MacOS Monterey 12.3 Spotlight High CPU, Time Machine volume

Question

Level 2

165 points

MacOS Monterey 12.3 Spotlight High CPU, Time Machine volume

I am having a big problem with MacOS Monterey 12.3, where the MDS is indexing my Time Machine volume, which is hosted on a fast USB-C external drive. This problem with MDS has caused other problems and forced me to keep the internal fans at full blast.

I've checked hardware diagnostics; I re-installed MacOS Monterey, to no avail.

Further, it appears I can't tell Spotlight to leave the Time Machine volume alone:

Could someone explain to me the value of MDS/Spotlight indexing a Time Machine volume?

As this is interfering with my work and use of my MacbookPro16,1 (Intel), I need to find a way to stop this.

Any help or pointers would be appreciated.

Thanks.

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Mar 27, 2022 8:38 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

PRP_53

Level 10

91,519 points

Mar 28, 2022 7:15 AM in response to Forrest

It is normal for Spotlight to Index the TM Backup Drive.

That is how it builds an Index of all the changes since the last TM Backup was run.

A lot of changes since last Backup will mean a longer time it takes to index the changes.

How is TM Backup setup ? To Run Automatically every hour or some other configuration ? Is the TM Backup using Encrypted Backup ?

Reply

Answer 2

Forrest Author

Level 2

165 points

Mar 29, 2022 10:31 AM in response to PRP_53

The backup is applied to a standard, non-encrypted APFS container on an external USB 3.x drive. This drive has one other APFS container that I use for backup up general data. There is no other real activity there.

Something associated with the mds processes is accessing the drive on a fairly regular basis. I do have regular TM backups that occur via normal automation provided by the Apple Time Machine subsystem.

Whatever activity is taking place is causing some other apps to spike in CPU consumption. This seems random, but is fairly consistent.

I ran pmset -g assertions:

2022-03-29 13:27:14 -0400

Assertion status system-wide:

BackgroundTask 1

ApplePushServiceTask 0

UserIsActive 1

PreventUserIdleDisplaySleep 0

PreventSystemSleep 0

ExternalMedia 1

PreventUserIdleSystemSleep 0

NetworkClientActive 0

Listed by owning process:

pid 183(WindowServer): [0x0000001b00098185] 00:00:00 UserIsActive named: "com.apple.iohideventsystem.queue.tickle serviceID:100000784 name:AppleHIDKeyboardEve product:Apple Internal Keyb eventType:3"

pid 121(powerd): [0x00000018000880ac] 119:15:08 ExternalMedia named: "com.apple.powermanagement.externalmediamounted"

pid 1907(mdsync): [0x00000069000b847a] 119:13:47 BackgroundTask named: "com.apple.metadata.mds.scan"

Kernel Assertions: 0x104=USB,MAGICWAKE

id=506 level=255 0x4=USB creat=3/24/22, 2:22 PM description=com.apple.usb.externaldevice.01200000 owner=Mercury Elite

id=507 level=255 0x100=MAGICWAKE creat=3/24/22, 2:15 PM description=en0 owner=IOSkywalkNetworkBSDClient

id=508 level=255 0x100=MAGICWAKE creat=3/24/22, 2:23 PM mod=3/29/22, 1:21 PM description=llw0 owner=IOSkywalkNetworkBSDClient

Idle sleep preventers: IODisplayWrangler

Mercury Elite is the external drive, which I obtained from OWC. It is 18B in size.

I have had this same configuration during Big Sur and I did not have these problems. They only started manifesting after recent updates to MacOS Monterey. Therefore, through process of elimination, I am assuming something changed.

In searching Google, there are several other similar reports that have to do with MDS, but I can't see a common pattern that connects to usage of the system.

I believe my next option is to re-install the system to Big Sur and wait for Monterey to become stable, unless a fix is forthcoming.

Reply

Answer 3

PRP_53

Level 10

91,519 points

Mar 29, 2022 1:35 PM in response to Forrest

Q - " The backup is applied to a standard, non-encrypted APFS container on an external USB 3.x drive. This drive has one other APFS container that I use for backup up general data. There is no other real activity there. "

A - Personal choice. Be aware Time Machine Backup in Monterey makes the drive a Read Only so having a multi-purpose use of the drive is going to a challenge.

Added, putting all the Important Eggs in one basket and the basket fails - scrambled eggs External Drive do fail.

Reply

Answer 4

Forrest Author

Level 2

165 points

Apr 1, 2022 5:47 PM in response to PRP_53

As it would happen, my Mac Cylinder (also running the latest MacOS Monterey) is exhibiting the same exact problems. On this system, the Time Machine disk is USB.

Also, other programs (like Lockdown app) are triggered somehow to consume more CPU.

This was NOT happening prior to the upgrade to Monterey.

Reply

Answer 5

rhesus23

Level 1

13 points

May 11, 2022 7:27 AM in response to Forrest

I agree my 2017 Macbook pro (with touchbar) went from a very fast computer with fast boot times and near zero lag running a previous OS, to being completely unusable for long periods of time after upgrading to Monterey. I also have time machine and it has the same problem (it is wiped, single partition, and only has the time machine back up on it so partitioning will not solve this). I cannot even use a browser without having to wait 2-10 seconds between go from tab to tab or switching programs. With previous OS I can go a week+ with out a restart, not I have to restart my computer multiple times per day, then wait 5-10 minutes for mds_stores to stop using 150-293% CPU (i have only 2 CPU's so clearly there is a CPU allocation bug) before anything opens in a timely fashion (under 1 minute). As to the comment that downgrading is a personal choice. Not really: downgrading can lead to security issues. Basically Apple has a serious bug in its code causing the entire OS to become unstable. Additionally Screen Sharing is completely unstable. Before the Monterey OS it would timeout 1-2 times per week (disconnect). Now it times out 5-10 times per day. My internet connection is also stable, and achieves 1GB/s down and 40 MB/s up. If i disconnect my laptop from power source, everything gets a 2 times worse. My 9-year old 2013 Macbook pro (not upgraded) does not have any issues and is becoming my computer of choice until these Monterey Issues are figured out.

Reply