kernel task running at 110 threads

Question

Level 1

2 points

kernel task running at 110 threads

Kernel Task is constantly running at very high CPU time and over 100 threads on my 15" retina MBP from 2014. Using Memory Clean, i'm always only having available around 20% of my RAM available and i have 16GB on this machine. Etresoft report pasted below. I have heard that you should go in and delete a bunch of plist files based on the Macbook model# but my system's model isn't even in the list! This machine should be a lot faster than it is and this has been going on for months. Please help!

Problem description:

kernel task running at very high cpu and thread count

EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)

Report generated March 18, 2015 at 7:58:57 AM EDT

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) (Technical Specifications)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro11,3

1 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4-core

16 GB RAM Not upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

Wireless: en0: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Battery Health: Normal - Cycle count 392

Video Information: ℹ️

Intel Iris Pro

NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M - VRAM: 2048 MB

Color LCD spdisplays_2880x1800Retina

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.2 (14C1510) - Time since boot: one day 2:55:30

Disk Information: ℹ️

APPLE SSD SM0512F disk0 : (500.28 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh HD (disk1) / [Startup]: 499.06 GB (4.32 GB free) (Low!)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

Core Storage: disk0s2 499.42 GB Online

Micron_M500_MTFDDAK960MAV disk2 : (960.2 GB)

EFI (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

MonsterDrive (disk2s2) /Volumes/MonsterDrive : 959.85 GB (350.15 GB free)

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Logitech USB Receiver

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Monster Digital Overdrive TBT

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Library/Application Support/Avast/components/fileshield/unsigned

[loaded] com.avast.AvastFileShield (2.1.0 - SDK 10.9) [Click for support]

/Library/Application Support/Avast/components/proxy/unsigned

[loaded] com.avast.PacketForwarder (2.0 - SDK 10.9) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.nvidia.CUDA (1.1.0) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.techsmith.TACC (1.0.2 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.wacom.kext.wacomtablet (6.3.8 - SDK 10.9) [Click for support]

Startup Items: ℹ️

rlm: Path: /Library/StartupItems/rlm

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.avast.update-agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.userinit.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.canon.MFManager.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.nvidia.CUDASoftwareUpdate.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.wacom.wacomtablet.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.startx.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[running] com.adobe.adobeupdatedaemon.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.autodesk.backburner_manager.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.autodesk.backburner_server.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.autodesk.backburner_start.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.init.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.uninstall.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.update.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.genarts.rlmserver.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.nvidia.cuda.launcher.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.pixar.licenseserver.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.pixar.tractor-blade.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.sidefx.sesinetd.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.sonos.smbbump.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] org.macosforge.xquartz.privileged_startx.plist [Click for support]

[failed] uk.co.thefoundry.lmgrd.plist [Click for support]

[running] uk.co.thefoundry.rlm.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.avast.home.userinit.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.citrixonline.GoToMeeting.G2MUpdate.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Zoho CRM Plug-in for Microsoft Outlook Application (/Applications/Zoho CRM Plug-in for Microsoft Outlook.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

WacomTabletPlugin: Version: WacomTabletPlugin 2.1.0.6 - SDK 10.9 [Click for support]

AdobeAAMDetect: Version: AdobeAAMDetect 2.0.0.0 - SDK 10.7 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.09 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

gc-browser-plugin-client_2_1_7: Version: gc-browser-plugin-client 2.1.7.1 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.8 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.09 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 15.0.0 - SDK 10.10 Check version

User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

CitrixOnlineWebDeploymentPlugin: Version: 1.0.105 [Click for support]

gc-browser-plugin-client_2_1_10_1: Version: gc-browser-plugin-client-c 2.1.10.1 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

WebEx64: Version: 1.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

ResizeMe

GoPhoto.it

Facebook Photo Zoom

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

CUDA Preferences [Click for support]

Flash Player [Click for support]

WacomTablet [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

9% mds

1% hserver

1% WindowServer

0% fontd

0% Microsoft Outlook

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

663 MB WindowServer

618 MB Microsoft Outlook

464 MB softwareupdated

361 MB firefox

361 MB Adobe Illustrator

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

3.79 GB Free RAM

7.89 GB Active RAM

3.69 GB Inactive RAM

1.62 GB Wired RAM

9.72 GB Page-ins

21 MB Page-outs

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Mar 17, 2015, 02:54:13 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/QuickLookSatellite_2015-03-17- 145413_[redacted].crash

Mar 16, 2015, 09:39:30 PM Self test - passed

Mar 16, 2015, 08:04:36 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/AdobeCrashDaemon_2015-03-16-200436_[redacted].c rash

Mar 16, 2015, 11:03:52 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Microsoft Outlook_2015-03-16-110352_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Mar 18, 2015 5:10 AM

Reply

Answer 1

greg sahli

Level 7

25,508 points

Mar 18, 2015 3:32 PM in response to markmoritz

You also have Memory Clean running? It does Exactly the opposite of what OS X is trying to do for you - it causes your Mac to rely on More disk access, which slows things down. Uninstall Memory Cleaner.

Kernel_task is large because you have lots of processes running. That's all I can conclude so far. Maybe one of your apps has a memory leak, or some similar problem. Have you tried a restart lately?

And try some "generic" maintenance - do a Safe Boot - which does some repairs - then check the Activity Monitor, then restart normally.

OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? - Apple Support

PS - I never leave apps running, and my kernel_task is now at 782 MB, 87 threads. (I'm using a browser on another computer at the moment.)

