Anyone know if you can still get the floating cpu window in activity monitor?

"Activity Monitor -> Window -> CPU does have a frame and borders, but the borders are needed in order to keep the eight CPU usage bar-charts distinct from one another."
This is not true. Yes, this window is available, but the "no borders" version we're all asking about is not needed to keep the CPUs distinct. Mt. Lion (Lion, and Snow Leopard & Leopard...) all had this available as a TRANSLUSCENT window (that's one important feature) WITH NO DECORATION (that's the other important feature.) (a) it was quite easy to tell the 8 CPUs apart and (b) it allowed one to see what was on the desktop, underneath.

It's ok if you don't feel a particular need for that on =your= system, but the thing we're all asking about for here is what we want on =our= systems -- something that's been available for years, and suddenly disappeared.

"Ctrl Click on the Activity Monitor icon on the task bar."

(I'm pretty sure you mean the Dock.) This is also nice, but I use that icon for something else (in my case, network activity. I imagine others use it to their own liking.)

Again, we're not asking for anything new, just for the previous functionality to be brought back. It was a very nice feature, and we all miss it.

(Yes, I'm being presumptuous and speaking for others. 🙂 )

Just double click on the "CPU LOAD" graph in the Activity Monitor on the CPU tab.

D

Mike805 wrote:

Activity Monitor know longer provides the "floating CPU Monitor" under the Window pull down.

There are actually now two floating windows that monitor CPU use. One shows current use; the other a moving graph of its history.

Both can be accessed from Activity Monitor's "Window" menu & have hot key shortcuts. There is also a "Keep CPU menus on top" option that keeps them in the foreground even when switching to other apps.

Under Mavericks the 2 floating windows mentioned by R C-R are both "heavyweight" windows with titlebars, borders, etc. The window I'm looking for -- and I assume the one OP was asking for -- is the borderless, "lightweight" widow that just has instant CPU usage with no frame or other "decoration."

That I can tell, this option is no longer available in Mavericks; at least not from the UI. It'd be great if there was at least a command-line defaults flag we could set or something.

Thanks!

They are still available to me. There are two lightweight versions.

The one that drops down from Activity Monitor -> Window -> CPU does have a frame and borders, but the borders are needed in order to keep the eight CPU usage bar-charts distinct from one another. No titles or text though.

It is movable.

The second one is extremely lightweight and displays all data in one small icon sized window. Ctrl Click on the Activity Monitor icon on the task bar. Navigate to Dock Icon and choose your preference. This meter is fixed, and lives on the task bar.

Hope this helps

late 2013 macbook pro, 10.9.2

I'm not getting involved in any of the non-technical stuff here ok? The best I can do for you, apart from you sending feedback to Apple is:

1. In /Applications, make a copy of Activity Monitor (call it "Activity Monitor CPU" for future when you may forget its purpose (linke I definitely would).

2. Run the original Activity Monitor, selecting as you do for Network. If already running and in the Dock, cool.

3. Run "Activity Monitor CPU". It will appear in the Dock as identical to the other one. You can then change it to show the CPU graph. So both are showing in the Dock:

Tongue firmly in cheek, I say, "mr SilverSkyRat", surely you mean /Applications/Utilities?

All five of my macs are running Mavericks, and I've plum forgotten what the translucent floating cpu monitor looks like. From a few web sites, you can find complaints similar to this thread, where folks say that they can only get a floating cpu menu with a single bar. Checkout http://mactips.dwhoard.com/new-mac-checklist for an example.

Here is a snapshot of my Mavericks CPU meter on my older 2 core system: You are picturing a meter that looks different than this one? I searched google images and this same meter was what was pictured as being from Lion..

Just trying to be of help.

Stephen

switheyw wrote:

Tongue firmly in cheek, I say, "mr SilverSkyRat", surely you mean /Applications/Utilities?

Er, yeah, it's around there somewhere 😉

Here's a screenshot of the cpu-bars I'd like. It's only 2 CPUS (all my other computers are Mavericks, now) so it might not seem like much but, with 8, it makes quite a difference. ("Big" 8-cpu window shown for comparrison.)

Desired CPU-meter style (Leopard through Mt. Lion) this was called "Floating" CPU window:

Mavericks CPU-meter style:

Ya, that version of the CPU meter is way less obtrusive. I was casting about for alternatives, and came across a free program called menu meters (donations accepted). If you have space on your menu bar it seems like it might be ideal. This snap shot is about 2X real size.

http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/index.html

Cheers

The image of the Menu Meters showing their CPU monitor, actual size.

http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/index.html

Thanks, switheyw, while not "built into OS-X", menumeters does exactly what I want: quick, unobtrusive CPU usage-by-core at a glance. I stuck network use up there, too, since it has it. Nice tool; I'll have to dig out a credit card & donate (it's volunteer-ware.)