.22 GB Free RAM
      1.35 GB Active RAM
      394 MB Inactive RAM
      1017 MB Wired RAM
      1.50 GB Page-ins
      100 MB Page-outs

    The kernel is using excessive processor cycles. Below are some possible causes for the condition.
    Throttling
    When it gets high temperature readings from the hardware, or a low-voltage reading from the battery, the kernel may try to compensate by interrupting the processor(s) to slow them down and reduce power consumption. This condition can be due to:
    ☞ a buildup of dust on the logic board
    ☞ high ambient temperature
    ☞ a worn-out or faulty battery in a portable
    ☞ the malfunction of a cooling fan, a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, or some other internal component
    Note that if the problem is caused by a sensor, there may be no actual overheating or undervoltage.
    If the computer is portable, test with and without the AC adapter connected. If kernel_task hogs the processor only on battery power, the fault is in the battery or the logic board. If it happens only on AC power, charging is causing the machine to heat up. That may be normal on some models. CPU usage should drop when charging is complete.
    Apple Diagnostics or the Apple Hardware Test, though not very reliable, is sometimes able to detect a fault. For more thorough hardware testing, make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.
    If nothing is wrong with the hardware, then whatever you can do to improve cooling may help.
    Installed software
    User-installed software that includes a device driver or other kernel code may thrash the kernel. That category includes virtualization software, such as Parallels and VMware, as well as most commercial "anti-virus" products. Some system-monitoring applications, such as "iStat," can also contribute to the problem. You can test for this possibility by completely disabling or removing the software according to the developer's instructions, or starting in safe mode. Note, however, that disabling a system modification without removing it or testing in safe mode may not be as easy as you think.
    Corrupt NVRAM or SMC data
    Sometimes the problem is cleared up by resetting the NVRAM or the SMC.
    External display
    Connecting an external LCD display to some MacBook Pro models while the lid is open may cause this issue. If applicable, test by closing the lid or disconnecting the display. You might get better results with a newer LED display.

  • Ram used up by kernel task

    hi
    I recently upgraded my i-mac from 1 GB to 2 Gb which as speeded up the computer hugely. However, I have noticed that Word and Powerpoint use up a massive amount of ram (they are the old power pc version and I suspect rosetta or similar is in operation). That I understand but there is also a process name called "kernel task" which also eats up a huge amount of ram (131 MB real memory). My old G4 flat screen mac does not have this process name at all and incidentally runs almost as quickly with a slower processor and 756MB of ram (yes it does have leopard). What is this kernel task process about? Is there a way of getting around it? Any tips to speed up the computer further without buying more ram? The computer now seems to require more than 2 GB if left on all day.
    Any advice appreciated.

    A kernel task is in integral part of your computer's OS, it does things like schedule processes and runs all the time. Yours doesn't seem to be out of line in its usage of memory.
    Try emptying your caches and make sure that you allow the cron tasks to run daily. Restarting your browser often will help keep things lively. If you have a PPC iMac, your versions of Word and Powerpoint are native to your computer and should run speedily. If they are used on an intel machine, they will run more slowly.
    Try to remember to close memory intensive applications so that you don't have too many running at once.

  • Runaway RAM Usage leading to Kernel Panic using FilmConvert Plugin (updated x3)

    Hello, filed a bug report on this but cuious if anyone sees it.
    Late 2012 27 iMac, top line i7 with 680MX, 32 GB RAM.
    Promise R6 TB RAID.
    Trying to render out a 15 min edit from Premiere that has each clip with 3 filters on it - MB Looks, MB Colorista, Filmconvert.
    Since 7.01, every time I render previews or encode out, RAM use skyrockets way past the 25GB I allocated. I get up to a 50GB swap file in fact before the computer just craps out and I can't finish my render. (Nothing past 15 min anyway, I can do under that length ok.) As of this moment PPro Headless in Activity Monior has allocated 40GB and climbing....
    Any ideas?  Kind of a major issue. Does not happen on CS6 with same filters and similar project.
    PS - The same issue is happening with the same project on my Macbook Pro 15" retina with 16GB of RAM. It's creating a huge swap file. On the iMac with Fusion drive I can't complete the render at all due to the system SSD filling up on the Fusion drive. It eventually crashes and reboots. I can complete the render on the laptop, but it ends up with a 50+ GB swap file.
    UPDATE 1:
    I had my suspicions a Plugin I am using, the excellent (but now unusable for over 10 min projects) plugin "FilmConvert" was causing the issue on all my Macs.
    To prove it's the plugin, I removed duplicated my main 15 min sequence, removed the FilmConvert plugin from all clips while keeping the two Magic Bullet effects on. So, all filters (MB Looks, MB Colorista II) BUT filmConvert.
    Result?
    RAM usage stays where it should be (at the limit set in Premiere Pro CC) and there is zero swap file usage. Same project, same filters, same everything except FilmConvert was removed on this duplicate timeline.
    As it stands, the plugin is unusable for longer projects.  I'm still curious if anyone else has seen this, or if Adobe has any input.
    UPDATE 2: I developed a workaround workflow and the vendor wrote back and thinks it's a bug in PPro CC, but will try to see if they can't code around it:
    "We have had one other very recent report of this type of behaviour, but when rendering through the CC version
    of Adobe Media Encoder or Premiere (but not After Effects). I believe the issue is with Media Encoder / Premiere,
    although it's probably preventable within our plugin. The problem I believe is that Premiere and Media Encoder
    create many instances of the plugin during a  render, one instance per frame, and it seems in CC those instances
    do not get cleaned up until after the render finishes.
    As each plugin instance is expecting to be called many times, to render multiple frames, it keeps a certain amount
    of memory allocated, in order to gain a speed advantage."
    I am using the render previews workflow to deal with it for now. I set my sequence to my master codec (in this case ProRes 422 HQ, with maximum quality checked). Then I preview chunks of the timeline setting in/out, render. Then I quit the program, which frees up the RAM and the need for the swap file, which starts reducing itself. Then I run PPro again, and preview another chunk, and repeat the process until done.
    To export final piece, I just export using previews matching the sequence (which is ProRes 422 HQ) and it is a straight copy at that point and quick. This is a useful workflow if you are making tons of minor edits for a client anyway, as it vastly speeds up re-renders of the final file.  No loss in quality as the previews are the same as my final encode would be anyway.
    Still, it would be nice if Adobe/FilmConvert or both could fix this bug so I can just queue up a whole sequence and walk away without chunking it up if I need to.
    Update 3: If only Adobe could move so fast. Rubber Monkey sent me a new version to test today, and it fixed the problem. Amazing customer service!! It has not been released yet but I suspect it will be at some point. Case closed.

