First I took at look with Activity Monitor but nothing obvious in My Processes. So I switched to All Processes to see what root processes were doing. Bingo, a nondescript Process Name called kernel_task was eating up just over 100% (110% before turning off some apps).
I read this article (Kernel_task process taking up an inordinate amount of CPU) at MacFixIt, which indicated to start cleaning stuff up (ya, I knew that, housekeeping).
First I uninstalled some stuff that sounded good but which I just never use:
- ShoveBox
- Eye-Fi
Ok, CPU usage on kernel_task now down to about 104%.
Then I brought up the System Preferences -> Sharing panel. In here I had Bluetooth sharing on for a previous project but I am not currently using it. So I turned that off.
Bingo! Kernel_task is down to about a peak of 4% CPU usage now in a steady state (ie. when I am not opening new processes).
The basic gist is that kernel_task is a catchall for a multitude of system processes and hence it can take some rooting around playing with settings to get it to decrease. Good luck.
kernel_task showing approx. 600% in activity monitor; been searching for a solution for about a fortnight and this finally worked! Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteHelped me too. Without your post, I'd never think that enabled Bluetooth may be related to this issue. :)
ReplyDeletewow. fckng bluetooth ... it took me *weeks* to figure out why that kernel_task thing went out of control from time to time. I was about to send for the witchdoctor.
ReplyDeleteand now I come here, read about the related bluetooth issue, tick it off and on, and the kernel_task goes back to normal ... funny thing.
great, Mr. Drool you really made my day a happy one.
your share of experience is much appreciated.
Using duster on the air vents of my MacBook Pro just dropped kernel_task from 22000% to 2.3%.
ReplyDelete