why excessive data downloads?

Question

I don&#x27;t know where to post this. Please let me know if I should post elsewhere. I have a 12GB data cap from Excede satellite ISP thus monitor data use. I get random large spikes of data downloads (rarely uploads) that I can not explain. The largest was 4.3GB of data over 4 hrs. I was at the computer part of that time and did not see anything strange. I do not download videos or other large volumes that I&#x27;m aware of. Most of the unexplained data use is 30-130MB over one 5 minute recording period. (As recorded by PeakHour.) Up to 500MB over 5 minutes is not unusual. Only twice has the use been sustained, the above mentioned 4.3GB and a 1.1GB use over 4 hours.Face book is turned off and used only when we&#x27;re away from home. Devices are iMac 2009 vintage, MBA 2011 vintage, iPhone 6, iPhone 4, iPad 2, Canon printer, Verizon virtual tower, and a captioning phone. The captioning phone and the virtual tower have been unplugged for over several weeks with no affect on the spurious data use.Data use skyrockets when the kids come home, but that&#x27;s explainable. If they turn off their wifi/phone connections it is controlled.How can I find out where/what/how the large data downloads are happening. An EtreCheck  report follows.GeoffEtreCheck version: 3.4.6 (460)Report generated 2018-02-09 16:54:01Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.comRuntime: 6:55Performance: Below AverageClick the [Lookup] links for more information from Apple Support Communities.Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.Click the [Clean up] link to delete unused files.Problem: Other problemDescription:Unexplained data use ranging from 20MB to 4 GB, most in 60-100MB range. (Problem because of satellite ISP with data cap.) Data use recorded by PeakHour coincides with data use by ISP. (Excede) Most unexplained data use is downloaded data. Data use can be when I’m at computer but also happens when no one is home and no devices being used. Timing seems random. Rarely happens during night. Most occur over one 5 minute recording interval in PeakHour. Largest (4.3GB) was from 0800-1200.Hardware Information: ⓘ    iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009)    [Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty &amp; Service]    iMac - model: iMac10,1    1 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (Duo) CPU: 2-core    4 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]        BANK 0/DIMM0            Empty         BANK 1/DIMM0            Empty         BANK 0/DIMM1            2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok        BANK 1/DIMM1            2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok    Handoff/Airdrop2: not supported    Wireless:  en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n    iCloud Quota: 32.43 GB availableVideo Information: ⓘ    NVIDIA GeForce 9400 - VRAM: 256 MB        iMac 1920 x 1080Disk Information: ⓘ    ST3500418ASQ disk0: (500.11 GB) (Rotational)    [Show SMART report]        EFI (disk0s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [EFI]: 210 MB        Macintosh HD (disk0s2 - Journaled HFS+) /  [Startup]: 499.25 GB (335.90 GB free)        Recovery HD (disk0s3 - HFS+) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [Recovery]: 650 MB    OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5680H  ()USB Information: ⓘ     USBBus        Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver     USBBus        Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub            Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller     USB20Bus        Apple Internal Memory Card Reader        Canon MX920 series     USB20Bus        Apple Inc. Built-in iSightSystem Software: ⓘ    macOS High Sierra  10.13.2 (17C88) - Time since boot: about 12 daysGatekeeper: ⓘ    Mac App Store and identified developersClean up: ⓘ    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist        /Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/MacOS/Updater/Adobe Reader Updater Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Reader Updater Helper        Executable not found!    One orphan file found. [Clean up]Kernel Extensions: ⓘ        /Library/Extensions    [loaded]    com.logitech.manager.kernel.driver (6.72.1 - SDK 10.12) [Lookup]        /System/Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.prolific.driver.PL2303 (2.2.0) [Lookup]System Launch Agents: ⓘ    [not loaded]    9 Apple tasks    [loaded]    161 Apple tasks    [running]    104 Apple tasks    [killed]    16 Apple tasks    16 processes killed due to insufficient RAMSystem Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [not loaded]    36 Apple tasks    [loaded]    177 Apple tasks    [running]    103 Apple tasks    [killed]    15 Apple tasks    15 processes killed due to insufficient RAMLaunch Agents: ⓘ    [running]    com.logitech.manager.daemon.plist (Logitech Inc. - installed 2018-01-04) [Lookup]    [running]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (? 