User profile for user: EthanW6258
EthanW6258 Author
User level: Level 1
35 points

Spotlight Power Use Draining RMBP Battery

I have a RMBP (late 2012), OSX 10.9.5, 750 GB storage, 16 GB RAM, quad core i7. For the last month or so my battery life has decreased markedly. With no apps running estimates of battery power remaining have dropped from 8 hours to 3 hours and real-life use is proportionally shortened. Battery health is good (still capable of holding 94% of original charge) but when looking at apps consuming significant energy spotlight always shows up with average energy consumption > 100. Spotlight does not appear to be indexing. I have tried the following to rectify the situation to no avail:

correct minor errors on hard drive using disk utility, correct permissions, then re-index spotlight

turn off Spotlight indexing using appropriate terminal commands

turn indexing back on and force re-indexing of hard drive

update to latest version of Mavericks

logging on with no programs loaded at startup

None of these interventions have helped. This does not seem to be the usual problem people post where Spotlight is busy indexing all the time for some reason. That does not appear to be the case. The only third party software that loads with system start-up is Intego net barrier and virus barrier, however, an older Macbook Pro I have with Intego loaded does not suffer from this problem and I have used this software for many years without it interfering with the smooth operation of my system.

Any advice why Spotlight is using so much energy when it does not appear to be indexing and more important advice on how to fix the problem would be greatly appreciated. If worst comes to worst I can wait for Yosemite to come out, but I don't know if that will solve the problem either.

OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Sep 23, 2014 6:39 PM

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9 replies
User profile for user: EthanW6258
EthanW6258 Author
User level: Level 1
35 points

Sep 24, 2014 6:42 PM in response to PATRICKMELE

Here's the results, don't know if they will help...


EtreCheck version: 1.9.15 (52)

Report generated September 24, 2014 at 9:38:29 PM EDT


Hardware Information: ?

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012) (Verified)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro10,1

1 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4 cores

16 GB RAM


Video Information: ?

Intel HD Graphics 4000 - VRAM: (null)

Color LCD 2880 x 1800

NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M - VRAM: 1024 MB


System Software: ?

OS X 10.9.5 (13F34) - Uptime: 0 days 14:1:15


Disk Information: ?

APPLE SSD SM768E disk0 : (751.28 GB)

S.M.A.R.T. Status: Verified

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted>: 209.7 MB

disk0s2 (disk0s2) <not mounted>: 750.42 GB

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted>: 650 MB


USB Information: ?

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad


Thunderbolt Information: ?

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus


Gatekeeper: ?

Mac App Store and identified developers


Kernel Extensions: ?

[not loaded] com.dvdfab.kext.fabio (1) Support

[not loaded] com.lytro.Firefly (4.2 - SDK 10.7) Support

[not loaded] com.marvell.kext.USBGenericPrinterClass (1.0.0) Support

[loaded] com.rim.driver.BlackBerryUSBDriverInt (0.0.68) Support

[not loaded] com.rim.driver.BlackBerryUSBDriverVSP (0.0.68) Support

[not loaded] com.sony.driver.prs (1.0.1d1) Support

[not loaded] com.sony.driver.prs2 (1.0.3d1) Support


Launch Daemons: ?

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist Support

[loaded] com.bombich.ccc.plist Support

[running] com.bombich.ccc.scheduledtask.29E252D5-57DD-4A42-9085-822AEB27C273.plist Support

[not loaded] com.bombich.ccc.scheduledtask.599CF8F6-B6B9-410F-8FE0-E3D87A32FD7B.plist Support