    Glad I'm not the only one. My temporary solution was to download the kernel and wl package from December 2012 found http://repo-ck.com/PKG_source/ and then mkpkg and install it. It'll work as an alternative for now, without messing up the primary kernel setup.

  • I'm experiencing issue with MacBook's performance. Kernel Task is using 612 MB of RAM.

    Hi Apple Users,
    I am new to this kind of forum/support thread. I am experiencing poor performance on my MacBook Pro. One thing I noticed is the kernel task is eating up too much ram. I have no idea how to fix this. Please share your expertise or past experiences in dealing with kind of problem. I would greatly appreciate for any inputs on this kind of issue.
    I have some details that I think might help since I read several threads related to my issue.
    EtreCheck version: 1.9.11 (43) - report generated May 26, 2014 at 12:27:51 AM EDT
    Hardware Information:
              MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)
              MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro9,2
              1 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2 cores
              8 GB RAM
    Video Information:
              Intel HD Graphics 4000 - VRAM: (null)
    System Software:
              OS X 10.9.3 (13D65) - Uptime: 0 days 8:27:45
    Disk Information:
              APPLE HDD TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0 : (750.16 GB)
                        EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
                        Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 749.3 GB (317.98 GB free)
                        Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
              MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-8A8 
    USB Information:
              Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
              Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
              Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
              Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub
                        Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
    Thunderbolt Information:
              Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
    Gatekeeper:
              Mac App Store and identified developers
    Startup Items:
              ChmodBPF: Path: /Library/StartupItems/ChmodBPF
    Launch Daemons:
              [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support
              [loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist Support
              [invalid] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist
              [not loaded] com.vsearch.daemon.plist Support
              [running] com.vsearch.helper.plist Support
    Launch Agents:
              [not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support
              [loaded] com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist Support
              [invalid] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist
              [running] com.vsearch.agent.plist Support
    User Launch Agents:
              [loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist Support
              [loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support
    User Login Items:
              iTunesHelper
              Battery Health
              uTorrent
              Wondershare Helper Compact
              Dropbox
    Internet Plug-ins:
              Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16   - SDK 10.8 Support
              FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 13.0.0.214 - SDK 10.6 Support
              QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
              Flash Player: Version: 13.0.0.214 - SDK 10.6 Support
              Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
              OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.3.6 Support
              JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 14.9.0 - SDK 10.7 Check version
    Safari Extensions:
              Video Converter: Version: 4.0.0
              Conduit Search for Safari: Version: 1.0
              GoPhoto.it V9.0: Version: 1.222
              YouTube Downloader: Version: 4.0.0.3
    Audio Plug-ins:
              BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
              AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
              AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
              iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
    iTunes Plug-ins:
              Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
    User Internet Plug-ins:
              ConduitNPAPIPlugin: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.6 Support
              Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 Support
    3rd Party Preference Panes:
              Flash Player  Support
              Flip4Mac WMV  Support
              Growl  Support
    Time Machine:
              Time Machine not configured!
    Top Processes by CPU:
                  14%          Google Chrome
                   3%          WindowServer
                   1%          securityd
                   1%          softwareupdated
                   1%          Skype
    Top Processes by Memory:
              172 MB          Google Chrome
              156 MB          com.apple.IconServicesAgent
              123 MB          softwareupdated
              123 MB          Finder
              123 MB          mds_stores
    Virtual Memory Information:
              96 MB          Free RAM
              3.28 GB          Active RAM
              3.16 GB          Inactive RAM
              914 MB          Wired RAM
              4.57 GB          Page-ins
              210 MB          Page-outs
    Thank you

