Slow iMac / Unknown Processes Using Lots of CPU

Set AM to display "Active Processes" and sort by % CPU. Post a screenshot.

We'd like to see the etrecheck report.

I recommend etrecheck to assist in sorting out performance issues.

I'd run etrecheck. Etrecheck will analyze your machine and software and generate a report. Post results here so others can view. Experienced users have found the reported information useful when diagnosing problems. The proprietary stuff in the report gets filtered.

Install and run

-- Download etrecheck. Goto the EtreCheck download page. The download link is at the bottom of the screen

-- Install etrecheck. Goto your download folder. Double click on EtreCheckPro.zip

-- Drag the app to the application folder if you wish.

-- Turn on full disk access for EtreCheck. This was how macos used to work. Do it for etrecheck not avast as in the instructions.

Enabling Full Disk Access in macOS Mojave (10.14) and higher | Official Avast Support

-- Double click on etrecheck to run. The first five runs are free.

An alternative explanation how to install, run and report output for the EtreCheck Application

Using EtreCheck to Troubleshoot Potential… - Apple Community

Explanation of EtreCheck output by etresoft, the author.

Using EtreCheck - Apple Community

How to report etrecheck data.

1) Run etrecheck 😎 [ see above ].

2) When the report is done, click on the Export icon.

3) click on "Copy report" to copy to the clipboard

What to do with your report

4) Get back in your web browser and access your discussion. etc.

5) click on Additional text icon

which results in...

6) Paste your report and fill in a title.

7) click on "Add Text" button

8) post your post by clicking on reply or update

Robert

I received and set up this Mac about a week ago.

...

So far, Apple Support has been not especially helpful. With the level of data I have above, I might be able to have them help me track it down, but before I had this, a lot of their answers were boilerplate first line response to most users with this category of issue.

You know, at this point I'd be inclined to contact Apple and tell them to take it back. You don't want it. At the very least that is certain to get their attention. The lack of interest you described is unacceptable.

Take the cash and immediately buy another one just like it.

Apple made it clear in no uncertain terms that the fourteen day Buyer's Remorse period (which is not what you're referencing, I know) ended in three days --

Then do it now.

I'd buy another Mac just like it but that is not your only recourse. They were either misinformed or misled, and you can read their sales / return / refund policy yourself. You can do whatever you want with the cash.

I'd also verify their claim that the fourteen day clock begins at the moment of purchase, or even the moment it ships from China. That doesn't sound right to me, but again you should refer to Apple's written policy.

Don't bother bringing up EtreCheck. You'll get the eye-roll. Apple's fourteen day return policy is "no questions asked".

Did you buy it directly from apple or an authorized dealer? I'd not imagine that an Apple employee would not know the policy.

It's giving you problems and it should not, so the safest thing is to return the machine.

I'd to with activity monitor's results. etrecheck is done by one person as far as I know. It must be a busy time with all the hardware and software changes with the mac.

The terminal command of note are:

# press q to end. top refreshes every few seconds. It's the command line equivalent of activity monitor.

top

# /Appications/Utilities/terminal

# type top. Press return key to run.

# There is also...

#

ps aux

# no other commands are authorized at this time. Don't mess around in terminal. There is no hand holding.

#

R

These apps are obsolete. There is recommended replacement for Silverlight.

Flash Player: 32.0.0.453 (? - installed 2020-11-10)

Silverlight: 5.1.41212.0 (? - installed 2016-03-25)

I don't see pmset running on my 10.13.6 high sierra machine. You should still have applecare. Give them a call. Have you activity monitor data ready. Some of the helper will be familiar with etrecheck from what I read here.

I assume this is the pmset command:

PMSET(1) BSD General Commands Manual PMSET(1)

NAME

pmset -- manipulate power management settings

SYNOPSIS

pmset [-a | -b | -c | -u] [setting value] [...]

pmset -u [haltlevel percent] [haltafter minutes] [haltremain minutes]

pmset -g [option]

pmset schedule [cancel | cancelall] type date+time [owner]

pmset repeat cancel

pmset repeat type weekdays time

pmset relative [wake | poweron] seconds

pmset [touch | sleepnow | displaysleepnow | boot]

DESCRIPTION

pmset manages power management settings such as idle sleep timing, wake

on administrative access, automatic restart on power loss, etc.

Note that processes may dynamically override these power management set-

tings by using I/O Kit power assertions. Whenever processes override any

system power settings, pmset will list those processes and their power

assertions in -g and -g assertions. See caffeinate(8).

I'd leave Activity Monitor open with "Active Processes" selected in an effort to correlate that Mac's slow performance to a burdensome process. Set its View menu to display "Active Processes". That way, inactive processes will not appear and clutter the window.

EtreCheck has done all it can do. Lacking any other suspects pmset certainly appears to be the culprit. Whatever is causing it to monopolize that Mac's CPU is likely to be hardware-related though because I can't explain its apparent need to do that. I can't even get it to appear as an active process long enough to make it misbehave. Reinstalling macOS is justified.