415a694f 72ac4dde - installed 2017-09-16) [Lookup]Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.barebones.authd.plist (? 7d7988a6 a8630d60 - installed 2013-04-01) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.bombich.ccc.plist (? 41245744 d09e361c - installed 2013-12-26) [Lookup]    [running]    com.bombich.ccchelper.plist (Bombich Software, Inc. - installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (Shell Script e3fefdd2 - installed 2017-07-22) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.plist (? 1154bd07 82920043 - installed 2010-11-28) [Lookup]    [loaded]    jp.co.canon.MasterInstaller.plist (Canon Inc. - installed 2017-04-30) [Lookup]User Launch Agents: ⓘ    [failed]    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (? c8cc50de 0 - installed 2011-04-12) [Lookup] - /Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/MacOS/Updater/Adobe Reader Updater Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Reader Updater Helper: Executable not found!    [running]    com.akamai.single-user-client.plist (? 9fa0dc31 f4f704a9 - installed 2017-09-25) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist (Dropbox, Inc. - installed 2017-08-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist (Google, Inc. - installed 2017-09-27) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.littleknownsoftware.MailPluginTool-Watcher.plist (? 5bd3ffff b2e9cd5d - installed 2017-12-29) [Lookup]    [running]    ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist (? a7e57752 dbc058f8 - installed 2014-06-01) [Lookup]User Login Items: ⓘ    Safari    Application        (/Applications/Safari.app)    Dropbox    Application        (/Applications/Dropbox.app)    Moom    Application        (/Applications/Moom.app)    TypeIt4Me    Application        (/Applications/TypeIt4Me.app)    SMARTReporter    Application        (/Applications/SMARTReporter.app)    iTunesHelper    Application (Apple, Inc. - installed 2018-01-04)        (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)    Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX    Application        (/Applications/Canon Utilities/IJ Network Scanner Selector EX/Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX.app)Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ    JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 144 build 01 (installed 2017-09-16) Check version    FlashPlayer-10.6: 28.0.0.161 (installed 2018-02-06) [Lookup]    QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2018-01-04)    AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 11.0.14 (installed 2016-01-14) [Lookup]    AdobePDFViewer: 11.0.14 (installed 2016-01-14) [Lookup]    Flash Player: 28.0.0.161 (installed 2018-02-06) [Lookup]    QualysBrowserCheckSafari: 1.0.48.1 (installed 2013-09-11) [Lookup]    Google Earth Web Plug-in: 6.0 (installed 2010-12-11) [Lookup]    Silverlight: 5.1.30317.0 (installed 2014-04-19) [Lookup]    iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 (installed 2010-04-01)Safari Extensions: ⓘ    [enabled]    Ghostery - GHOSTERY, Inc. - https://www.ghostery.com/ (installed 2016-03-13)    [enabled]    1Password - AgileBits - https://agilebits.com/onepassword (installed 2017-11-29)    [enabled]    Dictionary - slicefactory - http://www.slicefactory.com (installed 2011-09-29)3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ    Akamai NetSession Preferences (installed 2017-09-11) [Lookup]    Flash Player (installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    Java (installed 2017-09-16) [Lookup]    Logi Options Launcher (installed 2018-01-04) [Lookup]    Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X (installed 2016-09-02) [Lookup]Time Machine: ⓘ    Skip System Files: NO    Mobile backups: OFF    Auto backup: YES    Volumes being backed up:        Macintosh HD: Disk size: 499.25 GB Disk used: 163.35 GB    Destinations:        Data [Network]        Total size: 998.06 GB        Total number of backups: 248        Oldest backup: 9/23/13, 14:30        Last backup: 2/9/18, 15:55        Size of backup disk: Adequate            Backup size 998.06 GB &gt; (Disk used 163.35 GB X 3)Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ        76%   backupd         7%   quicklookd         5%   WindowServer         5%   kextd         4%   kernel_taskTop Processes by Memory: ⓘ    582 MB    kernel_task    140 MB    firefox    115 MB    Numbers    109 MB    Dropbox    95 MB     WindowServerTop Processes by Network Use: ⓘ    Input     Output    Process name    45 MB     343 KB    kernel_task    7 MB      1 MB      mDNSResponder    371 KB    114 KB    netbiosd    99 KB     247 KB    Dropbox    45 KB     58 KB     apsdTop Processes by Energy Use: ⓘ     10.70 WindowServer      4.10 Mail      2.48 diskimages-helper      2.20 mds_stores      1.70 Full Deck SolitaireVirtual Memory Information: ⓘ    887 MB    Available RAM    16 MB     Free RAM    3.13 GB   Used RAM    871 MB    Cached files    169 MB    Swap UsedSoftware installs (last 30 days): ⓘ    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2018-01-28)    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2018-02-06)    Install information may not be complete.Diagnostics Events (last 3 days for minor events): ⓘ    2018-02-08 15:22:14    com.apple.WebKit.WebContent High CPU use [Open] [Details]    2018-01-28 14:44:36    Last shutdown cause: 0 - Power loss