    I'm having the same issue....Any chance of getting some expert eyes on this report?  Much appreciated.
    Problem description:
    kernel_task is sucking up 1.3GB of RAM
    EtreCheck version: 2.1.3 (106)
    Report generated December 16, 2014 at 2:07:57 PM PST
    Hardware Information: ℹ️
      MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) (Verified)
      MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro11,3
      1 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4-core
      16 GB RAM Not upgradeable
      BANK 0/DIMM0
      8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok
      BANK 1/DIMM0
      8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok
      Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported
      Wireless:  en0: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
    Video Information: ℹ️
      Intel Iris Pro -
      NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M - VRAM: 2048 MB
      Color LCD 2880 x 1800
    System Software: ℹ️
      OS X 10.9.5 (13F34) - Uptime: 10 days 1:50:25
    Disk Information: ℹ️
      APPLE SSD SM1024F disk0 : (1 TB)
      EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
      Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 160.00 GB (73.17 GB free)
      Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>  [Recovery]: 650 MB
      SSD Storage (disk0s4) /Volumes/SSD Storage : 839.56 GB (113.99 GB free)
      ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB disk4 : (1 TB)
      EFI (disk4s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
      Kyle Master (disk4s2) /Volumes/Kyle Master : 999.86 GB (543.39 GB free)
    USB Information: ℹ️
      Lexar  USB_3_0 Reader 
      Apple Internal Memory Card Reader
      Apple Inc. iPhone
      Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
      Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub
      Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
    Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️
      Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
      Apple Inc. Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
      LaCie Rugged THB USB3
    Configuration files: ℹ️
      /etc/sysctl.conf - Exists
    Gatekeeper: ℹ️
      Mac App Store and identified developers
    Kernel Extensions: ℹ️
      /Applications/Capture One 8.0.2.app
      [not loaded] com.Leaf.driver.LeafFwXDriverMatcher (1.2.0d1) [Support]
      /Applications/DiskWarrior.app
      [not loaded] com.alsoft.Preview (4.4) [Support]
      /Applications/TechTool Pro 7.app
      [not loaded] com.micromat.driver.spdKernel (1 - SDK 10.8) [Support]
      /Library/Application Support/HASP/kexts
      [loaded] com.aladdin.kext.aksfridge (1.0.2) [Support]
      /System/Library/Extensions
      [not loaded] com.wacom.kext.wacomtablet (6.3.8 - SDK 10.9) [Support]
    Launch Agents: ℹ️
      [not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Support]
      [loaded] com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist [Support]
      [running] com.bjango.istatmenusagent.plist [Support]
      [running] com.micromat.TechToolProAgent.plist [Support]
      [running] com.wacom.wacomtablet.plist [Support]
      [loaded] com.xrite.device.softwareupdate.plist [Support]
    Launch Daemons: ℹ️
      [loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Support]
      [invalid?] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist [Support]
      [running] com.aladdin.aksusbd.plist [Support]
      [running] com.aladdin.hasplmd.plist [Support]
      [running] com.bjango.istatmenusdaemon.plist [Support]
      [loaded] com.bombich.ccc.plist [Support]
      [running] com.micromat.TechToolProDaemon.plist [Support]
      [loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Support]
      [loaded] com.prosofteng.DRInstaller.plist [Support]
      [loaded] com.prosofteng.DriveGenius.locum.plist [Support]
      [running] com.xrite.device.xrdd.plist [Support]
      [loaded] net.sourceforge.MonolingualHelper.plist [Support]
    User Launch Agents: ℹ️
      [loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Support]
      [loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Support]
      [running] com.prosofteng.DGMonitor.plist [Support]
      [running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist [Support]
    User Login Items: ℹ️
      iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)
      ChronoSyncBackgrounder Application (/Library/Application Support/ChronoSync/ChronoSyncBackgrounder.app)
      i1ProfilerTray Application (/Applications/i1Profiler/i1ProfilerTray.app)
      Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)
    Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
      AdobeAAMDetect: Version: AdobeAAMDetect 2.0.0.0 - SDK 10.7 [Support]
      FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 15.0.0.246 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
      QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
      AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.10 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
      AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.10 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
      Flash Player: Version: 15.0.0.246 - SDK 10.6 Mismatch! Adobe recommends 16.0.0.235
      Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
      SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.0.0 [Support]
      WacomTabletPlugin: Version: WacomTabletPlugin 2.1.0.6 - SDK 10.9 [Support]
    3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
      Flash Player  [Support]
      TechTool Protection  [Support]
      WacomTablet  [Support]
    Time Machine: ℹ️
      Time Machine not configured!
    Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
          10% WindowServer
          8% ChronoSync
          3% bluetoothaudiod
          2% Spotify
          1% fontd
    Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
      464 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
      429 MB WindowServer
      241 MB Safari
      223 MB ChronoSync
      206 MB Finder
    Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
      290 MB Free RAM
      5.63 GB Active RAM
      9.34 GB Inactive RAM
      1.67 GB Wired RAM
      32.42 GB Page-ins
      586 MB Page-outs

  • Kernel task is using 2-4GB of RAM

    I have a late 2012 iMac with 16GB of RAM.  At any given time 2-4GB of RAM is in use by the kernel task. My system isn't trucking along for it, thankfully, but it still has me somewhat concerned.  How can I identify what is responsible for this significant consumption of RAM and how can I reduce it?

