MacBook Air kernel_task using 130 to 150 % CPU overload with fan overheat

After hours and hours to get a diagnostic for this problem, I have solve it.
It seems to be a troubleshooting with the Apple ETHERNET to USB adapter used thru an USB Powered hub (A Kensington here)...
My configuration was:
MacBook Air 1.8Ghz SSD
Wireless BT Apple Keyboard (Aluminum) and Mouse
24" Apple Display (DVI)
USB USB Powered
iPod Classic 80 Go used by iTunes and Time Machine for Backups
__!! Apple Ethernet/USB Adapter !!__
Canon Pixma USB Printer
Overload CPU with kernel_task up to 150% was cycling.
That's the first reason of the difficulty to diagnose it.
Because the adapter was so hot I couldn't even touch it, I thought it was probably in charge of this mess.
Reading some forums, it's possible that there's multiple reasons for an overload CPU time by the kernel_task and this is one of these.
If you encounter messes with kernel_task using an Apple Ethernet/USB adapter, check it first to do anything else.
Hope to have help you...
Nick

it seems to be temperature issue, i.e. the system tries with the kernel task to avoid an overheating of the cpu/gpu. those guys here
- http://plasmadesign.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/macbook-air-core-shutdown/ (how-to)
- http://plasmadesign.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/apple-fix-macbook-air-core-shutdown -issue/ (update)
recommend a cpu undervolting to reduce this heating. they use CoolBook
- http://www.coolbook.se/CoolBook.html
you can get it for $10. i just installed it and hope that it helps...
on your own risk...

Similar Messages

  • Beachball on boot with MacBook Air + kernel_task using 138% of CPU

    My wife's MacBook Air has recently become unusable - when you boot, it seemingly operates fine until the Finder launches, at which point the beachball appears and persists indefinitely. No applications can be launched, files accessed, etc - the only think you can do is hard shutdown.
    Booted in Safe Mode and set Activity Monitor to launch on startup, then restarted in normal - kernel_task is using 138% of the CPU consistently, beachball issue present.
    Shut down and booted again in Safe Mode and the issue is not present, with kernel_task using an appropriate amount of memory. This is the wife's computer, I'm a PC guy, so I only know little bits of Mac stuff - repaired permissions, etc - to no results. Any ideas on how to move forward in resolving this?
    Thanks in advance.

    First, you might delete the /Home/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist file while in safe mode.
    Then try this:
    Delete caches to resolve some startup problems:
    Boot into single-user mode. After startup is completed you will be in command line mode and should see a prompt with a cursor positioned after it. At the prompt enter the following then press RETURN after each commandline:
    /sbin/fsck -fy
    If you receive a message that says "*** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED ***" then re-run the command until you receive a message that says "** The volume (nameofvolume) appears to be OK." If you re-run the command more than seven times and do not get the OK message, then the drive cannot be repaired this way.
    If you were successful then enter:
    /sbin/mount -uw /
    rm -rf /System/Library/Caches/*
    rm -rf /Library/Caches/*
    reboot
    I suggest you print out the above in a large mono-spaced font to be sure you do not make any errors when entering the commands. When in single-uwer mode you have 'root' access, so it's important that you not make any mistakes. Note that there are spaces between a command and what follows, so be sure you type each line above properly.

  • Attn: ALL APPLE PORTABLE OWNERS -Macbook Pro, MacBook Air Apple portable slowdown / kernel high CPU solution

