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Level 1

10 points

SystemUIserver using 90+% of CPU

I was browsing the web, minding my own business... when I noticed the fans were running high.
Thinking it was Flash, I closed Firefox. But the fans were still running at max.

Popped open Activity Monitor - and SystemUIServer was running 80-95% of my CPU, and Dock was using a fair bit too.

Reboot did nothing. Ran a set of clean-up tools through Cocktail, as well as repairing of permissions. Nothing still.

Can't explain what's going on. I haven't changed anything, not doing anything... and SystemUIServer is hogging the CPU.

MacBook Pro 15" (2,2), Mac OS X (10.6.1), 2.33GHz, 2GB RAM, 160GB HD ~~ iPhone 3G 16GB ~~ 5th-gen iPod 30GB

Posted on Oct 31, 2009 8:31 PM

106 replies

Tylerjd

Level 1

0 points

Oct 31, 2009 11:39 PM in response to B Summers

I seemed to also have this problem, although, at first the sys process launchd was using 99% of the CPU, now systemUIServer has the problem. It has been fluctuating for me. I am currently in East Coast Time

Oct 31, 2009 11:40 PM in response to B Summers

just removed the time from the status bar and everything is back to normal! Apple needs to fix this a.s.a.p

Oct 31, 2009 11:40 PM in response to kousuke18

Same insane problem here. Turned off the "show date and time" and it stopped... when will I be able to show date and time again?

Oct 31, 2009 11:40 PM in response to B Summers

Same issue here. Disable automatic clock update and remove it from your menubar, and wait for Apple to admit that they broke your computer because of DAYLIGHT SAVINGS.

Oct 31, 2009 11:41 PM in response to B Summers

Yup me too. Pretty big bug if you ask me. I hope it they fix it soon!

The problem persist after multiple resets and caused my computer to hang and lock up.

B Summers Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 31, 2009 11:41 PM in response to B Summers

Well, the issue resolved for me within a half-hour. So, you guys should all be able to breathe a sigh of relief soon!

Man, the replies are really coming in... this really is a widespread issue... My iPhone is buzzing with new e-mails every few seconds! haha

What time zone hit midnight last?

Oct 31, 2009 11:41 PM in response to mcshade311

yeah, same here, brilliant! 90% cpu usage from systemuiserver now down to 0% by turning off date/time.

Oct 31, 2009 11:42 PM in response to B Summers

I'm glad I found this thread. My MacBook Pro was burning my lap; dragging the time out of the menu bar completely fixed the problem.

Enjoy your extra hour of sleep, DST-ers.

Alien88

Level 1

5 points

Oct 31, 2009 11:42 PM in response to B Summers

Count me in too. It appears to go away if you set the time to something past 2AM, so perhaps after then I'll be able to show the clock or go to the pref pane without it using all the CPU.

Oct 31, 2009 11:44 PM in response to B Summers

I've moved time 1 hour forward manually and turned auto time sync off and CPU load dropped. Definitely a bug, and appears to only manifest itself on 64-bit Macs - it didn't happen on my mom's old macbook (the first Intel one, which is 32bit only).

Snow Leopard is by far the worst version of Mac OS X. The new Apple motto: 'It just doesn't work"

LukeW

Level 1

11 points

Oct 31, 2009 11:42 PM in response to B Summers

I was watching some thatguywittheglassesdotcom before going to bed and noticed that once the video stopped that the processor just kept on chugging. I have been searching the web trying to find out why and finally this solution worked. I thought something was going nutty on my system.

Apple better get a patch for this out very quickly or there could be mass Mac hysteria. I wonder if it only affects certain Macs. I guess I gotta get out of bed and go check my Mac Pro and see if it is doing this as well.

Oct 31, 2009 11:43 PM in response to Deuz Augustine

macintosh: it just works (except when you want to know what time it is)

rwilhelm

Level 1

8 points

Oct 31, 2009 11:43 PM in response to Chris Hall on Cape Cod

Same thing... on both MacBook and iMac (both on 10.6.1). Turn on the time display... SystemUIServer goes nuts... turn it off... all is well.

Oct 31, 2009 11:43 PM in response to kokho

Thanks. This fixed it on mine as well.

Oct 31, 2009 11:44 PM in response to kousuke18

Woo, this thread is on fire! and my CPU too. I had the same problem, turning off time display fixed it.

Please Apple, fix this before the next time switch! 🙂

SystemUIserver using 90+% of CPU