AppleVNCServer process using 90%-100% of processor

Question

AppleVNCServer process using 90%-100% of processor

I'm trying to figure out if this problem is specific to my MacBook, or if it is a problem with Leopard in general: I notice the AppleVNCserver process is using 90%-100% of the processor - the fans in my MacBook start running very high and loud.

I've been force quitting the process when I hear the fans starting up. The process restarts itself, and remains stable (low CPU use) for a while... I'm not sure what causes it to start acting up again.

I used to have VNC server (now called Vine Server) running before I updated to Leopard. I stopped using it since Apple included screen sharing in Leopard (thought I mention it incase it is related to the problem).

I am having to force quit the process several times each day, so I've got to figure this out. I'd like to avoid a system reinstall, if possible.

Thanks

Posted on Dec 2, 2007 9:51 AM

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Answer 1

James Mol

Level 3

743 points

Jan 3, 2008 3:16 AM in response to Destin Hoffmann

I have been wondering the same thing.

Is it high all the time or only when you are doing screen sharing?

Are you screen sharing an in home/in office network or from the home to the office?

What is your DockSyncClient showing?

I have noticed that mine is high when screen sharing the office computer from home. I have not checked it when I was not screen sharing.

Jim

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Answer 2

Jan 23, 2008 11:21 AM in response to Destin Hoffmann

I get the same thing 100% cpu usage on AppleVNCServer. I certainly get this consistently (no other applications running except Activity Monitor and whatever daemons run by default). I got the 100% cpu when I used VNC 4.1.2 from an XP machine and sharing the screen on the Macbook.

I did not notice the 100% cpu usage if I was not sharing the screen.

I've done this type of thing for a while now and all of a sudden this happened. The only change I made about 2 days ago was I started using Time Machine. Before shutting down, I shut off Time Machine and unmount the external disk I use for Time Machine.

Dennis

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Answer 3

Jan 23, 2008 11:35 AM in response to Ferdinand Periquet

If I don't connect via VNC on my XP machine, AppleVNCServer stays at low CPU. As soon as I connect, it goes to 100% and so I have to kill -9 it (from an ssh session) so it can restart.

Here's the interesting part. I restarted my Macbook (don't tell anyone -- as you never have to reboot Macs right :-)) and I looked at Activity Monitor and noticed that AppleVNCServer is no longer running. Instead, OSXvnc-server is running -- like the original author of the thread, I had uninstalled VineServer. But I guess I didn't -- because VineServer.app is still in my Applications folder and in the StartupItems directory.

So, it looks like I'm actually using OSXvnc-server -- as to why AppleVNCServer started -- I don't know. Well for me, VineServer works and I'm happy. If this crops up again, I guess restarting (which in turn starts up OSXvnc-server) solves the issue in my case. I don't see any loss of functionality by not using AppleVNCServer but if anyone figures this issue out with AppleVNCServer, I'd be interested.

Thanks,

Dennis

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Answer 4

Jan 23, 2008 11:40 AM in response to Ferdinand Periquet

Oh and BTW, performance using VineServer is a bit better than AppleVNCServer.

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