    Hello,
    Open Console in Applications>Utilities & see if there are any clues or repeating messages.
    One way to test is to Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, Test for problem in Safe Mode...
    PS. Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive
    Reboot, test again.
    If it only does it in Regular Boot, then it could be some hardware problem like Video card, (Quartz is turned off in Safe Mode), or Airport, or some USB or Firewire device, or 3rd party add-on, Check System Preferences>Accounts (Users & Groups in later OSX versions)>Login Items window to see if it or something relevant is listed.
    Check the System Preferences>Other Row, for 3rd party Pref Panes.
    Also look in these if they exist, some are invisible...
    /private/var/run/StartupItems
    /Library/StartupItems
    /System/Library/StartupItems
    /System/Library/LaunchDaemons
    /Library/LaunchDaemons

  • Kernel task uses 750MBs of RAM since installing Mavericks

    Hi All,
    I'm new to these forums and could really use some help. After installing Mavericks I noticed my system was running deathly slow even with no applications open. At first I assumed it was indexing so I waited a day. I noticed kernel task, the finder, and icon services agent were using unusual amounts of RAM. Kernel task would go up to 750MBs - it never went that high before. The finder would go up to 300MBs and stay there, even after closing every window. Only quitting and restarting Finder would solve that issue.
    I've tried repairing disk permissions. I also tried getting rid of Parallels, since MS finally released OneNote for Mac. This made no difference. I deleted lots of widgets and unecessary applications and possible bloatware (like TechTools Pro). I installed AppCleaner to make sure I got everything. It got most, but definitely not all associated files. I then went into the terminal and did the command that reveals hidden files/folders. I then deleted the daemon for techtools pro just in case.
    After all of this, kernel tasks is still using 750MBs and 7.9GBs of RAM is being taken up (other than background processes all I have fired up are Firefox and Skype. I'm at my wits end and would be so grateful for some help.
    Here are the results of running EtreCheck:
    Hardware Information:
        MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011)
        MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,2
        1 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4 cores
        8 GB RAM
    Video Information:
        Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 512 MB
        AMD Radeon HD 6750M - VRAM: 1024 MB
    System Software:
        OS X 10.9.2 (13C64) - Uptime: 0 days 16:29:12
    Disk Information:
        Hitachi HTS725050A9A362 disk0 : (500.11 GB)
            EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
            Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 478.49 GB (234.63 GB free)
            Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
            Untitled (disk0s4) /Volumes/Untitled: 20.76 GB (2.02 GB free)
        MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-8A8 
    USB Information:
        Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
        Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
            Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
        Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
        Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
    FireWire Information:
    Thunderbolt Information:
        Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
    Configuration files:
        /etc/hosts - Count: 6
    Kernel Extensions:
        com.AmbrosiaSW.AudioSupport    (4.1.2 - SDK 10.7)
        com.shapeservices.msm.driver.MSMVideoDevice    (3.3.2 - SDK 10.6)
        com.shapeservices.msm.driver.MSMFramebuffer    (3.3.2 - SDK 10.6)
    Launch Daemons:
        [System]    ag.shape.MSMToolHelper.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.ambrosiasw.ambrosiaaudiosupporthelper.daemon.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.google.keystone.daemon.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist 3rd-Party support link
    Launch Agents:
        [System]    com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [System]    com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist 3rd-Party support link
    User Launch Agents:
        [not loaded]    com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist 3rd-Party support link
        [not loaded]    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist 3rd-Party support link
        [not loaded]    com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[...]@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist
    User Login Items:
        CheatSheet 3
        GrowlHelperApp
        iTunesHelper
        RescueTime
        CrossOver CD Helper
        Dropbox
        Google Drive
        AdobeResourceSynchronizer
        Jumpcut
        Cubby
        Divvy
        Skype
        RescueTime
    Internet Plug-ins:
        o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.2.4.18058 3rd-Party support link
        Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
        AdobeExManDetect: Version: AdobeExManDetect 1.1.0.0 - SDK 10.7 3rd-Party support link
        ebrary Reader: Version: 2.22 - 1/26/10 3rd-Party support link
        AdobeAAMDetect: Version: AdobeAAMDetect 2.0.0.0 - SDK 10.7 3rd-Party support link
        AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.7 3rd-Party support link
        FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 12.0.0.77 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link
        Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20125.0 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link
        Flash Player: Version: 12.0.0.77 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link
        QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
        googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.2.4.18058 3rd-Party support link
        iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.7
        AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.7 3rd-Party support link
        SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link
    Audio Plug-ins:
        BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
        AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
        AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
        iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
    iTunes Plug-ins:
        Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
    User Internet Plug-ins:
        Picasa: Version: 1.0 3rd-Party support link
        WebEx64: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link
    3rd Party Preference Panes:
        AppTrap  3rd-Party support link
        Flash Player  3rd-Party support link
        Growl  3rd-Party support link
        MacFUSE  3rd-Party support link
    Old Applications:
        Microsoft Language Register:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Additional Tools/Microsoft Language Register/Microsoft Language Register.app
        Solver:    Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office/Add-Ins/Solver.app
        SLLauncher:    Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Silverlight/OutOfBrowser/SLLauncher.app
        RescueTime:    Version: 2.5.0.1169 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
        /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011
            Microsoft PowerPoint:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Excel:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Outlook:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Word:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Document Connection:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
        dynamiclinkmanager:    Version: 6.0.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/dynamiclink/CS6/dynamiclinkmanager.app
        /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office
            Microsoft Graph:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Database Utility:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Office Reminders:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Upload Center:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            My Day:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            SyncServicesAgent:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Open XML for Excel:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Alerts Daemon:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Database Daemon:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Chart Converter:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Clip Gallery:    Version: 14.3.9 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
        dynamiclinkmediaserver:    Version: 6.0.1 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/dynamiclinkmediaserver/1.0/dynamiclinkmediaserver.app
        /Users/[redacted]/Library/Application Support/WebEx Folder/1324
            convertpdf:    Version: 1.2 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            Cisco WebEx Meeting Center:    Version: 1304.23.2811.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            asannotation2:    Version: 1206.25.2804.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            atmsupload:    Version: 1209.12.2806.0 - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
        Microsoft AutoUpdate:    Version: 2.3.6 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link
            /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app
        Audacity:    Version: 2.0.2.0 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link
            /Applications/Audacity/Audacity.app
        /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MERP2.0
            Microsoft Error Reporting:    Version: 2.2.9 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link
            Microsoft Ship Asserts:    Version: 1.1.4 - SDK 10.4 3rd-Party support link
        SA Color Finesse 3 UI:    Version: 3.0.6(275) - SDK 10.5 3rd-Party support link
            /Applications/Adobe After Effects CS6/Plug-ins/Effects/Synthetic Aperture/(CF3 Support)/SA Color Finesse 3 UI.app
    Time Machine:
        Time Machine not configured!
    Top Processes by CPU:
            26%    firefox
             2%    EtreCheck
             2%    hidd
             1%    WindowServer
             0%    sysmond
    Top Processes by Memory:
        2.08 GB    firefox
        229 MB    mds_stores
        188 MB    com.apple.IconServicesAgent
        139 MB    Skype
        115 MB    mds
    Virtual Memory Information:
        1.10 GB    Free RAM
        2.95 GB    Active RAM
        2.59 GB    Inactive RAM
        1.35 GB    Wired RAM
        2.35 GB    Page-ins
        0 B    Page-outs

    Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.
    Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left. If you don't see that menu, select
    View ▹ Show Log List
    from the menu bar.
    Click the Clear Display icon in the toolbar. Then try the action that you're having trouble with again. Select any messages that appear in the Console window. Copy them to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. Paste into a reply to this message (command-V).
    When posting a log extract, be selective. In most cases, a few dozen lines are more than enough.
    Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
    Important: Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.

  • Kernel task high CPU usage?

    So I noticed my macbook pro (17" 2011, 16GB RAM) running slow, especially graphics.  opened up the activity monitor, and lo and behold there is something using 283% of my CPU: kernel_task.  Before I even ask how this is possible, what is kernel task, and could this be responsible for my sluggish machine?
    I did notice a week ago that google chrome is allowing many pop up windows with messages trying to get me to download system checks and other nonsense... Not sure if this is related but that's annoying too. 
    Any ideas? 
    Thanks

    ALso, restarting does nothing to alter this slow state it seems.  Restarted twice with no improvement

  • Kernel Task and RAM

    Hello again, Apple Friends.
    Recently I have noticed that kernel_task in Activity Monitor is running at anywhere between 60MB and 200MB of RAM, which is really slowing things down. I have searched on the discussion boards the past few days and have found similar posts related to MB Air and old Powerbooks, but nothing about iBooks.
    The kernel_task process will run, using up lots of RAM, even if I have no apps running whatsoever. If I let the iBook idle, over the course of 15 minutes (nothing running) it goes from 60MB to 150MB, with anywhere from 47 to 60 threads. That's when idling!
    What I've tried to eliminate: (none of the following are the problem)
    Firefox 3
    any and all items / drivers in my login startup (the only ones I have not tried removing are those that are Apple)
    resetting PRAM (did this)
    Repaired disk permissions (did this 2 or 3 times, and each time after checking other items above).
    I do not regularly have any peripherals attached, and the problem has existed without peripheral devices. I did get new RAM added a few months ago (I went from 516MB - or something like that - to 1.25GB) and I am wondering if this is part of the problem? But I have only noticed the problem recently. I'm not receiving any kernel panics, and so I'm not too worried, but I am really wondering if there is something amiss I should be worried about. And when I start using other major-memory apps (like iTunes, for example), the kernel_task process goes wayyyyy up (to 250MB or more).
    I should add that I have also tried all suggestions listed in this thread, but to no avail.
    Does anyone have any ideas?