Geoff K · Answer

Here&#x27;s the EtreCheck of my MBA.EtreCheck version: 3.4.6 (460)Report generated 2018-02-10 10:02:26Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.comRuntime: 6:20Performance: Below AverageClick the [Lookup] links for more information from Apple Support Communities.Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.Click the [Clean up] link to delete unused files.Problem: Other problemDescription:Excessive data downloadsHardware Information: ⓘ    MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010)     [Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty &amp; Service]    MacBook Air - model: MacBookAir3,1    1 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (Duo) CPU: 2-core    2 GB RAM - Insufficient RAM! Not upgradeable        BANK 0/DIMM0            1 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok        BANK 1/DIMM0            1 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok    Handoff/Airdrop2: not supported    Wireless:  en0: 802.11 a/b/g/n    Battery: Health &#x3D; Check Battery - Cycle count &#x3D; 529Video Information: ⓘ    NVIDIA GeForce 320M - VRAM: 256 MB        Color LCD 1366 x 768Disk Information: ⓘ    APPLE SSD TS064C disk0: (60.67 GB) (Solid State - TRIM: Yes)    [Show SMART report]        EFI (disk0s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [EFI]: 210 MB         (disk0s2) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [APFS Container]: 60.46 GBUSB Information: ⓘ     USB20Bus         Apple Inc. FaceTime Camera (Built-in)      USB20Bus      USBBus         Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub             Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller         Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad      USBBus Virtual disks: ⓘ    Macintosh HD (disk1s1 - APFS) /  [Startup]: 60.46 GB (20.25 GB free)        Physical disk: disk0s2 60.46 GB (20.25 GB free)    (disk1s2) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [Preboot]: 60.46 GB        Physical disk: disk0s2 60.46 GB     (disk1s3) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [Recovery]: 60.46 GB        Physical disk: disk0s2 60.46 GB     (disk1s4) /private/var/vm  [VM]: 60.46 GB        Physical disk: disk0s2 60.46 GB     Time Machine Backups (disk2s2 - Case-sensitive Journaled HFS+) /Volumes/Time Machine Backups : 998.06 GB (240.91 GB free)        Physical disk: Disk Image 998.06 GB (240.91 GB free)System Software: ⓘ    macOS High Sierra  10.13.3 (17D47) - Time since boot: less than an hourGatekeeper: ⓘ    Mac App Store and identified developersClean up: ⓘ    ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[redacted]@me.com-SharedSer vices.Agent.plist        /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/OSServices.framewo rk/Versions/A/Support/CSConfigDotMacCert -l ~/Library/Logs/CSConfigDotMacCert.log -u [redacted]@me.com -t SharedServices -s        Executable not found!    One orphan file found. [Clean up]Kernel Extensions: ⓘ        /System/Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.prolific.driver.PL2303 (2.2.0) [Lookup]        /System/Library/Extensions/RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext    [not loaded]    com.Ralink.driver.RT2870USBWirelessDriver (4.2.5.0) [Lookup]System Launch Agents: ⓘ    [not loaded]    9 Apple tasks    [loaded]    166 Apple tasks    [running]    100 Apple tasks    [killed]    15 Apple tasks    15 processes killed due to insufficient RAMSystem Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [not loaded]    39 Apple tasks    [loaded]    175 Apple tasks    [running]    106 Apple tasks    [killed]    11 Apple tasks    11 processes killed due to insufficient RAMLaunch Agents: ⓘ    [running]    com.intego.commonservices.integomenu.plist (INTEGO - installed 2017-10-12) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.commonservices.taskmanager.plist (INTEGO - installed 2017-10-12) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.commonservices.uninstaller.plist (INTEGO - installed 2017-10-12) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.netbarrier.alert.plist (? 4c1455e3 9fb9ce73 - installed 2013-09-25) [Lookup]    [running]    com.intego.netupdate.agent.plist (INTEGO - installed 2017-10-12) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.virusbarrier.alert.plist (? 37ec1f94 95156664 - installed 2013-09-25) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (? fae5f235 72ac4dde - installed 2017-11-07) [Lookup]Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.bombich.ccc.plist (? 