    Attn: ALL APPLE PORTABLE OWNERS -MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini slowdown kernel / high CPU use problem and solution.
    YOU COULD FRY YOUR COMPUTER IF YOU DO NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM SO PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE MESSAGE!
    YOUR MAC WILL THANK YOU  
    Hey all.
    Like many of you I've got a newer Apple portable which slows down to an unusable level for an unknown reason. In my case a 13" mid 2009 Intel MacBook Pro Core 2 duo laptop. After many failed attempts to figure out what this nutty problem is I have discovered the problem, the solution and I have solved this for my own MacBook Pro. Since this fix it has been working immediately and consistently -without issue 
    I am sharing this with you in hopes that you to can fix your Apple portable yourself or so you know what to tell the Apple techs so they can quickly fix your Mac from this wacky and unfortunate kernel CPU hogging problem.
    User Software Symptoms :
    Your Apple portable computer periodically for an unknown reason slows down making everything frustratingly slow. This happens even when running previous apps that were never a problem; things that your Mac should be able to handle easily but for some reason now it can't.
    Slowdown most often happens during high CPU use such as gaming, video playback/editing, etc. or when running multiple apps (even non CPU intensive apps) at the same time.
    Possible Hardware Symptoms:
    Your computer is making more noise than it did previously.
    Your computer occasionally makes more noise but then gets quieter.
    Your computer is always extremely quiet (too quiet) even during high CPU apps -worst case scenario.
    It feels hotter than it normally does. Test: After several minutes of the slowness/high kernel CPU touch the computer to feel if it's hotter than normal.
    Looking at Activity Monitor (in the Utilities folder) shows the kernel_task is going bonkers eating up CPU but you have no idea why.
    After trying many different things to solve this problem such as :
    PR ram reset, SMC reset, fresh OS install of 10.5 and 10.6 on external hard-drives, calling and speaking to various Apple tech people who had no ideas/solutions, etc. I had no luck.
    Btw, if you're having the symptoms I've decscribed above I would not run the Apple Hardware check (read below as to why). You could fry your Mac!
    After much testing I found the problem :
    It is my belief that "recent" Apple portable computers are using low quality internal fans which soon stop working!
    Fail time period seems to be about 1.0 years to 2.5 years of use but this fail rate could vary depending on use.
    First noticeable symptoms (depending on what you notice) could be computer slowdown or your fan is making more noise than it normally does. This is your fan's lubrication slowly eroding making your fan spin slower and less smooth resulting in the louder noise and slower rpm spin speed. The slower fan spin speed means less cooling is happening for your computer. The effect on your computer is that the CPU and other chips are heating up! Overheating to be more specific. When your computer's chips overheat they get wonky and screw things up. Most often this seems to have the effect of making the kernel hog CPU resulting in a frustratingly slow user experience! Heat kills computer chips and it is extremely bad for them. Extreme overheat or repeated overheating has been said to shorten the life of computer chips or in extreme cases even fry them completely!
    The longer this goes on without being fixed your fan loses more lubrication and spins slower and slower cooling lesser and lesser resulting in your CPU heating up more and more possibly shortening the life of your Mac! Eventually your fan will stop completely and you could fry your chips! My fan stopped completely and my MBP was running very quietly, too quietly. Luckily I did not fry my chips because I was avoiding using high CPU apps because I knew something was wrong due to the massive slow down and wonkiness when I'd run them.
    Side Note:I'm a bit concerned about all those Mac mini servers which may be using the same defective low quality fans which cannot be easily serviced by their owners as they are co-located in some server facility. One positive thing is those facilities are usually well airconditioned keeping temps low.