    Well, I have discovered something interesting. After your advice, BD, I tried a few things. First of all, after login, just leaving the computer idling, the kernel task does increase gradually over the course of 15 minutes -- I have tested this 3 times and it usually starts at around 60MB from login and creeps up to anywhere from 75MB to 120MB at the end of 15 minutes.
    But then I wondered if it was somehow connected to my login account. I realized this problem only occurs under my main account. This account is not an admin account (I have a separate one for that). I logged in with 3 different accounts (boyfriend, Visitor, and my brother's) and none of them even had the kernel task running on login. Yet under my main account, it is running, starting at 60MB and with 47 threads.
    Is this unusual? My next trick is to leave it idling for 30 minutes after login to see how much the memory use increases. But I am really curious now.

  • Final cut pro x with kernel task is eating up all my ram

    hi, i have this new iMac i7 with 16 giga ram
    when i open fcpx it slows down all my computer
    and kernel task goes up till 5 giga
    and fcp is using 9 giga
    what can i do to make it work like it should ?

    Yosemite handles Ram differently from previous versions. Do not think about the RAM, if FCPX is working fine, then everything is OK. If the RAM is the main issue you should ask this question on Yosemite forum for more detailed answer.

  • File copy results in kernel task high CPU usage

    Macbook Pro
    MacBook Pro
      Model Identifier:          MacBookPro6,1
      Processor Name:          Intel Core i5
      Processor Speed:          2.53 GHz
    2010 year model.
    Snow Leopard 10.6.7
    Copying files over the network, or via external Firewire 800 harddrive invariably results in rather hight cpu utilization for kernel task process. The number are in the range of 15-20% in the Acivity Monitor. To compare, iMac 27", 2009, full speed FireWire bus file copy at 80 mb/sec makes only 2-3% kernel task CPU use. Why is Macbook pro so much worse? Is it due to chipset limitations, or what?

    Just now I have been copying some movie files over Gigabit local area network, the data received per second is up to 55 mb, and kernel task consumes 50% or more of CPU. The same task on iMac or on Windows based computer does not tax the CPU in any way, since it is handled properly by network adapter I suppose. So what is wrong with 2010 Macbook Pro?

  • 800MB RAM Usage with nothing running?

    I am pretty confused, my MacBook seems to be using a lot of memory with nothing significant running. I've cleaned all caches, and ran all the maintenance scripts, but from shutdown to restart, with nothing running (not even dashboard), it shows over 800MB of RAM in use. 250MB of that is wired, 750MB is active. I've checked my login items, and there's nothing that would cause such a large usage of RAM running. Even when I start the Activity Monitor, it doesn't even list anything using so much RAM. There's like 20-40MB RAM for the kernel task, window server and default stuff like that.
    Basically there seems to be a large amount of RAM used that I have no idea what is using it. Any clue at all what could be causing this?

    So you have 800 MBs of RAM in use. Why is that a problem? See the following:
    About OS X Memory Management and Usage
    Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor
    Memory Management in Mac OS X
    Performance Guidelines- Memory Management in Mac OS X
    A detailed look at memory usage in OS X
    Understanding top output in the Terminal
    The amount of available RAM for applications is the sum of Free RAM and Inactive RAM. This will change as applications are opened and closed or change from active to inactive status. The Swap figure represents an estimate of the total amount of swap space required for VM if used, but does not necessarily indicate the actual size of the existing swap file. If you are really in need of more RAM that would be indicated by how frequently the system uses VM. If you open the Terminal and run the top command at the prompt you will find information reported on Pageins () and Pageouts (). Pageouts () is the important figure. If the value in the parentheses is 0 (zero) then OS X is not making instantaneous use of VM which means you have adequate physical RAM for the system with the applications you have loaded. If the figure in parentheses is running positive and your hard drive is constantly being used (thrashing) then you need more physical RAM.

  • Kernel task consumes over 300 %!