41245744 d09e361c - installed 2013-12-26) [Lookup]    [running]    com.bombich.ccchelper.plist (Bombich Software, Inc. - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [running]    com.intego.commonservices.daemon.integod.plist (INTEGO - installed 2016-06-07) [Lookup]    [running]    com.intego.commonservices.daemon.taskmanager.plist (INTEGO - installed 2017-09-19) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.commonservices.icalserver.plist (INTEGO - installed 2016-06-07) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.commonservices.metrics.kschecker.plist (INTEGO - installed 2017-09-19) [Lookup]    [running]    com.intego.netbarrier.daemon.logger.plist (INTEGO - installed 2013-09-20) [Lookup]    [running]    com.intego.netbarrier.daemon.monitor.plist (INTEGO - installed 2013-09-20) [Lookup]    [running]    com.intego.netbarrier.daemon.plist (INTEGO - installed 2013-09-20) [Lookup]    [running]    com.intego.netupdate.daemon.plist (INTEGO - installed 2017-09-21) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.virusbarrier.daemon.emlparser.plist (INTEGO - installed 2013-09-18) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.virusbarrier.daemon.logger.plist (INTEGO - installed 2013-09-18) [Lookup]    [running]    com.intego.virusbarrier.daemon.plist (INTEGO - installed 2013-09-18) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.intego.virusbarrier.daemon.scanner.plist (INTEGO - installed 2013-09-18) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (Shell Script e3fefdd2 - installed 2017-09-05) [Lookup]User Launch Agents: ⓘ    [failed]    com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[redacted]@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist (? ? ? - installed 2010-11-17) - /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/OSServices.framewo rk/Versions/A/Support/CSConfigDotMacCert: Executable not found!    [failed]    com.apple.SafariBookmarksSyncer.plist (? ? ? - installed 2010-11-18)    [loaded]    com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist (Dropbox, Inc. - installed 2017-08-10) [Lookup]    [running]    com.nds.pcshow.plist (Shell Script 48e39481 - installed 2017-10-25)    [loaded]    com.nds.pcshow.uninstall.plist (Shell Script 39d7292a - installed 2017-10-25)    [loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.CBDF6566-347D-4C53-8790-B9AF193F12E9.000.000.plist (Jerry Krinock - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.CBDF6566-347D-4C53-8790-B9AF193F12E9.000.001.plist (Jerry Krinock - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.CBDF6566-347D-4C53-8790-B9AF193F12E9.001.000.plist (Jerry Krinock - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.CBDF6566-347D-4C53-8790-B9AF193F12E9.001.001.plist (Jerry Krinock - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist (? 228e7c7c dbc058f8 - installed 2014-05-13) [Lookup]User Login Items: ⓘ    Dropbox    Application         (/Applications/Dropbox.app)    WirelessUtility    Application         (/Applications/Ralink Wireless Utility/WirelessUtility.app)    TypeIt4Me    Application         (/Applications/TypeIt4Me.app)    GrowlLauncher    SMLoginItem - Hidden (? 0 - installed 2013-12-10)        (/Applications/Growl.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/GrowlLauncher.app)    CloudKitJS Callback URL    SMLoginItem - Hidden (AgileBits Inc. - installed 2018-01-19)        (/Applications/1Password 6.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/2BUA8C4S2C.com.agilebits.onepassword4-helper. app)Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ    JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 151 build 12 (installed 2017-11-07) Check version    FlashPlayer-10.6: 28.0.0.161 (installed 2018-02-07) [Lookup]    QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2018-02-10)    Flash Player: 28.0.0.161 (installed 2018-02-07) [Lookup]    F5 SSL VPN Plugin: 6031.2010.0122.1 (installed 2011-01-11) [Lookup]    Google Earth Web Plug-in: 6.0 (installed 2010-12-11) [Lookup]    iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 (installed 2013-06-28)Safari Extensions: ⓘ    [enabled]    1Password - AgileBits - https://agilebits.com/onepassword (installed 2017-11-08)3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ    Flash Player (installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    Java (installed 2017-11-07) [Lookup]Time Machine: ⓘ    Skip System Files: NO    Auto backup: YES    Volumes being backed up:        Macintosh HD: Disk size: 60.46 GB Disk used: 40.21 GB    Destinations:        Data [Network]         Total size: 998.06 GB         Total number of backups: 162         Oldest backup: 7/30/13, 09:04 AM         Last backup: 2/10/18, 08:16 AM         Size of backup disk: Excellent            Backup size 998.06 GB &gt; (Disk size 60.46 GB X 3)Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ        62%   backupd        21%   kernel_task         8%   WindowServer         0%   Dropbox         0%   opendirectorydTop Processes by Memory: ⓘ    371 MB    kernel_task    127 MB    firefox    64 MB     spindump    61 MB     Dropbox    37 MB     FinderTop Processes by Network Use: ⓘ    Input     Output    Process name    107 MB    40 MB     kernel_task    209 KB    12 KB     firefox    57 KB     61 KB     Dropbox    62 KB     28 KB     mDNSResponder    6 KB      6 KB      apsdTop Processes by Energy Use: ⓘ     49.08 backupd      7.84 WindowServer      0.46 launchd      0.24 DropboxVirtual Memory Information: ⓘ    461 MB    Available RAM    17 MB     Free RAM    1.55 GB   Used RAM    444 MB    Cached files    468 MB    Swap UsedSoftware installs (last 30 days): ⓘ    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2018-01-13)    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2018-02-07)    Install information may not be complete.Diagnostics Events (last 3 days for minor events): ⓘ    2018-02-10 09:18:17    com.apple.iCloudHelper Crash [Open]