    I suggest you do not run the Apple hardware test if you suspect your computer is overheating because the hardware test can seriously heat up your Mac! I tried running this test and my Mac got so hot I had to shut it down forcefully and I was concerned I damaged the chips. If you want to run the Apple hardware check make sure your CPU temperature is ok and that your fan works well before you run the test.
    IF YOU DON'T FIX THIS PROBLEM YOU COULD FRY YOUR COMPUTER DUE TO HEAT DAMAGE!
    DO NOT IGNORE THIS PROBLEM YOUR MACS LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT!
    First you need to properly diagnose this problem and see if your CPU is getting to hot and you need to see if your fans are spinning at high rpms giving proper cooling, or if they are spinning at low rpms when running high intensive apps as your CPU temp increases.
    TEST IF YOUR FAN(s) IS WORKING CORRECTLY :
    Unfortunately Apple does not include CPU temperature reading software nor fan rpm speed software that I am aware of.
    However, There are two free ways that I know of to check your CPU tempurature and your fan speed :
    One app shows fan speed, and CPU heat, etc.
    One app shows fan speed, CPU heat and allows you to adjust your fan speed settings.
    One app is a dashboard widget, the other is a system preference.
    I suggest you download both of these to check your computer statistics.
    http://www.eidac.de/?p=134
    http://www.islayer.com/apps/istatpro/
    http://fan-control.en.softonic.com/mac
    I am not exactly sure what proper CPU temperatures are for the different Apple computers and this will change given different CPU loads.
    My MBP doesn't seem to function properly with anything around 90 degrees or higher (celcius).
    It seems when the fan is operating normally the CPU temp should not stay above 78 degrees even under heavy load, at least with the apps I'm running in the room temperature I'm in.
    I can post back later with more specific temps under longer load, etc. but I wanted to get this post up for people to read as soon as possible so they don't fry their Macs.
    If a bad fan is your problem :
    THERE ARE ONLY TWO SOLUTIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM :
    Fix or replace your fan so it cools the CPU and other chips properly.
    I fixed my fan myself and I didn't need to buy a new one. Total cost was about $8.00 because I had to buy a #00 sized screwdriver and had it shipped to me. Price includes shipping.
    On my mid 2009 model MacBook Pro fixing the fan was incredibly easy :
    Before I started doing this I wasn't 100% this was the problem so I decided to try to fix my fan instead of ordering a new one and replacing it. As it turns out I didn't need a new fan, I only needed to clean the existing fan and relube it's axl so it could spin easier like when it was new.  It also didn't make sense to buy a brand new fan from an Apple authorized parts reseller selling me the same low quality fan for $49.00 which would probably fail in 2 years again. Prices for new comparable fans from different manufactures range from about $15.00 USD + shipping to around $49.00 USD + shipping depending on where you order them from and what brand you get.
    How to fix / replace your internal fan on a mid 2009 MacBook Pro :
    Please note : I am not a hardware technician, nor expert. If you decide to fix your Mac yourself you do so at your own risk through no fault of my own. Prior to opening up your Mac you should google around and learn how to do it correctly and safely so you won't damage your Mac. For example, it is possible for you to damage your Mac by static electricity from your body. To avoid this I believe proper procedure is that you wear a 'ground strap' (around your wrist) which  you clip to your Mac's metal body so your body will not excude a charge into your Mac. I believe the idea here is to keep your body's charge level and your Mac's similar. Since I do not have a ground strap and fixing/replacing the fan doesn't require touching any chips I did not wear a ground strap during my fan fix. What I did was periodically repeatedly touch the metal case of my MBP hoping that would be enough and it was. Avoid unecessary actions that can build up a static charge in you. Once I started the repair I did not walk around the room building up an electrical charge in my body. Walking on carpet can often build up a large charge in us so it is better to be avoided while working on your Mac. Certain clothing can build up static charges. Combing hair, etc. If you need to get up from your repair when you come back make sure you first touch the Mac's metal case and not anything inside.
