Symdaemon running over 100%, fan on constantly

I'm running macOS Sierra 10.12.3 MacBook Pro Late 2013 with Norton Security 7.3 Build 111. When I first wake up computer SymDaemon takes >100% CPU, but quickly drops to 0.2%CPU and stays there. No problems for me!

Uninstall Symantec virus protection and see if removing that spamware helps.

Symantec Uninstaller

I am having this problem as well. Trolling the internet I see that lots of people are having this same problem. Does anyone know of any other reasons or possible solutions for this. I do not run any Symantec software as others have suggested for the solution.

Try running this program and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read.

Etrecheck – System Information

I will attach below the report from Etrecheck that it was suggested I run.

I guess I had forgotten that Symantec owns Norton so it appears that I do have Symantec software running. Am I to understand that the Norton Internet Security suite that I am running is causing this issue with SymDaemon? I'd rather not uninstall the Norton software.

Problem description:

symdaemon process continually consumes high amounts of CPU (85+%). Frequently for no apparent reason and no matter what apps are running it will ramp up to 150+% and the fan will work very hard/noisy to keep things running cool

EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)

Report generated 6/14/15, 2:58 PM

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

Mac mini (Mid 2011) (Technical Specifications)

Mac mini - model: Macmini5,2

1 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core

8 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Video Information: ℹ️

AMD Radeon HD 6630M - VRAM: 256 MB

HP ZR2740w 2560 x 1440

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.3 (14D136) - Time since boot: 12 days 21:49:3

Disk Information: ℹ️

TOSHIBA MK5065GSXF disk0 : (500.11 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 499.25 GB (237.61 GB free)

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

USB Information: ℹ️

Western Digital My Book 1144 1 TB

disk1s1 (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 32 KB

My Book (disk1s2) /Volumes/My Book : 1.00 TB (290.79 GB free)

Logitech Optical USB Mouse

Sonix Technology Co., Ltd. USB 2.0 Camera

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Dell Dell USB Keyboard

MediaTek Inc MT1956

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Configuration files: ℹ️

/etc/hosts - Count: 1

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Applications/zoom.us.app

[not loaded] zoom.us.ZoomAudioDevice (1.1 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

/Library/Application Support/VirtualBox

[loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv (4.3.26) [Click for support]

[loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetAdp (4.3.26) [Click for support]

[loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetFlt (4.3.26) [Click for support]

[loaded] org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxUSB (4.3.26) [Click for support]

/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.symantec.kext.SymAPComm (12.7.1f4 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.symantec.kext.filesecurity (12.7f4 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.symantec.kext.fw (5.3.1f4 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.symantec.kext.internetSecurity (5.4f4 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.symantec.kext.ips (3.10.2f23 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.symantec.kext.pf (5.7.1f4 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.Belcarra.iokit.USBLAN_netpart (3.1.1 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.Belcarra.iokit.USBLAN_usbpart (3.1.1 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.Perfect.Driver.SystemAudioRecorder (1.0.0 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.RemoteControl.USBLAN.usbpart (3.1.1 - SDK 10.7) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions/2.2.0/Belcarra.USBLAN_netpart.kext/Contents/Plug-Ins

[not loaded] com.belcarra.iokit.netpart.panther (1.6.3) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions/2.2.0/Belcarra.USBLAN_usbpart.kext/Contents/Plug-Ins

[not loaded] com.belcarra.iokit.usbpart.panther (1.6.3) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions/2.2.0/RemoteControl.USBLAN_usbpart.kext/Contents/Plu g-Ins

[not loaded] com.RemoteControl.USBLAN.panther (1.6.2) [Click for support]

/Users/[redacted]/Library/Application Support/Boxcryptor/Boxcryptor 667/Boxcryptor.app

[not loaded] com.boxcryptor.BCFS.filesystems.bcfs (3.0.2 - SDK 10.9) [Click for support]

Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[killed] com.apple.icloud.findmydeviced.plist

[failed] com.apple.mtrecorder.plist

[killed] com.apple.nehelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist

3 processes killed due to memory pressure

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] com.citrix.AuthManager_Mac.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.citrix.ReceiverHelper.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.citrix.ServiceRecords.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]

[failed] com.symantec.errorreporter-periodicagent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.symantec.nis.application.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.symantec.uiagent.application.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

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

[failed] com.apple.spirecorder.plist

[loaded] com.boxcryptor.BCFS.KextLoaderHelper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist [Click for support]

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

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.symantec.deepsight-extractor.plist [Click for support]