Geoff K · Answer

I realize I&#x27;m being a pest but I am at a loss. It continues. There&#x27;s a steady download (very little upload) averaging about 20MB/5min, PeakHours shortest record time. I ran EtreCheck while it was happening and it&#x27;s below. It&#x27;s been going on now since 0930, now it&#x27;s 1605. It&#x27;s more intense since 1400. Now it totals a little over a GB today. Considering I have a 12GB cap that&#x27;s about 3 days worth of data. Here&#x27;s the recent EtreCheck. I&#x27;ll do one on the MBA also. EtreCheck version: 3.4.6 (460)Report generated 2018-02-13 15:51:03Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.comRuntime: 5:30Performance: Below AverageClick the [Lookup] links for more information from Apple Support Communities.Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.Click the [Clean up] link to delete unused files.Problem: Other problemDescription:Excessive data downloadsHardware Information: ⓘ    iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009)     [Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty &amp; Service]    iMac - model: iMac10,1    1 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (Duo) CPU: 2-core    4 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]        BANK 0/DIMM0            Empty           BANK 1/DIMM0            Empty           BANK 0/DIMM1            2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok        BANK 1/DIMM1            2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok    Handoff/Airdrop2: not supported    Wireless:  en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n    iCloud Quota: 32.40 GB availableVideo Information: ⓘ    NVIDIA GeForce 9400 - VRAM: 256 MB        iMac 1920 x 1080Disk Information: ⓘ    ST3500418ASQ disk0: (500.11 GB) (Rotational)    [Show SMART report]        EFI (disk0s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [EFI]: 210 MB         Macintosh HD (disk0s2 - Journaled HFS+) /  [Startup]: 499.25 GB (335.68 GB free)        Recovery HD (disk0s3 - HFS+) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [Recovery]: 650 MB     OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5680H  ()USB Information: ⓘ     USBBus         Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver      USBBus         Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub             Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller      USB20Bus         Apple Inc. Built-in iSight      USB20Bus         Apple Internal Memory Card Reader         Canon MX920 series System Software: ⓘ    macOS High Sierra  10.13.3 (17D47) - Time since boot: about 3 days Gatekeeper: ⓘ    Mac App Store and identified developersClean up: ⓘ    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist        /Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/MacOS/Updater/Adobe Reader Updater Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Reader Updater Helper        Executable not found!    One orphan file found. [Clean up]Kernel Extensions: ⓘ        /Library/Extensions    [loaded]    com.logitech.manager.kernel.driver (6.72.1 - SDK 10.12) [Lookup]        /System/Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.prolific.driver.PL2303 (2.2.0) [Lookup]System Launch Agents: ⓘ    [not loaded]    9 Apple tasks    [loaded]    167 Apple tasks    [running]    111 Apple tasks    [killed]    3 Apple tasks    3 processes killed due to insufficient RAMSystem Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [not loaded]    38 Apple tasks    [loaded]    178 Apple tasks    [running]    104 Apple tasks    [killed]    11 Apple tasks    11 processes killed due to insufficient RAMLaunch Agents: ⓘ    [running]    com.logitech.manager.daemon.plist (Logitech Inc. - installed 2018-01-04) [Lookup]    [running]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (? 415a694f 72ac4dde - installed 2017-09-16) [Lookup]Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.barebones.authd.plist (? 7d7988a6 a8630d60 - installed 2013-04-01) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.bombich.ccc.plist (? 41245744 d09e361c - installed 2013-12-26) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.bombich.ccchelper.plist (Bombich Software, Inc. - installed 2018-02-09) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (Shell Script e3fefdd2 - installed 2017-07-22) [Lookup]    [not loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.plist (? 