    Now that we're done with the scary paranoia, below you will find some instructions on how I fixed my MBP's internal fan
    Before you begin:
    Check out someone's video (not mine) on how to remove / replace the fan (but not take it apart and repair it):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AghE9newvbs
    Check out someone's web page (not mine) on how to replace the fan in a mid 2009 MacBook Pro:
    http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing-MacBook-Pro-13-Inch-Unibody-Mid-2009-Fan/ 1338/1
    How to repair your mid 2009 MacBook Pro fan:
    Make sure you are in a 'secure' environment. No pets, no kids running around, no drinks near the Mac, etc. 
    Make sure your computer is unplugged from it's power supply and turned off. NOT slept. Totally off / powered down.
    1. Get a size #00 phillips screwdriver (Hobby store, Radioshack, Amazon).
    2. Open up your MBP by unscrewing the bottom (yes flip it over so it's resting upsidedown). Note where each screw goes because some are different lengths. I placed each one around my MBP where they go, insuring I know their order (don't jumble them up). Note which direction your MBP is facing when it's upside down so if you spin it around while working on it you still know where the screws go.
    2b. Some recommend removing the MBP's battery but I didn't do this step. You probably should, just to be safe. Follow the online instructions from the web page I listed about disconnecting the battery.
    3. Unscrew the fan's 3 holding screws.
    4. Unplug the fan's electrical connection (lift it straight up off the board). If you need to you can try to pry it up while you lift with a non metal/non electrical conductive object like a spudger if you have one or -perhaps a pen cap. Before you remove it, look closely at how it's attached so when you put it back on you won't wonder if you're doing it correctly. There's only one way it can go because it cannot fit 'the wrong way' but looking at it closely will make you feel more confident popping it back on when the time comes.
    5. Remove the fan - it easily lifts out.
    6. Take the fan apart by unscrewing it's one screw then unlatching the  plastic clips which hold it together.
    7. Seperate the fan blades from the housing. Lift the fan blades off of the fan housing by pulling it straight out away from the housing.
    8. Clean off the dust that's gathered. A can of compressed air helps here (I didn't have one). I used a little brush from my electric shaver kit which worked well. Once you've removed all the dust from the fan and surrounding areas proceed to the next step.
    9. Reapply new lubrication. You need less than 1 drop. Be sure it covers the entire fan blade axl as this is what needs to be well lubricated. Make sure there isn't excess oil that will fly around when the axl/fan spins at high rpms. I used the only oil I had which was olive oil (for cooking!) but I do not suggest this. At the time I was doing this I didn't know my fan was the problem so I wasn't even sure I was going to relube it. You should probably use something more appropriate perhaps like 3 in 1 oil. A good idea would be to call the manufatures of these little fans and ask them. Maybe a hobby store knows of good lubricants for these purposes?
    DO NOT use things like WD 40 as it's not a long term lubricant or so I've read.
    10. Once your fan is now clean and oiled (make sure there isn't too much oil) reassmble the fan.
    Push the fan blades/axl back into the housing shaft. Give it a few spins with your finger.
    Screw together the fan housing then reclip the clips.
    11. Place the now reassembled fan back into your Mac and screw it in place (3 screws).
    12. Reattach the fan's electrical wiring by gently pushing it into place. Make sure you've got the right end facing down before you push it in place.
    13. Once your Mac's internals are clean and reassembled, place the rear cover back on your Mac and screw it in place.
    14. Double check you didn't forget anything like screws, tools, etc.
    15. Boot up your Mac and monitor the temperature and fan speed using those programs.
    Compare the previous temps/fan speed to the current temp/fan speed.
    Run a high CPU intensive app where your computer has been slowing down.
    You should now have a happy Mac
    If you have this problem and this solution fixed it for you please post in this thread letting me and everyone else know!
    Hope that helps.