Reply

Answer 2

markmoritz Author

Level 1

2 points

Mar 18, 2015 1:07 PM in response to greg sahli

It wasn't after Avast, it had started well before that. I can uninstall that, as i hope i don't need it anymore. I only installed it a couple months ago cause someone told me to go on a site and i started getting all kinds of ridiculous popups and junk. But regardless, even on my Mac Pro, with 64GB RAM, it's right now showing 167 threads occupied in the activity monitor. Isn't that pretty crazy high? It is always at the top of my activity monitor.

The Macbook Pro also always has it at the top of the activity monitor. I also often get into the red in memory available based on what Memory Clean is showing and things definitely seem much slower than a machine of that caliber should be running. I use a lot of high memory absorbent 3D applications, but even when my wife is using it for her basic work stuff and or fiddling around, it's just not performing as it should be.

So is the kernel task running THAT high really legitimately the way it should be? I'll happily give a shot to getting rid of Avast and the Foundry file that wasn't running anyway. I don't remember all this being the way on Mavericks but i'm not 100% sure if that's when the problems kicked in

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,210 points

Mar 18, 2015 3:40 PM in response to markmoritz

markmoritz wrote:

But regardless, even on my Mac Pro, with 64GB RAM, it's right now showing 167 threads occupied in the activity monitor. Isn't that pretty crazy high?

Mine currently has 108. Why do you think that is high? You have a ton of third-party processes loaded and running based on the report you loaded.

If you think 67 threads is too high, uninstall some of the add-ons you have running. The number of threads will drop.

Is your Memory Pressure other than green? How about CPU load?

Along with the stuff already mentioned, you installed Adware (GoPhotoIt): http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-gophotoit/

Thomas also has a removal tool on his site, or you can use Apple's instructions: Remove unwanted adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 4

greg sahli

Level 7

25,508 points

Mar 18, 2015 5:54 AM in response to markmoritz

First - OS X tries to use ("nearly") ALL RAM, because by doing that, it reduces the number of disk accesses, which speeds up your Mac.

kernel_task is the heart of your Mac - it schedules (gives time slices to) all other processes. You have lots of add-ons running, so kernel_task is busy.

So far so good.

Uninstall Avast - it's not needed and adds to the CPU load.

You can uninstall (actually delete) The Foundry licensing tool (uk.co.thefoundry.lmgrd.plist) by going to folder:

/Library/LaunchDaemons, and finding the file and deleting it. (or maybe there's an App associated with that and it has an uninstall menu option?)

I see you aren't using Time Machine. You Need to Backup! Macs (and especially hard drives) are electro-mechanical devices that can fail without warning.

If you want more help - please give more detail about symptoms that prompted you to run etrecheck.

For example - did your Mac slow down right after installing Avast?

Reply

Answer 5

BobHarris

Level 9

56,885 points

Mar 18, 2015 4:29 PM in response to markmoritz

Macintosh HD (disk1) / [Startup]: 499.06 GB (4.32 GB free) (Low!)

You should really free up some storage on your boot disk. Get your free space up to 20-50GB.

OmniDiskSweeper (free download)

<http://www.omnigroup.com/more>

<http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/7402/omnidisksweeper>

DO NOT delete files in your Home Folder -> Library tree as there are things like your iPhone backups, your email messages, your application preferences, etc… If you think you have found something in your Home Folder -> Library that can be deleted, you should ask first.

DO NOT delete files outside your home folder, as you may end up deleting something essential to Mac OS X, and turn your Mac into an expensive “Door Stop”.

I will point out that you will find some very large files in private -> var -> vm (these are the Mac OS X virtual memory paging files (swapfiles) and where Mac OS X stores the copy of RAM when your Mac is put to sleep). The swapfiles get deleted on reboot, and the sleep image is just going to be created again when you put your Mac to sleep.

If you think you have found something to delete outside your home folder, it would be best to ask first before deleting. There are many examples of people deleting files outside their home folder, or renaming files, or changing the ownership or permissions of files, and then their Mac stops running. Do not be one of those people. Ask first.

If you cannot free up the space, then consider getting a larger internal disk. Or if you do not use your DVD drive, think about getting an OWC DataDoubler kit and putting an SSD in the DVD slot, the put the OS and your Apps on the SSD, and your data on the original hard disk. That will really speed up your system.

FYI:

My kernel_task has 102 threads.

My kernel_task memory usage is 1.13GB. This is on the high side for a 16GB system but within bounds. The kernel_task memory usage is proportional to the amount of RAM in your system. It will be smaller for a 4GB system and larger for a 32GB system. The speculation is that the kernel_task is managing virtual memory page tables. The more RAM the more page tables.

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Answer 6

markmoritz Author

Level 1

2 points

Mar 18, 2015 7:40 PM in response to markmoritz

thank you all guys for all of your help. I didn't know if the Kernel Task thing was really overly high or not. I did a lot of reading, some spots said it was, some said it was normal. I didn't realize my internal HD was so crammed up. It was mostly because my Dropbox was not set to selective sync and was taking up nearly 200GB of space. That problem is being solved as we speak and selective syncing it so hopefully that will make a nice performance difference

Reply

Answer 7

greg sahli

Level 7

25,508 points

Mar 18, 2015 6:37 PM in response to BobHarris

Good catch, Bob. Don't know how I missed it!

markmoritz - this is the Real Answer!

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