[running] com.carbonite.launchd.carbonitedaemon.plist Support

[running] com.intego.commonservices.daemon.integod.plist Support

[running] com.intego.commonservices.daemon.taskmanager.plist Support

[loaded] com.intego.commonservices.icalserver.plist Support

[loaded] com.intego.commonservices.metrics.kschecker.plist Support

[running] com.intego.netbarrier.daemon.logger.plist Support

[running] com.intego.netbarrier.daemon.monitor.plist Support

[running] com.intego.netbarrier.daemon.plist Support

[running] com.intego.netupdate.daemon.plist Support

[loaded] com.intego.virusbarrier.daemon.emlparser.plist Support

[running] com.intego.virusbarrier.daemon.logger.plist Support

[running] com.intego.virusbarrier.daemon.plist Support

[running] com.intego.virusbarrier.daemon.scanner.plist Support

[loaded] com.lytro.Lytro.InstallHelper.plist Support

[running] com.micromat.TechToolProDaemon.plist Support

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist Support

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist Support

[loaded] com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist Support

[loaded] com.smithmicro.vzwwirelessd.plist Support

[loaded] com.stclairsoft.AppTamerAgent.plist Support


Launch Agents: ?

[loaded] com.carbonite.launchd.carbonitealerts.plist Support

[running] com.carbonite.launchd.carbonitestatus.plist Support

[running] com.intego.commonservices.integomenu.plist Support

[running] com.intego.commonservices.taskmanager.plist Support

[loaded] com.intego.commonservices.uninstaller.plist Support

[loaded] com.intego.netbarrier.alert.plist Support

[running] com.intego.netupdate.agent.plist Support

[loaded] com.intego.virusbarrier.alert.plist Support

[running] com.micromat.TechToolProAgent.plist Support

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist Support

[not loaded] com.sony.ReaderDesktop.RunReaderDesktop.plist Support

[not loaded] com.sony.ReaderLibrary.RunReaderLibrary.plist Support


User Launch Agents: ?

[failed] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist Support

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist Support

[failed] com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[...]@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist

[running] com.bombich.ccc-user-agent.plist Support

[loaded] com.citrixonline.GoToMeeting.G2MUpdate.plist Support

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist Support

[failed] com.hp.printerAgent.plist Support

[running] ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist Support


User Login Items: ?

None


Internet Plug-ins: ?

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8 Support

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 15.0.0.152 - SDK 10.6 Support

Default Browser: Version: 537 - SDK 10.9

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.12 Support

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.12 Support

Flash Player: Version: 15.0.0.152 - SDK 10.6 Support

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 7 Update 67 Check version

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.4 - SDK 10.6 Support

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.10411.0 - SDK 10.6 Support

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8


Safari Extensions: ?

1Password-2 (Disabled)

OpenIE


Audio Plug-ins: ?

BluetoothAudioPlugIn: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.9

AirPlay: Version: 2.0 - SDK 10.9

AppleAVBAudio: Version: 203.2 - SDK 10.9

iSightAudio: Version: 7.7.3 - SDK 10.9


iTunes Plug-ins: ?

Quartz Composer Visualizer: Version: 1.4 - SDK 10.9


User Internet Plug-ins ?

WebEx64: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.6 Support

WebEx: Version: 1.0 Support

CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.105 Support

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 Support


3rd Party Preference Panes: ?

Carbonite Support

Flash Player Support

Flip4Mac WMV Support

Java Support

MacFUSE (Tuxera) Support

TechTool Protection Support


Time Machine: ?

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: ON

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Destinations:

Time Machine Backup [Local] (Last used)

Total size: 2 TB

Total number of backups: 100

Oldest backup: 2012-10-18 19:57:17 +0000

Last backup: 2014-09-23 11:51:12 +0000

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 2 TB > (Disk size 0 B X 3)

Time Machine details may not be accurate.

All volumes being backed up may not be listed.


Top Processes by CPU: ?

2% WindowServer

1% fontd

0% Activity Monitor

0% SystemUIServer

0% Makonekt Pro


Top Processes by Memory: ?

180 MB Mail

131 MB Safari

66 MB WindowServer

66 MB Google Drive

49 MB systemstats


Virtual Memory Information: ?