    Hi everyone!
    Greetings from Sweden, Stockholm (Where its hot, 32 degrees celsius outside today!)
    My second time posting here.
    So I have a Macbook Pro from early 2011 that I myself upgraded with 2 8GB Corsair Ram and a year later, a Samsung SSD Evo 500 Gb (as my main, dont have a secondary disk), after some trouble in the beginning with the SSD and 3 reinstallation of Maverick later I got it to work smoothly, now a month later my computer has just started to slow down soo much. Startup time is really fast, maybe 20 seconds, but just browsing the internet or doing basic task takes so much time, its ridiculous. When watching the Activity Monitor I see that kernel task its often at 300 percent, and at one time it was over 500 percent!
    Been searching the forum for this problem but it seems like most people dont have the same issue as me and the solution often being to buy more RA,
    also the only thing I have for startup is "itunes helper", nothing more, no Cleanmydrive or something like that since I know how much RAM those programs can consume.
    I use my Macbook Pro for a lot of heavy audio editing with Logic Pro and Pro Tools, and need it so bad for work.
    is there something Ican do? Am a student so if needed I have to buy a new Macbook Pro but my wallet wouldnt like it...
    This is my "Etrecheck" report, if someone with a little more knowledge have the time to take alook I would be so thankfull:
    EtreCheck version: 1.9.12 (48)
    Report generated 4 Aug 2014 12:35:54 GMT+2
    Hardware Information:
        MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011) (Verified)
        MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,1
        1 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 2 cores
        16 GB RAM
    Video Information:
        Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 512 MB
            Color LCD 1280 x 800
    System Software:
        OS X 10.9.4 (13E28) - Uptime: 0 days 2:33:10
    Disk Information:
        Samsung SSD 840 EVO 500GB disk0 : (500,11 GB)
            EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209,7 MB
            Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 499,25 GB (135,99 GB free)
            Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
        MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-8A8 
    USB Information:
        Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
        Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
        Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
        Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub
            Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
    Thunderbolt Information:
        Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
    Configuration files:
        /etc/hosts - Count: 86
    Gatekeeper:
        Mac App Store and identified developers
    Kernel Extensions:
        [loaded]    com.Apogee.driver.DuetFWOverideDriver (1.4.4 - SDK 10.8) Support
        [loaded]    com.digidesign.iokit.DigiDal (10.3.9f207 - SDK 10.6) Support
        [not loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.leopard (5.9.1 - SDK 10.4) Support
        [not loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.master (5.9.1 - SDK 10.6) Support
        [not loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.panther (5.9.1 - SDK 10.3) Support
        [loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.snowleopard (5.9.1 - SDK 10.6) Support
        [not loaded]    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.tiger (5.9.1 - SDK 10.4) Support
    Startup Items:
        DigidesignLoader: Path: /Library/StartupItems/DigidesignLoader
    Launch Daemons:
        [running]    com.DuetDaemon.plist Support
        [running]    com.paceap.eden.licensed.plist Support
        [loaded]    PACESupport.plist Support
    Launch Agents:
        [loaded]    9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperAgent.plist Support
        [loaded]    9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperAgent.SL.plist Support
        [loaded]    9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperSandbox.plist Support
        [loaded]    9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperSandbox.SL.plist Support
        [running]    com.ApogeePopup.plist Support
    User Launch Agents:
        [running]    com.spotify.webhelper.plist Support
    User Login Items:
        iTunesHelper
    Internet Plug-ins:
        FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 13.0.0.214 - SDK 10.6 Support
        Flash Player: Version: 13.0.0.214 - SDK 10.6 Cannot contact Adobe
        QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
        Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
    Audio Plug-ins:
        BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
        AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
        AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
        iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
    iTunes Plug-ins:
        Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
    3rd Party Preference Panes:
        None
    Time Machine:
        Skip System Files: NO
        Mobile backups: OFF
        Auto backup: NO - Auto backup turned off
        Volumes being backed up:
            Macintosh HD: Disk size: 464.96 GB Disk used: 338.32 GB
        Destinations:
            My Pasport [Local]
            Total size: 925.38 GB
            Total number of backups: 2
            Oldest backup: 2013-07-08 02:48:08 +0000
            Last backup: 2013-07-08 02:48:08 +0000
            Size of backup disk: Too small
                Backup size 925.38 GB < (Disk used 338.32 GB X 3)
            Seagate Backup Plus Drive [Local] (Last used)
            Total size: 931.19 GB
            Total number of backups: 13
            Oldest backup: 2014-06-23 23:47:10 +0000
            Last backup: 2014-07-02 03:56:56 +0000
            Size of backup disk: Too small
                Backup size 931.19 GB < (Disk used 338.32 GB X 3)
        Time Machine details may not be accurate.
        All volumes being backed up may not be listed.
    Top Processes by CPU:
             5%    WindowServer
             5%    firefox
             2%    Finder
             2%    hidd
             1%    Dock
    Top Processes by Memory:
        393 MB    firefox
        115 MB    com.apple.IconServicesAgent
        82 MB    mds_stores
        66 MB    Finder
        49 MB    WindowServer
    Virtual Memory Information:
        12.29 GB    Free RAM
        1.06 GB    Active RAM
        1.19 GB    Inactive RAM
        1.45 GB    Wired RAM
        238 MB    Page-ins
        0 B    Page-outs
    Thank you in advance,
    Daniel

    The kernel is using excessive processor cycles. Below are some possible causes for the condition.
    Throttling
    When it gets high temperature readings from the hardware, or a low-voltage reading from the battery, the kernel may try to compensate by interrupting the processor(s) to slow them down and reduce power consumption. This condition can be due to:
    ☞ a buildup of dust on the logic board
    ☞ high ambient temperature
    ☞ a worn-out or faulty battery in a portable
    ☞ the malfunction of a cooling fan, a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, or some other internal component
    Note that if the problem is caused by a sensor, there may be no actual overheating or undervoltage.
    If the computer is portable, test with and without the AC adapter connected. If kernel_task hogs the processor only on battery power, the fault is in the battery or the logic board. If it happens only on AC power, charging is causing the machine to heat up. That may be normal on some models. CPU usage should drop when charging is complete.
    Apple Diagnostics or the Apple Hardware Test, though not very reliable, is sometimes able to detect a fault. For more thorough hardware testing, make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.
    If nothing is wrong with the hardware, then whatever you can do to improve cooling may help.
    Installed software
    User-installed software that includes a device driver or other kernel code may thrash the kernel. That category includes virtualization software, such as Parallels and VMware, as well as most commercial "anti-virus" products. Some system-monitoring applications, such as "iStat," can also contribute to the problem. You can test for this possibility by completely disabling or removing the software according to the developer's instructions, or starting in safe mode. Note, however, that disabling a system modification without removing it or testing in safe mode may not be as easy as you think.
    Corrupt NVRAM or SMC data
    Sometimes the problem is cleared up by resetting the NVRAM or the SMC.
    External display
    Connecting an external LCD display to some MacBook Pro models while the lid is open may cause this issue. If applicable, test by closing the lid or disconnecting the display. You might get better results with a newer LED display.