[failed] com.symantec.errorreporter-periodic.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.symantec.liveupdate.daemon.ondemand.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.symantec.liveupdate.daemon.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.symantec.nav.migrateqtf.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.symantec.sharedsettings.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.symantec.symdaemon.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.teamviewer.Helper.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.startup.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[failed] com.amazon.cloud-player.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.amazon.music.plist [Click for support]

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

[failed] com.PKWARE.Viivo.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] org.virtualbox.vboxwebsrv.plist [Click for support]

[running] org.xbmc.helper.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

Jing Application (/Applications/Jing.app)

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

connect to server Application Hidden (/Users/[redacted]/Documents/connect to server.app)

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Google Drive Application (/Applications/Google Drive.app)

DVDAuthorizeHelper Application (/Users/[redacted]/Library/Application Support/Helper/DVDAuthorizeHelper.app)

Android File Transfer Agent Application (/Users/[redacted]/Library/Application Support/Google/Android File Transfer/Android File Transfer Agent.app)

K9-MacOptimizer UNKNOWN (missing value)

AirDroid Application (/Applications/AirDroid.app)

Boxcryptor Application (/Applications/Boxcryptor.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.41.0.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Click for support]

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.188 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.188 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

CitrixICAClientPlugIn: Version: 11.8.2 - SDK 10.7 [Click for support]

googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.41.0.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

NortonInternetSecurityBF: Version: 1.11.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.5.1 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 45 Check version

User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

ZoomUsPlugIn: Version: 3.5.14934.0430 - SDK 10.10 [Click for support]

Picasa: Version: 1.0 [Click for support]

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

AllMyTube

Norton Internet Security

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

Launchpad-Control [Click for support]

Norton\nQuickMenu [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

83% SymDaemon

20% Google Chrome Helper(12)

11% Activity Monitor

4% powerd

2% syslogd

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

1.72 GB Google Chrome Helper(12)

1.22 GB SymDaemon

938 MB kernel_task

451 MB softwareupdated

213 MB Google Chrome

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

282 MB Free RAM

7.72 GB Used RAM

24 MB Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Jun 1, 2015, 05:07:13 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Kernel_2015-06-01-170713_[redacted].panic [Click for details]

Uninstall Symantec. It is total;y worthless on your Mac

Why do you say that Symantec is worthless on a Mac? Is it ineffective or incapable of doing what it claims/intends to do? Or is it unnecessary?

It serves no useful purpose on a Mac. It uses a tremendous amount of computer resources to do that. It is also know to cause problems with Macs. Uninstall it.

Sorry about this. Could you tell us what is the version of Norton program you are running on your Mac? We can help!

Thanks

Harini

Norton Support

I am using version 12.1 and OS X Yesomite.

I have this sometimes, consuming 99/100% CPU and run with fan with great noise.

I had this problem for the past few weeks - tonight I dug into it and found that if I signed into my Norton Account from within the Norton App, SymDaemon dropped from 100% to 0.4% CPU - and at last my fans are running quietly again!

My suggestion is uninstall the crapware from Symantec. Your Mac will thank you for that.

The code from Symantec serves no useful purpose on a Mac.

I recently bought Norton security for my 3 Macs. I really only bought it to avoid passing Windows trojans etc. onto my clients even though they were not affecting my Macs.

As others have experienced, the SymDaemon process then swallowed up CPU time and made the machines run hot. 'Killing' the process via Activity Monitor worked at times of greatest stress and relieved the problem, but did not solve it.

I 'bit the bullet' uninstalled Norton and purchased McAfee security instead. Calm has returned. My MacBook Pro was most affected by the SymDaemon issue but now runs at around 67C without an overworked processor.

Anyone considering adding third party security software to a Mac should look closely at the Norton SymDaemon issue before purchasing their software.

You may be right that it's crapware, and that it should be uninstalled. Instead of repeating the same thing three times, you may want to provide some facts and a logical explanation.

I am reading this thread for the same reason. At this time, SymDaemon is taking a lot of CPU, and the fans are on. Obviously, I am frustrated, because I can't find any explanation for that. However, to be fair, most of the time, it does not exhibit this kind of behavior. Granted, I took some time configuring it, and understanding various settings.

I was hesitant to buy Norton again, did it based on tests conducted by a German security lab (forgot the name). McAfee does not seem to be of the same quality it used to, and it is confirmed by various sources, testing various AV software.

Anyway, if you have valuable information, please provide it. I am sure other people would be as interested.