11.32 GB Free RAM

2.46 GB Active RAM

178 MB Inactive RAM

1.50 GB Wired RAM

666 MB Page-ins

0 B Page-outs

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
155,810 points

Sep 24, 2014 9:55 PM in response to EthanW6258

The only third party software that loads with system start-up is Intego net barrier and virus barrier,

Uninstall it.


Installing Intego's Net Barrier and Virus Barrier products on a brand new Mac containing nothing other than Mavericks and one minimally configured User account resulted in the worst performance degradation of any such product I evaluated. Any knowledgeable Mac user would consider it completely unacceptable.


Uninstall Intego according to its instructions. Verify its complete eradication from your Mac, then evaluate its performance without it.


Additional well-known troublemakers are present including outdated RIM BlackBerry software, TechTool Protection, Carbonite, and possibly others. All of them should be removed. Upgrading OS X will not fix problems with poorly written or incompatible software, and is only likely to make them worse.


Other potential contributing factors can be investigated after removing the Intego garbage.

Reply
User profile for user: EthanW6258
EthanW6258 Author
User level: Level 1
35 points

Sep 26, 2014 1:23 PM in response to John Galt

Thanks. While I take your point and would love to get rid of RIM drivers (don't know how they even got there -- I never had a blackberry) and don't know how to safely remove them, and will remove stuff I don't use much like TechTool, I do need Intego, and it never caused problems or performance issues for me before. My clients, mostly Windows users, require I have anti-virus software, rightly or wrongly. I also need Carbonite for off-site backups and it has always been unobtrusive.


Anyway, to test your hypothesis about a third-party kernel extension or app causing issues, I did a safe boot and the problem with Spotlight went away. Interestingly, however, when I re-started my Mac in normal mode, the problem has stayed away. Not sure why since I tried clearing caches earlier to no avail. Any thoughts?


Finally, can I safely go into my root library and delete RIM kernel extensions and preference panes? I don't like messing with my root directory if I can avoid it.

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User profile for user: John Galt
John Galt
User level: Level 10
155,810 points

Sep 26, 2014 2:00 PM in response to EthanW6258

It's generally not a good idea to uninstall components in piecemeal fashion, for the very reasons you're concerned about. It would be best to consult RIM for BlackBerry support: http://us.blackberry.com/support.html


A Safe Boot performs a cursory directory check and deletes certain font cache files, and is sometimes sufficient to resolve those problems.


In case you're not aware, Carbonite's Mac product does not back up OS X or apps (citing "copyright restrictions" last time I checked with them, which seems to be a lame excuse considering Microsoft's programs are also copyrighted). By all means use whatever backup strategy works for you, but I strongly recommend performing a realistic test in which you simulate a catastrophic failure, and need to perform a complete system restoration.


That Mac is extensively modified. As such, you must accept the resulting degradation in performance, battery drain, maintenance complications and general instability. Intego's product conveys no benefit whatsoever, other than to placate anyone unfamiliar with real threats to their information security, rather than imaginary ones. There are other products that will do that without hobbling your Mac, though I have none to recommend because they won't convey any benefit either. All those third party programs can accomplish is to reward your clients with a false sense of security – an illusion that presents a threat all to itself.

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User profile for user: EthanW6258
EthanW6258 Author
User level: Level 1
35 points

Sep 26, 2014 2:14 PM in response to John Galt

Agree with you about antivirus software, however, I deal with large corporations and their IT folks are not the most reasonable in the world. This is by no means the dumbest thing I've been asked to do. I use Time Machine and Carbon Copy as my primary backup, but in case the house burns down, I save photos and documents off site using Carbonite. Have simulated (or actually experienced) real crashes and restored from the former two. Agree that Carbonite is not suitable for a system restore -- only getting back documents. Anyway will end the string here since my problem is solved. Thanks again for your suggestions.

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Spotlight Power Use Draining RMBP Battery

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