Luis_Mercado
Level 1 (45 points)

Q: 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 10:59 AM

by Eric Root,Solvedanswer
Eric Root Eric Root
Level 9 (74,268 points)
iTunes
A:

If you mark it as solved, more people are apt to look at it. You won't get any points, but it will stand out more.

Posted on Oct 23, 2014 2:17 PM

Close
Luis_Mercado

Q: Guide: How to solve Yosemite memory leaks and CPU usage

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 21 of 38 last Next

  • by lucasfromsoesterberg,

    lucasfromsoesterberg lucasfromsoesterberg Nov 21, 2014 2:50 AM in response to Luis_Mercado
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 21, 2014 2:50 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

    This was the solution for me too. Thanks very much.

  • by MacManiac_,

    MacManiac_ MacManiac_ Nov 21, 2014 3:08 PM in response to Luis_Mercado
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Nov 21, 2014 3:08 PM in response to Luis_Mercado

    Luis,

     

    I might add one more step to your process.....

     

    As the PRAM reset clears the current startup disk that was previously remembered, it may be worthwhile to open System Preferences and then check the Startup Disk prefpane to ensure that the disk you wish to start from is actually highlighted.  The computer will still start correctly, but may take longer if this last action isn't accomplished.

  • by ThomasKilian,

    ThomasKilian ThomasKilian Nov 21, 2014 3:50 PM in response to MacManiac_
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 21, 2014 3:50 PM in response to MacManiac_

    One more thing I heard of but have not verified: resetting the PRAM seems to affects also trim enabler. You should cross check if it's still turned on (for those which have a non-Apple SSD).

  • by ThomasKilian,

    ThomasKilian ThomasKilian Nov 25, 2014 4:51 AM in response to ThomasKilian
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 25, 2014 4:51 AM in response to ThomasKilian

    It seems that finally the issue is still latent, just not that obvious as before. After a couple of days my WindowServer is up to permanently 10% keeping the fans busy (which is why I noticed it). So the situation is better as a weekly reboot solves it, but under the hood the oil filter needs to be replaced.

  • by aero1247e,

    aero1247e aero1247e Nov 25, 2014 4:55 AM in response to mysticmcj
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Nov 25, 2014 4:55 AM in response to mysticmcj

    I can at least confirm that closing menu bar icons does immediately have a positive effect. After closing Google Drive, OneDrive, DropBox, Fitbit, Fantastical and so on my MBP (2012, 16GB RAM) is back to normal speed with external monitor connected. Although I cannot seem to determine which one of them causes it. It seems the less there are the better. When switching active screen (laptop display <-> external display) you can obviously see how slowly the menu bar icons are refreshed. So at least this is a good hint.

  • by ThomasKilian,

    ThomasKilian ThomasKilian Nov 25, 2014 4:57 AM in response to aero1247e
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 25, 2014 4:57 AM in response to aero1247e

    We still live in the hope that Apple gets that hint and fixes the issue.

  • by manny516,

    manny516 manny516 Nov 25, 2014 7:35 AM in response to Luis_Mercado
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 25, 2014 7:35 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

    Had a very terrible experience with Yosemite and also my Mavericks was running very slow as well. Thanks you so much i followed the directions you provided successfully. I am running both mavericks and Yosemite on a partition both run flawlessly. Not sure if anyone else had this issue before but i use to have a problem where my 2010 macbook pro would lag excessively when connected to a charger,but after following the steps it runs normal now.       

  • by larisa pedroncell,

    larisa pedroncell larisa pedroncell Nov 25, 2014 2:16 PM in response to ThomasKilian
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Wireless
    Nov 25, 2014 2:16 PM in response to ThomasKilian

    update:

    after trying a clean install of yosemite i still could not boot up in anything but safe mode.  so i tried a clean install of mavericks.  still could not boot up in anything but safe mode.

     

    i finally took it to the genius bar and it was a defective ATI radeon HD 4850.  cost me $231 total for replacement. 

     

    all was fine until i upgraded to yosemite.  did yosemite kill my graphics card or was it just a matter of time?  i have no idea, but so far yosemite is running smoothly.  i do have transparency turned off as well as unchecked 'displays have separate spaces'.  since this transpired, dropbox has issued an update and i am staying far away from google chrome.  i actually find the new safari much faster anyway.

     

    so to others having issues that are not resolved by the various fixes in the discussions - you may want to head to the genius bar.

  • by ThomasKilian,

    ThomasKilian ThomasKilian Nov 25, 2014 2:25 PM in response to larisa pedroncell
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 25, 2014 2:25 PM in response to larisa pedroncell

    Which model do you use? With older MPBs there was an issue with the graphics card where Apple replaced it at no cost if you knew about the issue. Google knows which one.

