Phantom cpu use, running hot

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Level 1

93 points

Phantom cpu use, running hot

Hi, I am in need of help again. I took the superdrive out of my 2011 MBP and replaced it with a second HD enclosure, following instructions. The battery was disconnected for about 10 minutes and when I restarted the clock was set to years ago and I got a couple of messages asking me if such and such an application should be allowed to receive connections from outside, which I approved.

Everything seemed perfect but I noticed that the machine was running hot. I checked the activity monitor and found the cpu %idel figure was cycling up and down between 98% and 45% idle. The puzzling thing was that the list, nor the graphic display indicated any use. The heat generated was consistent with the % idle indicator.

The annoying thing is that I have had this problem before but can't remember how I fixed it. Any suggestions what to do please?

I have ruled out the following:

hardware problem: I unmounted the second HD and it made no difference, also I booted from an external usb drive and the cpu usage was normal, ie. 98-99% idle.

I cleaned out the cache files.

I deleted com.apple.loginwindow.plist and loginwindow.plist

Now I am stuck and need advice please:

3/13/13 5:48:19 PM	com.apple.launchd[1]	* launchd[1] has started up. *
3/13/13 5:48:25 PM	de.novamedia.nmnetmgrd[33]	No matching processes were found
3/13/13 5:48:32 PM	com.apple.SystemStarter[37]	Starting VNCServer service
3/13/13 5:48:33 PM	com.apple.launchctl.Aqua[113]	launchctl: Please convert the following to launchd: /etc/mach_init_per_user.d/com.adobe.SwitchBoard.monitor.plist
3/13/13 5:48:33 PM	com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[111]	(com.apple.ReportCrash) Falling back to default Mach exception handler. Could not find: com.apple.ReportCrash.Self
3/13/13 5:48:35 PM	com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[111]	(com.apple.Kerberos.renew.plist[135]) Exited with exit code: 1
3/13/13 5:48:35 PM	com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[111]	(0x1001001a0.mach_init.switchboard.sh) Failed to check-in!
3/13/13 5:48:36 PM	com.apple.ScreenSharing.server[132]	Wed Mar 13 17:48:36 Deuterium-2.local AppleVNCServer[132] <Warning>: display_config_sync_mux_end_proc: not active (0x4272dc0)
3/13/13 5:48:36 PM	com.apple.tiswitcher[145]	Wed Mar 13 17:48:36 Deuterium-2.local TISwitcher[145] <Warning>: display_config_sync_mux_end_proc: not active (0x4272dc0)
3/13/13 5:48:36 PM	com.apple.FolderActions.enabled[141]	Wed Mar 13 17:48:36 Deuterium-2.local Folder Actions Dispatcher[141] <Warning>: display_config_sync_mux_end_proc: not active (0x4272dc0)
3/13/13 5:48:36 PM	com.apple.AirPortBaseStationAgent[137]	Wed Mar 13 17:48:36 Deuterium-2.local AirPort Base Station Agent[137] <Warning>: display_config_sync_mux_end_proc: not active (0x4272dc0)
3/13/13 5:48:36 PM	[0x0-0xb00b].com.microsoft.outlook.database_daemon[147]	Wed Mar 13 17:48:36 Deuterium-2.local Microsoft Database Daemon[147] <Warning>: display_config_sync_mux_end_proc: not active (0x4272dc0)
3/13/13 5:48:36 PM	[0x0-0x9009].com.sophos.ui[146]	Wed Mar 13 17:48:36 Deuterium-2.local SophosUIServer[146] <Warning>: display_config_sync_mux_end_proc: not active (0x4272dc0)
3/13/13 5:48:38 PM	com.apple.launchd[1]	(com.apple.xprotectupdater[34]) Exited with exit code: 252
3/13/13 5:48:39 PM	com.microsoft.SyncServicesAgent[140]	Wed Mar 13 17:48:39 pmb14894 SyncServicesAgent[140] <Warning>: display_config_sync_mux_end_proc: not active (0x4272dc0)

Posted on Mar 13, 2013 11:04 AM

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Answer 1

ds store

Level 7

30,725 points

Mar 13, 2013 2:28 PM in response to oxcart

oxcart wrote:

Everything seemed perfect but I noticed that the machine was running hot

You installed another hard drive and it's generating more heat naturally, as it's running all the time.

I checked the activity monitor and found the cpu % idel figure was cycling up and down between 98% and 45% idle.

do you mean?

idled

Idled provides near real-time updates for IMAP IDLE, receives notifications of mailbox changes and signals the appropriate imapd to report the changes to the client.

Ok I see you mean idle, ok.

hidd

Human Interface Device daemon.

Once the clock is off a lot of strange things occur, so you have to make sure it's correct and updating via Apple's time servers for your time zone in System Preferences.

I suggest you uninstall Sopho's it's mostly worthless as Mac malware comes out fast and Apple usually fixes it fast too, so Sophos always running will generate issues and more heat.

Use the free ClamXav, it's a run as you need it scanner for the Windows scum, so it's not running AV all the time.

Run throught this list of fixes, #8 will overwrite OS X with a new copy, eliminating anyting installed in root.

..Step by Step to fix your Mac

https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents

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Answer 2

ds store

Level 7

30,725 points

Mar 13, 2013 2:34 PM in response to oxcart

I see what you mean, seeing similar type behavior here, the %idel isn't matching what is being used in process CPU.

I wouldn't worry about it, mine looks the same as yours almost, maybe they have to keep the CPU's at a minimal temperature so it processes garbage in the background or something.

There is EFI, which is a operating system like firmware, perhaps it's what is going on in there spying on people. 😝

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Answer 3

oxcart Author

Level 1

93 points

Mar 14, 2013 1:55 AM in response to ds store

Hi ds store, thanks for the input. I have a minor disability that means I can not sit at a desk. I therefore work with this laptop on my lap for 30 to 40 hours a week and I know how much heat should be generated and the location of the processor cores. Even when I leave the mac idle for a couple of hours it is hot when I come back to it, which reminds me, I should check if the machine sleaps when on the battery.

Anyway, regarding the HD's, they are both solid state and generate almost no heat, 0.5 W if I remember the spec.

I will trouble shoot some more and update the post.

Current update: when I reboot from a ML external the problem is gone, like I said above, but I have now booted from a SL external and the problem is back. The obvious next move is to disconnect the extra HD and see what happens.

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