Kernel_task using "450%" CPU or more when streaming video?

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Level 1

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Kernel_task using "450%" CPU or more when streaming video?

This started a couple of days ago. Any time I am watching streaming video (FaceTime, Youtube, Netflix, Twitch.tv, etc), my CPU usage for the process "Kernel_task" will jump up to a ridiculous percentage number (above 300%) and video quality will degrade significantly or even freeze altogether.

Things I have already tried:

Different browsers to stream video: Chrome, Opera, Safari, Firefox, Brave, even Tor all cause this issue. Some sooner then others though. Chrome usually takes 1-3 minutes, Firefox usually gives me 30-45 minutes before this happens. This includes running all browsers in incognito mode when available.

Creating a new user account: Exact same issue. Few minutes then Kernel_task skyrockets up to 400% or more.

Keeping all other programs closed while streaming video: This does not seem to have any effect.

Clearing all Kexts related to Browsers, Facetime or streaming video: No change.

Downloading videos and playing them locally through IINA or Quicktime: This works fine. For recorded content like youtube, this has been my workaround.

Some other notable side effects:

When on Facetime, I constantly have to restart the program because my camera feed will freeze. Usually after restarting "avconfrenced" in Activity monitor it comes back.

Initially, only restarting would cause the CPU usage of Kernel_task to go down. Now, if left with all closed but Activity monitor and Finder, the CPU usage will eventually drop back to normal. Usually as fast as it climbed. (1-3 Minutes after closing chrome, 30ish minutes after closing firefox)

Monitoring Temps the entire time. Never a throttling issue as the temp stayed below 90C all the time, and almost always below 80.

Any advice or suggestions on where to look would be greatly appreciated. Let me know if I need to provide more information.

Screenshot of task manager: https://imgur.com/a/9AhW5uB

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.14

Posted on Jun 28, 2019 11:02 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 29, 2019 3:32 AM in response to Mistroguitar

We need to know more about your setup.

Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here.

Use the “additional text” button below the message area and paste the report in there.

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Answer 2

Mistroguitar Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 30, 2019 2:35 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

What do you mean by system modifications? Are you talking about config files for programs like Turbo Boost Switcher? I haven't been running this program, so I will be uninstalling that. (Thought it might help with thermals and fan noise.)

Otherwise please let me know what you mean.

Unfortunately I use teamviewer on a daily basis for work, so I need to keep that. Updating Virtualbox will happen in the near future, I need to export the vdisks before i update and make sure I move driver packages as well. Probably will happen next weekend.

as far as playing back video on a new user account, I have tried this already and while it takes longer to cause this issue, it does happen still.

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Answer 3

Mistroguitar Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 30, 2019 9:36 PM in response to etresoft

Covenant Eyes installs on all users on the computer. I'm not the only user and want the content history log for some of the other users. :P

I took this EtreCheck with nothing running in the background. Running EtreCheck when this issue is impossible since the CPU usage all but freezes the computer.

My next step will be reformatting the drive and recovering from a Time Machine backup. Thankfully I backup to a network device anytime I'm at home, so it'll be fairly recent. :)

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Answer 4

Mistroguitar Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 29, 2019 9:14 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Etre Check report file

Here's the report. This is with nothing open on the computer. Chrome is open to the EtreCheck website and this thread.

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Answer 5

Jun 30, 2019 2:55 AM in response to Mistroguitar

It is not easy to go through all the details on my iPhone screen, but I can see that you have a great deal of system modifications, some apparently rather old.

I also noticed that your login items appear repeated, which is unusual.

I suggest uninstalling teamviewer if you don’t need it, and also updating virtual box.

Try playing back video in a new user account. Does it also spike the cpu use of kernel task?

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Answer 6

etresoft

Level 9

56,698 points

Jun 30, 2019 3:18 PM in response to Mistroguitar

Mistroguitar wrote:

What do you mean by system modifications?

Pretty much everything listed in your EtreCheck report. I was particularly impressed by the use of both Covenant Eyes and Wireshark. I don't see those two used together very often.

However, your EtreCheck report doesn't show any unusual kernel task usage. On newer machines with USB-C, I often see this caused by a misbehaving dongle. Is your machine covered by the recall program? A misbehaving battery could be heating up the system, causing kernel task to be throttled in an attempt to control the heat. I notice that you also have your own fan control software installed. That's another system modification and not a good one.

If none of the above possibilities checks out, make a Time Machine backup, wipe the hard drive, and reinstall the operating system. If that doesn't fix it, you will need to take the machine in to Apple for service. Apple will likely wipe the hard drive anyway, so it wouldn't hurt for you to try it first.

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Answer 7

Jul 1, 2019 12:11 AM in response to Mistroguitar

There would be no particular benefit from running Etrecheck when the problem manifested itself. The report tells us about what is installed and that information wouldn’t change. Some transient details like energy and cpu use would be there would be no surprise there.

As to restoring from Time Machine, I would first make yet another backup by cloning the drive to a separate external (don’t rely on just one backup when you’re about to erase your drive), then do an erase and install; do not elect to migrate everything back-that would land you back in to the problem. Migrate only the user accounts and then gradually install fresh copies of your applications.

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Kernel_task using "450%" CPU or more when streaming video?

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