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Luis_Mercado Author

Level 1

46 points

Guide: How to solve Yosemite memory leaks and CPU usage

I post this hoping to help those users who, like me, are experiencing high CPU usage and massive memory leaking with OS X core services and apps, leading to slow performance and battery drain.

I've tried everything mentioned, but found the right combination of steps to follow. I've tried this with seven different Apple computers, including mine, and has worked well so far. I applied this method yesterday to give these process a 24 hour window to fail again, so far everything good.

First step: disconnect any external or secondary monitors, if any is present. The video memory allocation leak can also happen if you have a system with an integrated card, like Intel, with no external monitors attached.

Second step: Shut down your machine and enter Safe Mode (press shift once you turn on your computer again, more info below). Once you're there, fix your disk permissions.

Guide of how to access Safe Mode: OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?

Third step: From Safe Mode turn off your machine again and reset your System Management Controller (SMC). There are different methods, depending on machine, to do this. To know what method applies to yours read the following guide.

Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

Fourth step: Once your machine completes a full boot after resetting the SMC turn it off again and reset your PRAM (THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP, BUT THE PREVIOUS ONES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THIS ONE TO WORK). The PRAM stores small bits of data that indicate our Apple computer how to interact with the devices connected to it, including monitors and video cards. It also affects software.

To reset it you should hold the OPTION, COMMAND, P and R keys in your keyboard immediately after turning on your machine again.You'll hear the start up chime, continue pressing the keys until the machine boots and the chime starts A SECOND TIME, then release. IF YOUR YOSEMITE INSTALLATION LOCKS UP AT A BLACK SCREEN AFTER THIS, DONT PANIC! It's normal, just turn off your computer and let it boot again.

More info about PRAM: OS X Mavericks: Reset your computer’s PRAM

Voila, reconnect your external displays and enjoy your system.

Message was edited by: Luis_Mercado

MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Oct 23, 2014 10:45 AM

557 replies

Oct 30, 2014 1:45 PM in response to ThomasKilian

Thanks Thomas. the Activity monitor shows a file named "launchd" which is the largest contributor to CPU usage.

Having said that in the last hour I tries erasing several apps and the problems (CPU, fan and temperature) were solved. Among other applications I erased the following:

- Caffeine

- TinyUmbrella

- Real Player

- YouTube2MP3

- Snake (game)

Thanks Luis_Mercado and ThomasKillian for your help!

Oct 30, 2014 3:33 PM in response to denis from old greenwich

denis, you should order according to %CPU (first column after name). launchd is a system process which runs from the beginning and does a lot of things so its overall CPU is almost always on top of the list.

GeoffGNB

Level 1

0 points

Oct 31, 2014 4:10 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

My MacPro has NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512 Mb video cards in it.

I run none of the problematic apps that are listed in the second post.

Guess Ill just have to wait for the first Yosemite update in hopes that Apple fixes it.

Thanks!

pubmsu

Level 1

0 points

Oct 31, 2014 4:21 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

I followed this guide but it didn't help lower WindowServer CPU usage.

What else can I do?

Oct 31, 2014 4:33 AM in response to pubmsu

After a reboot - how does WindowServer perform? You could create a test user with just the default apps/settings. When you first log in with that account how does it look like then?

It looks like Apple introduced at least one bug with updating icons. Until now I have no feedback for the bug I reported....

Oct 31, 2014 4:55 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

Thanks. Was so hopeful and excited when I saw this, as I haven't been able to work on my main computer since installing Yosemite for the memory bumps, and followed this one to a "T", but unfortunately it didn't work for me. 😟

rgermano

Level 1

4 points

Oct 31, 2014 6:09 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

Luis,

Thank you very much for sharing your procedure!

I was thinking to downgrade my Marcbook Pro back to Mavericks as it was running so slow. Your solution fixed the problem.

Thank you!

Oct 31, 2014 7:11 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

The fix worked but after a few hours, WindowServer went bonkers again. When that happens, it makes watching videos unbearable.

Using a late 2010 Mac mini with dual displays. Didn't have such issues with Mavericks or Mountain Lion.

Ingo69

Level 1

0 points

Oct 31, 2014 9:01 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

Well - this helped and solved all my problems - by now: I will test it this evening 😉

My Laptop: MBA, Mid 2012, Core i7, 8GB, SSD 256

Mouse (external BT Logitech): now works fine and without leak

WLan: I can see all WLans again, my own 2.4 and 5GHz and some of the neighborhood - before there was only the 5GHz visible 🙂

Performance / Fan etc: no heat, no fan by now.

Overall-feeling: great.

Annotation: I had a lot of Problems with disk permissions 😮

Oct 31, 2014 10:06 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

This solved my problem on two machines so far.

tedtoal2

Level 1

8 points

Oct 31, 2014 11:29 AM in response to centennialcliff

This did not solve the problem for me. I did it two days ago. At first the machine was running quite a bit better, but it usually helps to reboot anyway, so I don't know that the specific resets being done helped at all. After two days it is running as slow as ever. Extremely high WindowServer activity when I switch apps with Command-Tab seems to be a big problem. I think daily switching to and from an external monitor makes that problem worse. Network access seems to also be extremely slow. I run with about 10 apps loaded, included Word, Excel, Preview, and BBEdit each with a dozen or so open files. I have 16 GB RAM, and once Maverick stabilized, I could run with all these apps and files open and still had very rapid response to switching apps with Command-Tab. The Yosemite upgrade (degrade?) has put me right back where I was when I first installed Mavericks. When will I ever learn?

Oct 31, 2014 11:35 AM in response to tedtoal2

Count me in :-)

Am I wiser the next time? Luckily I skipped the beta phase. What's really bad: Yosemite seems to rely on Retina. I have a 2012 MBP and want to keep it for still a while. Alone the system font is eye cancer (especially to my aged eyes).

grdh20

Level 1

78 points

Oct 31, 2014 12:44 PM in response to tedtoal2

I think this is going to be a temporary help for most people. Hopefully Apple has taken note of this and the wifi stuff and will do something in the first or second Yos update. Hopefully....

Kimouna

Level 1

9 points

Nov 2, 2014 4:27 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

In the second step, you mention "Once you're there, fix your disk permissions." How do I do that? Please use layman/laywoman terms -- I'm not an IT techie... just desperately want my computer to be functional again after having upgraded to Yosemite (though sure feels like a downgrade)!!

Nov 2, 2014 5:24 AM in response to Kimouna

Just open Disk Utility and select the drive. Then click the Repair button. It takes a little while to finish.

Guide: How to solve Yosemite memory leaks and CPU usage