1154bd07 82920043 - installed 2010-11-28) [Lookup]    [loaded]    jp.co.canon.MasterInstaller.plist (Canon Inc. - installed 2017-04-30) [Lookup]User Launch Agents: ⓘ    [failed]    com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist (? c8cc50de 0 - installed 2011-04-12) [Lookup] - /Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/MacOS/Updater/Adobe Reader Updater Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Reader Updater Helper: Executable not found!    [running]    com.akamai.single-user-client.plist (? 9fa0dc31 f4f704a9 - installed 2017-09-25) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist (Dropbox, Inc. - installed 2017-08-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.google.keystone.agent.plist (Google, Inc. - installed 2017-09-27) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.littleknownsoftware.MailPluginTool-Watcher.plist (? 5bd3ffff b2e9cd5d - installed 2017-12-29) [Lookup]    [running]    ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist (? a7e57752 dbc058f8 - installed 2014-06-01) [Lookup]User Login Items: ⓘ    Safari    Application         (/Applications/Safari.app)    Dropbox    Application         (/Applications/Dropbox.app)    Moom    Application         (/Applications/Moom.app)    TypeIt4Me    Application         (/Applications/TypeIt4Me.app)    SMARTReporter    Application         (/Applications/SMARTReporter.app)    iTunesHelper    Application (Apple, Inc. - installed 2018-02-10)        (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)    Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX    Application         (/Applications/Canon Utilities/IJ Network Scanner Selector EX/Canon IJ Network Scanner Selector EX.app)Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ    JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 144 build 01 (installed 2017-09-16) Check version    FlashPlayer-10.6: 28.0.0.161 (installed 2018-02-06) [Lookup]    QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2018-02-10)    AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 11.0.14 (installed 2016-01-14) [Lookup]    AdobePDFViewer: 11.0.14 (installed 2016-01-14) [Lookup]    Flash Player: 28.0.0.161 (installed 2018-02-06) [Lookup]    QualysBrowserCheckSafari: 1.0.48.1 (installed 2013-09-11) [Lookup]    Google Earth Web Plug-in: 6.0 (installed 2010-12-11) [Lookup]    Silverlight: 5.1.30317.0 (installed 2014-04-19) [Lookup]    iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 (installed 2010-04-01)Safari Extensions: ⓘ    [enabled]    1Password - AgileBits - https://agilebits.com/onepassword (installed 2017-11-29)    [enabled]    Dictionary - slicefactory - http://www.slicefactory.com (installed 2011-09-29)3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ    Akamai NetSession Preferences (installed 2017-09-11) [Lookup]    Flash Player (installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    Java (installed 2017-09-16) [Lookup]    Logi Options Launcher (installed 2018-01-04) [Lookup]    Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X (installed 2016-09-02) [Lookup]Time Machine: ⓘ    Skip System Files: NO    Mobile backups: OFF    Auto backup: YES    Volumes being backed up:        Macintosh HD: Disk size: 499.25 GB Disk used: 163.57 GB    Destinations:        Data [Network]         Total size: 998.06 GB         Total number of backups: 248         Oldest backup: 9/23/13, 14:30          Last backup: 2/13/18, 15:33          Size of backup disk: Adequate            Backup size 998.06 GB &gt; (Disk used 163.57 GB X 3)Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ         7%   WindowServer         1%   kernel_task         1%   launchd         1%   PeakHour 4         0%   DropboxTop Processes by Memory: ⓘ    535 MB    kernel_task    116 MB    Safari    100 MB    WindowServer    100 MB    Numbers    86 MB     MailTop Processes by Network Use: ⓘ    Input     Output    Process name    6 MB      428 KB    mDNSResponder    4 MB      3 MB      Dropbox    139 KB    36 KB     netbiosd    69 KB     63 KB     apsd    679 B     28 B      SystemUIServerTop Processes by Energy Use: ⓘ      7.16 WindowServer      1.06 PeakHour 4      0.46 netsession_mac      0.38 DropboxVirtual Memory Information: ⓘ    1.00 GB   Available RAM    45 MB     Free RAM    3.00 GB   Used RAM    982 MB    Cached files    60 MB     Swap UsedSoftware installs (last 30 days): ⓘ    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2018-01-28)    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2018-02-06)    Install information may not be complete.Diagnostics Events (last 3 days for minor events): ⓘ    2018-02-10 00:22:56    Last shutdown cause: 0 - Power loss

Geoff K · Answer

