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Flash video causing 105% CPU usage spikes

Just got my 27" iMac plugged in (not quad core) software updated it, installed the latest flash player, and I go to youtube and all the videos play really jerky, with sound popping and stuff. So i opened activity monitor and flash player (only thing not running 64bit) is spiking to 105% CPU usage every few seconds. Its straight out of the box, haven't even installed a single app on it yet.

Anyone else having this issue?

iMac 27", Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Oct 22, 2009 1:18 PM

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Carolyn Samit

Level 10

165,627 points

Posted on Oct 23, 2009 5:47 AM

HI and welcome to Apple Discussions...

Bear with me here... you may have downloaded a corrupted file for Flash... try this. Uninstall the Flash plugin and reinstall a fresh copy.

  http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/141/tn_14157.html?promoid=DTEGO

When you are finished uninstalling the old Flash plugin, go here and install a fresh copy  of Flash Player plugin.

http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

As with any software installations, repair disk permissions.  

Quit any open applications/programs. Launch Disk Utility. (Applications/Utilities) Select MacintoshHD in the panel on the left, select the FirstAid tab. Click: Repair Disk Permissions. When it's finished from the Menu Bar, Quit Disk Utility and restart your Mac. If you see a long list of "messages" in the permissions window, it's ok. That can be ignored. As long as you see, "Permissions Repair Complete" when it's finished... you're done. Quit Disk Utility and restart your Mac.

Carolyn 🙂

Message was edited by: Carolyn Samit

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215 replies

Oct 30, 2009 9:43 AM in response to FaZe

These are the two graphics configurations offered on the Apple website:

27-inch model with dual-core processor, one of the following:
ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR3 memory
ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR3 memory

27-inch model with quad-core processor:
ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics processor with 512MB of GDDR3 memory

Do we know which ones are causing problems?

Tuxtur

Level 1

0 points

Oct 30, 2009 10:10 AM in response to Lightfoot13

I have the problem, am running 27" iMac with
ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR3 memory

In response to the user that suggests we might think of turning our Activity Monitor on to see what's causing the problem: We have, that's how we (and Apple) know the problem is Flash. We're not just 'blindly guessing'.

I have run the tests that AppleCare asked me to. All resulted in CPU spikes that were 100% or more:
Using Safari in 32 bit with my normal User
Using another browser with my normal User (Firefox, Camino)
Using Safari in both 64 and 32 bit in a Test User

I have not yet tried turning Airport off and back on to stop the spiking. I haven't had a spike since I read that post. After I do, I will be alerting AppleCare of that also.

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Oct 30, 2009 10:35 AM in response to GizaDog

There is a thread Mac Pro: iTunes or Audio increases cpu temperature causing the 2009 Nehalem Mac Pros (+not earlier model+) to suffer from high cpu usage (and heat). Also similar problems with Flash. A spike in cpu is normal with Hyper-threading and any Core i7 (and probably i5) even with Windows 7, but only momentarily. Instead, it doesn't operate or behave as expected.

I'd check your audio apps and iTunes as well.

Oct 30, 2009 10:52 AM in response to Tuxtur

I did further testing and found once the problem occurs, I can quit safari and either start itunes or even photo booth and get 100% utilization or higher on one of the two cores. I found the trick that someone else mentioned about turning off airport to in fact return the two cores to normal operation. I can't tell you how the airport is connected to all this but it does return the cpu to its normal state. Flash video may trigger the problem but from that point forward it affects other programs, at least on my 27 iMac...

Oct 30, 2009 10:56 AM in response to FaZe

I just got a mail from someone claiming to be from ApleCare who supposedly is looking into this issue. He asks me to download a file he has attached in the mail - 'Capture Data8.4.1.dmg', which allegedly is going to collect various data from my computer. After having run the application I'm asked to email the dmg back to him.

Has anyone else got this? Is it legit? Sounds a bit odd to me.

Thanks,
R.

Message was edited by: Livslufsen

Tuxtur

Level 1

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Oct 30, 2009 11:20 AM in response to Livslufsen

Livslufsen: I checked with my AppleCare guy... the request for "Capture Data" is legit. I received it also.

Oct 30, 2009 11:21 AM in response to Tuxtur

Thanks for the info. I've now done what was asked and we'll see what happens.

Thanks again,
R.

Tuxtur

Level 1

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Oct 30, 2009 12:17 PM in response to Livslufsen

Airport is looking to be an important player in this scenario... Thanks to the user that suggested turning it off and back on to stop the spike. That works for me. Nicer than waiting for sleep and wake cycle.

Gehad

Level 1

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Oct 30, 2009 12:39 PM in response to FaZe

Has anyone thought of reinstalling from a retail copy of snow leopard? If indeed it's a software issue maybe reinstalling from the retail cd would do the trick. Afterall it may be a bad image out of Apple.

Oct 30, 2009 12:45 PM in response to Tuxtur

For affected 27 inch iMac users, please try these 2 workarounds and let me know if they do not work:

1, Connect your 27 inch iMac to your network via Ethernet and then turn off your iMac's AirPort by selecting "Turn AirPort Off" from the AirPort menu.

2, During a CPU spike, power cycle your iMac's airport by selecting "Turn AirPort Off" from the AirPort menu and then power it on by selecting "Turn AirPort On" from the airport menu. Repeat this workaround whenever the CPU spikes.

Thanks.

Oct 30, 2009 12:49 PM in response to William Maxwell

I can't do solution #2, but here's my report of #1.

Power-cycling the Airport causes the Flash utilization to drop ( to about 45%) and the playback (at small sizes) is smooth. However at *full screen* the playback is still choppy and the utilization is still quite high ~ 80%.

Oct 30, 2009 12:56 PM in response to rhyceudique

Workaround number 2 seems to reset things, but it does not resolve the issue. I would advise you to refrain from playing video back at full screen while the iMacs airport is on.

FaZe Author

Level 1

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Oct 30, 2009 1:06 PM in response to William Maxwell

Narrowing it down to the airport is a good call. That would explain why sleep/wake resets it too.

For all of you saying the issue is flash, it is definitely not. The bug first presented itself with flash video in a very similar manner to a previous flash video bug, however this new one is effecting many apps that have nothing to do with flash.

I can't do #1 (i'm on a completely separate floor from the router, its just physically not possible)
#2 will likely work, but is just as poor a temporary fix as sleep/wake which we've been doing for the last week while waiting for this problem to be resolved.

Oct 30, 2009 1:09 PM in response to FaZe

You can always extend your wireless network with a AirPort base station. Then connect your 27 inch iMac to that AirPort base station via Ethernet. This can enable workaround 1 without the need to run cable. Just FYI.

Oct 30, 2009 2:08 PM in response to William Maxwell

Do you own stock or something? You seriously expect someone to go out and get (another) AirPort so they can then cable into it to fix a software problem?

Flash video causing 105% CPU usage spikes