    Thanks for your lengthy reminder dude, I have a similar Mac with yours. I suspect its a software fault because it happens after I upgraded to Lion, 10.7.2.

  • I recently purchased a new Macbook Air and used migration to transfer old files from my old PC to the Mac, and now there are songs that I purchased through Itunes on my phone that are not on my Mac, how do I transfer these songs from the phone to the Mac?

    I recently purchased a new Macbook Air and used migration to transfer old files from my old PC to the Mac, and now there are songs that I purchased through Itunes on my phone that are not on my Mac, how do I transfer these songs from the phone to the Mac?

    dnunn wrote:
    ... how do I transfer these songs from the phone to the Mac?
    Transfer Purchases  >  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1848
    Download Past Purchases  >  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519

  • How to turn OFF trackpad on MacBook Air when using Magic Trackpad

    How to turn OFF trackpad on MacBook Air when using Magic Trackpad. Anyone have a clue on how to do this?

    Do you get more than one trackpad in system preferences? If not, which trackpad does it show in the "movie" in Preferences?

  • Migrated powerbook to new macbook air with mavericks and the macbook air is using much more storage

    I migrated powerbook to new macbook air with mavericks and the macbook air is using much more storage than the powerbook.

    I'm trying to figure out why the new macbook air takes almost twice as much storage as the old powerbook with the same content. 

  • My MacBook Air will not allow me to update Iphoto with my Password to ITunes. What do I do?

    I cannot get updates for IPhoto on the latest OS on my MacBook air when using my Itunes password. I just loaded a OS update  with no problem using my password but it will not upgrade IPhoto. I have photos on my 5s that I want to get on my MacBook Air. How should I do that? It works fine on my clone running windows 7?

    Sign out of the App Store and then sign back in with your ID and pasword. Then try again.
    OT

  • TS3276 I have installed OS X Mavericks on macbook pro, macbook air & iMac but I am having terrible trouble with apple Mail. I need to take all accounts online frequently OR worse I have to quit mail and restart computer. Is anyone else having problems?

    I have installed OS X Mavericks on macbook pro, macbook air & iMac but I am having terrible trouble with apple Mail. I need to take all accounts online frequently OR worse I have to quit mail and restart computer. Is anyone else having problems?

    I just checked to see if the update to OS X Yosemite 10.10.1 solved any of the issues outlined in my previous post, and to my dismay, nothing has changed -- all of the previous problems persist.
    My iMac (8) -- it's renamed itself eight times since the recent troubleshoot with the Apple tech rep -- shows up as a shared device in Finder on my MacBook Pro, but when I click on it, I cannot establish a connection using "Connect As".  So I've attempted to connect using the menu "Go/Connect to Server...", using both (alternately) the iMac's name and IP address, to no avail.  I get a message which reads: "There was a problem connecting to the server 'Peter's iMac (8)'. This server may not exist or it is unavailable at this time.  Check the server name or IP address, check your network connection, and then try again."
    Here's what I know:
    The server -- Peter's iMac (8) does exist;
    The server -- Peter's iMac (8) is available at this time;
    The server name -- Peter's iMac (8) -- is correct, as specified in the system sharing preferences;
    The server IP address is correct, as specified in the system sharing preferences;
    The network connection is active when I attempt to connect.
    I'm convinced the problems stem directly from the OS X Yosemite update.  None of this was ever remotely an issue in the previous OS X's -- any of them.  This is maddening!  What can be done?  Apple?? Anyone???

  • My MacBook Air can't get past the gray screen with the apple logo. What's the fix?

    My MacBook Air can't get past the gray screen with the Apple logo, so I can't login. Does anyone know the fix for this?