Here&#x27;s the EtreCheck from the MBA during todays download siege. Interestingly, the report is timed 2 minutes after the last 5 minute download recorded by PeakHour. The report, however, took 6+minutes so I assume it caught some of the mischief if there is any to catch. My uneducated eye catches a lot of kernel task input and output in Top Processes by Network Use:  Could this be significant? It was much smaller in the iMac EtreCheck report. EtreCheck version: 3.4.6 (460)Report generated 2018-02-13 16:22:23Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.comRuntime: 6:12Performance: Below AverageClick the [Lookup] links for more information from Apple Support Communities.Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.Click the [Clean up] link to delete unused files.Problem: Other problemDescription:Excessive downloadsHardware Information:ⓘ    MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010)     [Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty &amp; Service]    MacBook Air - model: MacBookAir3,1    1 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (Duo) CPU: 2-core    2 GB RAM - Insufficient RAM! Not upgradeable        BANK 0/DIMM0            1 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok        BANK 1/DIMM0            1 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok    Handoff/Airdrop2: not supported    Wireless:  en0: 802.11 a/b/g/n    Battery: Health &#x3D; Check Battery - Cycle count &#x3D; 529Video Information:ⓘ    NVIDIA GeForce 320M - VRAM: 256 MB        Color LCD 1366 x 768Disk Information:ⓘ    APPLE SSD TS064C disk0: (60.67 GB) (Solid State - TRIM: Yes)    [Show SMART report]        EFI (disk0s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [EFI]: 210 MB         (disk0s2) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [APFS Container]: 60.46 GBUSB Information:ⓘ     USB20Bus         Apple Inc. FaceTime Camera (Built-in)      USB20Bus      USBBus      USBBus         Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub             Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller         Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad Virtual disks:ⓘ    Macintosh HD (disk1s1 - APFS) /  [Startup]: 60.46 GB (19.98 GB free)        Physical disk: disk0s2 60.46 GB (19.98 GB free)    (disk1s2) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [Preboot]: 60.46 GB        Physical disk: disk0s2 60.46 GB     (disk1s3) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [Recovery]: 60.46 GB        Physical disk: disk0s2 60.46 GB     (disk1s4) /private/var/vm  [VM]: 60.46 GB        Physical disk: disk0s2 60.46 GB System Software:ⓘ    macOS High Sierra  10.13.3 (17D47) - Time since boot: about one day Gatekeeper:ⓘ    Mac App Store and identified developersClean up:ⓘ    ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[redacted]@me.com-SharedSer vices.Agent.plist        /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/OSServices.framewo rk/Versions/A/Support/CSConfigDotMacCert -l ~/Library/Logs/CSConfigDotMacCert.log -u [redacted]@me.com -t SharedServices -s        Executable not found!    One orphan file found.[Clean up]Kernel Extensions:ⓘ        /System/Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.prolific.driver.PL2303 (2.2.0) [Lookup]        /System/Library/Extensions/RT2870USBWirelessDriver.kext    [not loaded]    com.Ralink.driver.RT2870USBWirelessDriver (4.2.5.0) [Lookup]System Launch Agents:ⓘ    [not loaded]    9 Apple tasks    [loaded]    180 Apple tasks    [running]    89 Apple tasks    [killed]    12 Apple tasks    12 processes killed due to insufficient RAMSystem Launch Daemons:ⓘ    [not loaded]    37 Apple tasks    [loaded]    186 Apple tasks    [running]    101 Apple tasks    [killed]    7 Apple tasks    7 processes killed due to insufficient RAMLaunch Agents:ⓘ    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist (? fae5f235 72ac4dde - installed 2017-11-07) [Lookup]Launch Daemons:ⓘ    [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.bombich.ccc.plist (? 41245744 d09e361c - installed 2013-12-26) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.bombich.ccchelper.plist (Bombich Software, Inc. - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist (Shell Script e3fefdd2 - installed 2017-09-05) [Lookup]User Launch Agents:ⓘ    [failed]    com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-[redacted]@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist (? ? ? - installed 2010-11-17) - /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/OSServices.framewo rk/Versions/A/Support/CSConfigDotMacCert: Executable not found!    [loaded]    com.apple.SafariBookmarksSyncer.plist (? ? ? - installed 2010-11-18)    [loaded]    com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist (Dropbox, Inc. - installed 2017-08-10) [Lookup]    [running]    com.nds.pcshow.plist (Shell Script 48e39481 - installed 2017-10-25)    [loaded]    com.nds.pcshow.uninstall.plist (Shell Script 39d7292a - installed 2017-10-25)    [loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.CBDF6566-347D-4C53-8790-B9AF193F12E9.000.000.plist (Jerry Krinock - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.CBDF6566-347D-4C53-8790-B9AF193F12E9.000.001.plist (Jerry Krinock - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.CBDF6566-347D-4C53-8790-B9AF193F12E9.001.000.plist (Jerry Krinock - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [loaded]    com.sheepsystems.BookMacster.CBDF6566-347D-4C53-8790-B9AF193F12E9.001.001.plist (Jerry Krinock - installed 2018-02-10) [Lookup]    [running]    ws.agile.1PasswordAgent.plist (? 