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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 28, 2014 2:35 PM in response to Luis_Mercado

This worked for a couple of days but the issue returned last night. The kernel_task is running at 9 gig with no apps open on my new Mac Pro.

Oct 28, 2014 2:58 PM in response to Luis_Mercado

Thank you very much, Luis!

Your solution solved the problems on my MBP Mid 2010.

mark419

Level 1

0 points

Oct 28, 2014 6:31 PM in response to Luis_Mercado

You Rock Luis_Mercado !!!! My Mac is back to normal Thank You So Much!!!!

Ryhman

Level 1

0 points

Oct 28, 2014 6:45 PM in response to Luis_Mercado

Luis,

For us Mac Newbs.. can you please explain "Once you're there, fix your disk permissions."

Thanks,

Ryhman

mark419

Level 1

0 points

Oct 28, 2014 6:54 PM in response to Ryhman

Go to Disk Utility click on your disk (Macintosh HD) then click on ( Repair Disk Permissions)

MadMacs0

Level 5

5,227 points

Oct 28, 2014 6:58 PM in response to nlesh

nlesh wrote:

Apple HELP !!!!!!!!!! PLEASE !!! I am a loyal customer since 1986 and I am losing my patience the third major major issue due to an update from Apple.

A couple of things. Just want to make sure you know that all of us participating in this discussion are users like you. Apple Engineers don't have the time right now to monitor this so your message is almost certainly not being delivered. To do that you need to provide direct Feedback or sign up for a free Developer account so you can post to the Apple Bug Reporter which will get more consideration.

And technically, Yosemite is an upgrade, not an update. It's rare indeed when an upgrade is bug free when it's first introduced. I'm sure you must have been through this before in 28 years, I certainly have. In fact, I've had several more painful upgrades in the past. I have only had a single mysterious issue so far and I'm pretty sure it's 3rd party software that needs an update. Wish I knew what it was. In any case, I always give myself a fallback just in case I need to wait for 10.10.1 or 10.10.2 to go all in.

Oct 28, 2014 7:28 PM in response to Luis_Mercado

I tried your suggestion Luis and unfortunately it made no difference to my problem.

Logic 10.0.7 is now suffering huge cpu overload since installing Yosemite after 10.9.5

The funny thing is that everything else seems to be fine.

It is just Logic.

It is starting to look like an issue only happening on mid 2011 iMacs like mine.

Believe me I have tried every trouble shooting step known to man.

It is not my Duet 2.

Even with Apogee software uninstalled, Duet 2 disconnected and internal audio selected (buffer 1024) the problems exists.

Now all my hope is with OSX 10.10.1 and/or Logic 10.0.8

Luis_Mercado Author

Level 1

46 points

Oct 28, 2014 9:16 PM in response to Murray Campbell

Hi people. Unfortunately this guide will only help with in-house services and utilities problems, as they are the ones that are managed directly via the PRAM's settings. If the problem arises after a few days then surely it's a third party app that's playing dirty. If you have detected such app see if there's an update for it. If not, disable or totally uninstall it with Cleanmymac, AppZapper or AppCleaner.

Oct 29, 2014 4:15 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

I'm not sure the fix is exactly long term. After a reboot everything seemed fine, but then things slowed down again. A reboot every couple of hours seems the best bet - but hardly ideal.

Even leaving my machine on idle overnight the WindowServer has worked its way up to 30% of the CPU. If I reboot it'll settle down again for a bit.

Surely this is indicative of an OS bug, no?

Luis_Mercado Author

Level 1

46 points

Oct 29, 2014 8:29 AM in response to tom davis3

The fix is permanent as long as the problem originated with windowserver or any other system service.

Please, post screenshots of your activity monitor displaying both cpu and RAM usage 🙂

Oct 29, 2014 8:38 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

I've also tried this fix on 3 Mac pro's and it looked good to start with but throughout the day WindowServer has crept back up to 70%

I wonder if ARD / Screensharing is involved in it returning, as I have been using ARD to monitor the Macs

nlesh

Level 1

21 points

Oct 29, 2014 9:12 AM in response to MadMacs0

Not sure what you are trying to say here but I will ignore I guess. The problem has not been resolved period and I hold Apple responsible for the loss incurred by me and my company again for the nth time in 2 years period.

thank you for understanding

Oct 29, 2014 9:17 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

FWIW, I followed the steps in the original post yesterday and the Mail memory leak persisted. On a whim, I tried Rebuilding my primary account's Mailbox (Mailbox --> Rebuild) , and left Mail running overnight. It's sitting quietly, using only 166 MB of RAM. Problem solved?

Oct 29, 2014 9:27 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

ps, am also getting more convinced it's all about the external display - the problem seems much reduced (I don't want to say non-existent) when using my MBP with no display attached

Oct 29, 2014 9:31 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

Thank you SO MUCH for this post! My 2008 iMac was running terribly slow after the update, and was getting worse. Just performed this reset, and it seems to be a LOT faster, without the CPU bloat and spinning beachball...

Glad to have my computer back!

Guide: How to solve Yosemite memory leaks and CPU usage