    Take each of these steps that you haven't already tried. Stop when the problem is resolved.
    Step 1
    The first step in dealing with a boot failure is to secure your data. If you want to preserve the contents of the startup drive, and you don't already have at least one current backup, you must try to back up now, before you do anything else. It may or may not be possible. If you don't care about the data that has changed since your last backup, you can skip this step.
    There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to boot. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
    a. Boot into Recovery by holding down the key combination command-R at the startup chime, or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) Release the keys when you see a gray screen with a spinning dial. When the OS X Utilities screen appears, launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in the support article linked below, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.”
    How to back up and restore your files
    b. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, boot the non-working Mac in target disk mode by holding down the key combination command-T at the startup chime. Connect the two Macs with a FireWire or Thunderbolt cable. The internal drive of the machine running in target mode will mount as an external drive on the other machine. Copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
    How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode
    c. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.
    Step 2
    Press and hold the power button until the power shuts off. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed to boot, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Use a different keyboard and/or mouse, if those devices are wired. If you can boot now, one of the devices you disconnected, or a combination of them, is causing the problem. Finding out which one is a process of elimination.
    Before reconnecting an external storage device, make sure that your internal boot volume is selected in the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences.
    Step 3
    Boot in safe mode.* The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
    Shut down your computer, wait 30 seconds, and then hold down the shift key while pressing the power button.
    When you see the gray Apple logo, release the shift key.
    If you are prompted to log in, type your password, and then hold down the shift key again as you click Log in.
    Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
    The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
    *Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t boot in safe mode. Post for further instructions.
    When you boot in safe mode, it's normal to see a dark gray progress bar on a light gray background. If the progress bar gets stuck for more than a few minutes, or if the system shuts down automatically while the progress bar is displayed, your boot volume is damaged and the drive is probably malfunctioning. In that case, go to step 5.
    If you can boot and log in now, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode.) If the boot process hangs again, the problem is likely caused by a third-party system modification that you installed. Post for further instructions.
    Step 4
    Sometimes a boot failure can be resolved by resetting the NVRAM.
    Step 5
    Launch Disk Utility in Recovery mode (see above for instructions.) Select your startup volume, then run Repair Disk. If any problems are found, repeat until clear. If Disk Utility reports that the volume can't be repaired, the drive has malfunctioned and should be replaced. You might choose to tolerate one such malfunction in the life of the drive. In that case, erase the volume and restore from a backup. If the same thing ever happens again, replace the drive immediately.
    This is one of the rare situations in which you should also run Repair Permissions, ignoring the false warnings it produces. Look for the line "Permissions repaired successfully" at the end of the output. Then reboot as usual.
    Step 6
    Boot into Recovery again. When the OS X Utilities screen appears, follow the prompts to reinstall the OS. If your Mac was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you’ll need the Apple ID and password you used to upgrade.
    Note: You need an always-on Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet to use Recovery. It won’t work with USB or PPPoE modems, or with proxy servers, or with networks that require a certificate for authentication.
    Step 7
    Repeat step 6, but this time erase the boot volume in Disk Utility before installing. The system should automatically reboot into the Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to transfer your data from a backup.
    Step 8
    If you get this far, you're probably dealing with a hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.

  • My MacBook Air, once pressed the power button, comes up with a file containing a question mark. I have tried re-starting it but this logo continues to appear and will not go. I cannot log onto my mac. Any suggestions as to what this is please?

    My MacBook Air, once pressed the power button, comes up with a file containing a question mark. I have tried re-starting it but this logo continues to appear and will not go. I cannot log onto my mac. Any suggestions as to what this is please?

    You need to reinstall OS X:
    Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing the Drive
    Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
    Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
    When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list.  In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive.  If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
    Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
    Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

  • I'm setting up my MacBook Air and it tells me to sign in with my apple ID but when I try to sign in it says there's a server error. What do I do? Do I try to skip the step?

    I'm setting up my MacBook Air and it tells me to sign in with my apple ID so that I can set up features like iTunes and iCloud and such but when I try to sign in it says there's a server error. What do I do? Do I try to skip the step? How can I fix this?

    The following previous discussion may help, in particular the last post (1/22/2014 by frankjet7): https://discussions.apple.com/message/21295536#21295536

  • I have connected my new Macbook Air to my existing Samsung large external monitor with a VGA adaptor but I can't get the full mac desktop to display. No icons but then websites are coming up. Help!

    I have connected my new Macbook Air to my existing Samsung large external monitor with a VGA adaptor but I can't get the full mac desktop to display. No icons but then websites are coming up. Help!  Further info:  I am a complete newbie to Mac.  Had three macs prior to 2000 then four PCs.  Just come back and struggling a bit with the unfamiliarity. On my old PC laptop I could simply switch from the laptop screen to the large external monitor (and back)  with the F4 function key.  While I can get the background image from my MBA to display, that's it.  Until I noticed on the far left of the external monitor, the very edge of one of the web pages I was on.  So Idragged it over to display in the centre.  But that's all that's there.  And now I have gone out of those web pages but they are still displaying on the monitor.  There is some wierd disconnect.  I'm sure it is just a setting thing.  Will keep searching for answer but any advice welcome!

