Is iTunes a Resource Hog?

You may have one or more security programs scanning the files within the iTunes directory while the program is updating. This is the usual cause of increased CPU usage.

If you are seeing more than 30% CPU utilization, then look into which virus scanners, spy sweepers, popup blockers or the like are scanning the files.

Put iTunes on their exclusion list.

I've always had that problem too. its a 100% cpu usage when iTunes is doing anything other than playing music [importing, burning etc]. I've gotten used to the fact that I can't do much else while iTunes is doing its thing... so I would say yes, its probably the biggest hog out there. I have friends with computers that have huge resources, and they all have the same problem; its not just me with 512mb RAM!

When
I look at Windows resource meter in the Task Manager,
it's all iTunes, baby!

That really doesn't mean anything. I can write a program that does absolutely nothing, won't heat up your system in the slightest, but will cause Task Manager to show 100% CPU utilization.

It's rather complicated to go into, but the short version is that when iTunes is waiting on something, be it some other process or whatever, it will show 100% CPU utilization (or 50% if you have a dual core processor). The Task Manager is simply not capable of telling the difference between "real" CPU-usage and "waiting" CPU-usage. During podcast downloads, iTunes is waiting on threads to finish downloading, and if the computer is scanning the data as it comes in and is written to disk (Norton Antivirus is fond of doing this), then it can lead to a higher than normal CPU utilization. Also, since it is downloading lots of stuff at once, the disk will be spinning like a bat out of heck, leading to increased heat and probably activating your laptop's fan. Some laptops will even activate the fan's high speed based on the CPU-Usage as well.

My point is that just because Task Manager shows iTunes using 100% doesn't mean iTunes has a problem or anything like that. It just means that the Task Manager blows and isn't showing you what's really causing that usage.

Now, all that said, iTunes is a bit of a resource hog. It uses tons of RAM (for a good reason, you have to have that library loaded into memory to use it), and it uses more GDI objects than any program I've ever seen (a GDI object has to do with drawing stuff on your screen... iTunes custom GUI is very GDI intensive). But the CPU usage really means nothing at all.

Michael,

The support page for your computer is here. There is a BIOS update for your machine. This sometimes fixes problems with overheating.

Other than that — you've given the application a task to do, is it unreasonable that it would use the maximum amount of resources to compete the task as quickly as possible?

Yes, its a incredible resource hog, and one of the reasons I never began using iTunes much due to its use of close to 500MB of ram where Winamp and WMP10 would use around 100MB for the same catalogue of music.

I have been having this problem as well. iTunes taking 99% of system resources. I tried turning off the AV scan for iTunes but that had no affect. However a reboot clears everything up. Without changing anything else except rebooting iTunes went from 99% to < 10% while playing songs. It still takes 50K of RAM but now the computer can do other stuff. My suspicion is how it handles being shut off and then restarted. I will run a few more tests but I think what happens is that it works fine the first time it is started after a boot. Then anytime it is closed and started again it hogs all the resources for some reason. I have terminated the process but that does not do the same thing as a reboot. Other comments?<br>
hp pavilion AMD 64 Windows XP Pro

I am still having problems with itunes. Lately it does not work at all. Opens and then when I get to the music store it takes 99% of resources and just sits there. I have disabled AV software and spyware software. No help. I have killed the process, restarted, etc. Can't buy anything even if I wanted to. Does Apple care?
Guess not.
Time to get a different music solution, one that actually works.