  • My kernel task is using 400% of my CPU

    My coMputer is very slow, i need help. I saw the kernel task and  is using yhe 400% of my CPU.
    Hardware Information:
              MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)
              MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro9,2
              1 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2 cores
              4 GB RAM
    Video Information:
              Intel HD Graphics 4000 - VRAM: 1024 MB
    System Software:
              OS X 10.9.2 (13C64) - Uptime: 0 days 0:5:35
    Disk Information:
              APPLE HDD HTS547550A9E384 disk0 : (500.11 GB)
                        EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB
                        MacBokk Pro CJ4LV4R3z (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 499.25 GB (473.36 GB free)
                        Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB
              MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-8A8 
    USB Information:
              Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
              Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub
                        Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
              Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
              Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
    FireWire Information:
    Thunderbolt Information:
              Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus
    Launch Daemons:
              [System] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist 3rd-Party support link
    User Login Items:
              iTunesHelper
    Internet Plug-ins:
              FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 12.0.0.77 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link
              Flash Player: Version: 12.0.0.77 - SDK 10.6 3rd-Party support link
              QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3
              Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9
    Audio Plug-ins:
              BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9
              AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9
              AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9
              iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9
    iTunes Plug-ins:
              Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9
    3rd Party Preference Panes:
              Flash Player  3rd-Party support link
    Old Applications:
              None
    Time Machine:
              Time Machine not configured!
    Top Processes by CPU:
                  18%          com.apple.WebKit.Networking
                  13%          syncdefaultsd
                   7%          WindowServer
                   5%          com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
                   4%          mdworker
    Top Processes by Memory:
              98 MB          Safari
              94 MB          com.apple.WebKit.WebContent
              33 MB          Dock
              33 MB          WindowServer
              29 MB          EtreCheck
    Virtual Memory Information:
              2.47 GB          Free RAM
              890 MB          Active RAM
              130 MB          Inactive RAM
              543 MB          Wired RAM
              191 MB          Page-ins
              0 B          Page-outs

    The kernel is using excessive processor cycles. Below are some possible causes for the condition.
    Throttling
    When it gets high temperature readings from the hardware, or a low-voltage reading from the battery, the kernel may try to compensate by interrupting the processor(s) to slow them down and reduce power consumption. This condition can be due to
    a buildup of dust on the logic board
    high ambient temperature
    a worn-out or faulty battery in a portable
    the malfunction of a cooling fan, a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, or some other internal component
    Note that if the problem is caused by a sensor, there may be no actual overheating or undervoltage.
    If the computer is portable, test with and without the AC adapter connected. If kernel_task hogs the processor only on battery power, the fault is in the battery or the logic board. If it happens only on AC power, charging is causing the machine to heat up. That may be normal on some models. CPU usage should drop when charging is complete.
    Apple Diagnostics or the Apple Hardware Test, though not very reliable, is sometimes able to detect a fault. For more thorough hardware testing, make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.
    If nothing is wrong with the hardware, then whatever you can do to improve cooling may help.
    Installed software
    User-installed software that includes a device driver or other kernel code may thrash the kernel. That category includes virtualization software, such as Parallels and VMware, as well as most commercial "anti-virus" products. Some system-monitoring applications, such as "iStat," can also contribute to the problem. You can test for this possibility by completely disabling or removing the software according to the developer's instructions, or starting in safe mode. Note, however, that disabling a system modification without removing it or testing in safe mode may not be as easy as you think.
    Corrupt NVRAM or SMC data
    Sometimes the problem is cleared up by resetting the NVRAM or the SMC.
    External display
    Connecting an external LCD display to some MacBook Pro models may cause this issue. If applicable, test by disconnecting the display. You might get better results with a newer LED display.

  • What is involved in fixing the kernel task problem and what are the consequences

    Ah yes. The kernel task problem. My Macbook pro encounters it at least once every day. It peaks at around 600% CPU usage when I have MainStage or Logic open. A main stage patch that normally uses 40-45% of CPU is redlining at 100% cpu usage- resulting in awful clicks and pops. Did i mention this happened during a live show yesterday? Because it did. I can open the CPU monitor and look at whats going on. It's always the same deal. Kernel task runs it's course and then goes back to normal.
    I've seen various posts on fixing the problem. I believe I understand how to fix it more or less (ish). I just want to make sure I can go about it in such a way that doesn't mess with anything else on my computer.
    My computer: macbook pro 8.2 15' w/ crucial m500 ssd in main & optical bays. 8gb of ram. latest version of mavericks. Standard stuff.

    ssd in main & optical bays
    Your unsupported hardware configuration is likely contributing to the problem, if not entirely causing it.

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