    Your dsplay is getting extended onto the external monitor. Chcnage the setting to duplicate it or only display on the external monitor and you should be fine,
    Let me know if this worked for you.

  • After downloading mavericks, my MacBook Air is not opening. Stays in gray with Apple showing. What i can do please?

    After downloading mavericks, my MacBook Air is not opening. Stays in gray with Apple showing. What i can do please?

    Try this troubleshooting advice
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570

  • Macbook Air kernel_task problem SOLVED (a least for me)

    Hi,
    Introduction:
    I bought my MBA original (A1237) this January. Soon after the kernel_task problem arised - it consumed some 130% - 160% of CPU.
    The problem did not occur when in Safe Mode. So I asembled a list of kexts that were running after normal boot but were not running in Safe Boot. I tried to remove them manually one-by-one .... with no result. The problem persisted.
    Then I began to experience problems with the top case. First my powerbutton died, then the trackpad started to behave crazy and finally my keyboard refused to work as whole.
    So I bought another A1237, with cracked LCD. I disassembled both computers (using ifixit.com guides - it is really not difficult!) and put my screen assembly (the whole piece with hinges etc.) to the new-bought computer. Unfortunately the logic board had EFI password on and the seller did not know it
    I've been going crazy and as a last resort I removed the logic board and replaced it with my original logic board.
    Well - now it works No kernel_task problem, the comp has been now running for 24 hrs and both cores are performing between 5 and 50%.
    WHY did it work?
    I don't know.
    The top case problem probably had nothing to do with it. It just happened by the way.
    Well, many users have reported this problem as a CPU temperature related.
    The only thing I can imagine is that the thermal paste, that assures thermal conductivity between the cores and the heatsink was "worn", old, dried, cracked... This can happen when it is exposed to low temperatures. The cores overheat then. My system reported CPU temp between 30-50 Celsius, but I think that this is measured at the heatsink, not at the CPU directly.
    Solution you may want to try:
    Disassemble your Air to the point where you remove the heatsink. Remove the thermal paste from both the CPUs and the heatsink a replace it with a new layer. (My paste cost some $5.) Then put it all back together. Use guides at www.ifixit.com, there is guide for applying the thermal paste too. You will need just a tiny screwdriver.
    I cannot tell for sure that this will work for you but I simply cannot imagine anything else, that could have solved the problem for me. Sometimes it is probably just disassemble-reassemble.
    Unfortunately I have no clue why the kernel_task problem did not occur when in Safe Mode.  
    Well, that's all I know. I know a little but am happy to have it working in the end...

    Seems to be related with AppleHDA Audio Codecs (old ones from OS10.8 work), that's why when you guys unplug the headphones the CPU level cames to normal levels. This problem is still not solved.
    I've been chating with some Apple amployees about it and they say it's a Maverick's problem. I've said them that so many people is having this problem in Apple's official forums and they reccommend me to say you guys to open a "Feedback Bug Report" in Apple's website: http://www.apple.com/feedback/
    They told me that in the forums where you guys explain this issue, they don't read it them all, and the worst of all, apple enginyeers don't read them. So, i reccommend you to open a Bug Report in order to let them know about this problem and giving them enough information to solve it.
    Thanks

  • How to charge mid 2011 macbook air battery using Thunderbolt display

    While trying to organize all my computer miscellaneous (cords, adapters & so on), I came across an adapter on a little card with the comment, "For use with your Thunderbolt Display and Mac with MagSafe 2 port." Appears to be for charging my mid 2011 MacBook Air via the Thunderbolt Display -- what might be the advantages/disadvantages in doing so? I found the info. in the product manuals to be pretty skimpy about this.
    Thanks,
    Linda

    So, I guess the adapter came with the display just in case I had a compatible Mac. I should have noted that on the card. Now, about the rest of the stuff in my Apple mystery box...that's for another day.
    Thanks, seb101, for your quick reply!

Maybe you are looking for