  • by larisa pedroncell,

    larisa pedroncell larisa pedroncell Nov 25, 2014 2:29 PM in response to ThomasKilian
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Wireless
    Nov 25, 2014 2:29 PM in response to ThomasKilian

    i have a late 2009 iMac 27" core i7.  i saw a link about this in another thread, but it looks like apple is only replacing cards on models that were made in the last 3 years.   

     

    my machine was running perfectly until i switched to yosemtie.  i use CAD software, photoshop, arch rendering software on a regular basis and had no issues until the switch.

  • by ThomasKilian,

    ThomasKilian ThomasKilian Nov 25, 2014 2:44 PM in response to larisa pedroncell
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 25, 2014 2:44 PM in response to larisa pedroncell

    I see. I remembered some MBP issue. I guess there might be a relation with overheating a board which normally would have lasted longer. But you would not be able to prove that Apple is responsible. In the above case it were many boards and the original vendor committed to have had some production issue. So those boards were replaced at no cost. I guess the good side in your case is that the new board is very, very likely not in risk to break soon. Try looking at it from the sunny side.

  • by SamMcGee,

    SamMcGee SamMcGee Nov 26, 2014 8:08 AM in response to Luis_Mercado
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Nov 26, 2014 8:08 AM in response to Luis_Mercado

    This certainly made my machine much happier. However, the fans still seem to spin much more than in previous versions. When the system is running at about 25 - 30% they seem to still be spinning and typically in the past the system had to get above 40 or 50% before fans would spin. I would highly recommend this process as it certainly helped. I am still reviewing to see what other processes I may have running that are causing CPU usage at basically system idle.

     

    MacBook Pro 15" Retina (mid-2013) - SSD drive

     

     

    Thanks

    Rob

  • by larisa pedroncell,

    larisa pedroncell larisa pedroncell Nov 26, 2014 9:30 AM in response to ThomasKilian
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Wireless
    Nov 26, 2014 9:30 AM in response to ThomasKilian

    luckily it wasn't too expensive and i am happy to have my iMac back.  for a bit, i was afraid that i would need to replace it. 

  • by monostone,

    monostone monostone Nov 27, 2014 8:39 AM in response to larisa pedroncell
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPad
    Nov 27, 2014 8:39 AM in response to larisa pedroncell

    Hi,

     

    is there a way finding out, which drivers the computer is loading at boot and/or at login?

    I have freezing MBP while hibernating, CPU and memory overload due to Mail and Windowserver.

    I found the following:

    "......You can narrow down the possibilities further by logging out without rebooting, then logging back in with the shift key held down. That is, enter your name and password, then hold the shift key and click the "Log in" button. Keep holding the key until the Desktop appears. This will prevent LaunchAgents and login items from loading. ....."


    Having done this since two days, no more crashes or CPU/Memory-fever.


    Maybe one of the drivers loaded, is the bad guy, but which one.

    Etrecheck did not tell me anything.

    I just would like to know, which drivers are loaded at normal boot, which ones at login with shift-pressed.

    And then successively look at each one.


    Has anyone ideas?

    Thanks.


  • by MadMacs0,

    MadMacs0 MadMacs0 Nov 27, 2014 1:46 PM in response to monostone
    Level 5 (4,801 points)
    Nov 27, 2014 1:46 PM in response to monostone

    monostone wrote:

     

    Hi,

     

    is there a way finding out, which drivers the computer is loading at boot and/or at login?

    Are you sure you are talking about drivers here? Those are normally found in /System/Library/Extensions/ which are mostly or all Apple's and in /Library/Extensions/ for third party software.

     

    Then you cite a quote about LaunchAgents and Login Items and I don't recall ever seeing a driver associated with either of those.

     

    As far a launchd controlled processes they are found in:

    • /System/Library/LaunchAgents/
    • /Sytem/Library/LaunchDaemons/
    • /Library/LaunchAgents/
    • /Library/LaunchDaemons/
    • ~/Library/LaunchAgents/

     

    The first two are mostly or all Apple's

    The second two are for all users from third parties

    The last is for your user only.

    Daemons start after boot and Agents start at user login

     

    To find out what system level processes are in use open Terminal and enter:

    sudo launchctl list

    followed by return and enter your Password: after the prompt (you will not see any typing).

     

    To find out what user level process are in use do the same with:

    launchctl list

     

    A number in the first column indicates the process is running with that PID.

    A zero in the second column indicates a successful exit the last time it was run.

    A minus number in the second column usually indicates an error of some sort the last time it ran.

    A positive number in the second column may mean it failed to load for a variety of reasons, some valid.

    You will get several hundred entries, so good luck in checking them all out.  EtreCheck does all this for you and only shows the ones most likely to be user issues.

first Previous Page 21 of 38 last Next