228e7c7c dbc058f8 - installed 2014-05-13) [Lookup]User Login Items:ⓘ    TypeIt4Me    Application         (/Applications/TypeIt4Me.app)    Dropbox    Application         (/Applications/Dropbox.app)    WirelessUtility    Application         (/Applications/Ralink Wireless Utility/WirelessUtility.app)    GrowlLauncher    SMLoginItem - Hidden (? 0 - installed 2013-12-10)        (/Applications/Growl.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/GrowlLauncher.app)    CloudKitJS Callback URL    SMLoginItem - Hidden (AgileBits Inc. - installed 2018-01-19)        (/Applications/1Password 6.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/2BUA8C4S2C.com.agilebits.onepassword4-helper. app)Internet Plug-ins:ⓘ    JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 151 build 12 (installed 2017-11-07) Check version    FlashPlayer-10.6: 28.0.0.161 (installed 2018-02-07) [Lookup]    QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2018-02-10)    Flash Player: 28.0.0.161 (installed 2018-02-07) [Lookup]    F5 SSL VPN Plugin: 6031.2010.0122.1 (installed 2011-01-11) [Lookup]    Google Earth Web Plug-in: 6.0 (installed 2010-12-11) [Lookup]    iPhotoPhotocast: 7.0 (installed 2013-06-28)Safari Extensions:ⓘ    [enabled]    1Password - AgileBits - https://agilebits.com/onepassword (installed 2017-11-08)3rd Party Preference Panes:ⓘ    Flash Player (installed 2018-02-01) [Lookup]    Java (installed 2017-11-07) [Lookup]Time Machine:ⓘ    Skip System Files: NO    Auto backup: YES    Volumes being backed up:        Macintosh HD: Disk size: 60.46 GB Disk used: 40.48 GB    Destinations:        Data [Network]         Total size: 998.06 GB         Total number of backups: 162         Oldest backup: 7/30/13, 09:04 AM         Last backup: 2/10/18, 08:16 AM         Size of backup disk: Excellent            Backup size 998.06 GB &gt; (Disk size 60.46 GB X 3)Top Processes by CPU:ⓘ        26%   kernel_task        14%   backupd         9%   WindowServer         6%   AddressBookSourceSync         3%   diskimages-helperTop Processes by Memory:ⓘ    377 MB    kernel_task    45 MB     backupd    44 MB     Dropbox    35 MB     mds_stores    31 MB     AppleSpellTop Processes by Network Use:ⓘ    Input     Output    Process name    251 MB    78 MB     kernel_task    440 KB    232 KB    Dropbox    382 KB    189 KB    mDNSResponder    22 KB     9 KB      netbiosd    9 KB      5 KB      AddressBookSourceSyncTop Processes by Energy Use:ⓘ     22.48 backupd      8.76 WindowServer      2.66 diskimages-helper      0.58 sandboxdVirtual Memory Information:ⓘ    552 MB    Available RAM    16 MB     Free RAM    1.46 GB   Used RAM    536 MB    Cached files    192 MB    Swap UsedSoftware installs (last 30 days):ⓘ    Adobe Flash Player:  (installed 2018-02-07)    Uninstall-All-Intego-Products:  (installed 2018-02-12)    Install information may not be complete.Diagnostics Events (last 3 days for minor events):ⓘ    2018-02-12 17:55:49    netbarrierm Crash [Open]

John Galt · Answer

You might try looking for an app that keeps a record of data usage. I don&#x27;t have anything in particular to recommend and a cursory search of the App Store yielded the typical pile of junk with mixed reviews. Given its reviews with comments expressing concerns similar to yours, this one may be worth considering though: Bandwidth+ on the Mac App Store. At least the price is right.

John Galt · Answer

How can I find out where/what/how the large data downloads are happening.Not easily, but you are using a Google product that automatically updates itself, as well as Dropbox. Anything that syncs data over the Internet can be the culprit.The only way to isolate the cause is to shut down all devices that have a reason to use your ISP data during those the suspicious periods of time, and turn them back on again individually. You will need to monitor your data usage on at least a daily basis.

Geoff K · Answer

Thanks John. What is the google product I&#x27;m using? Dropbox is used to store stuff I want to find when away and using the MBA and to sync 1Password and BookMacster. I think those are the only things in DropBox that would exchange data without my asking for it. I&#x27;ve done the turn it all off and turn on again thing. Everything was off for 3 days while we were away. The iMac was turned on first. It&#x27;s the device used most. I waited several days between each device. (The phones are used, but not at home; we&#x27;re in a coulee and get cell reception only if we walk 100&#x27; from the house. During this time we turned them off before we returned to the house.) I&#x27;m not sure that would sort out the problem, though. The excessive use is intermittent, can go for 2-3 weeks without a problem. Actually it&#x27;s been going on for 2+ years but until recently may go 3 months with no anomaly. Very confusing. I hadn&#x27;t thought about doing the ertrcheck on the MBA. I use the iMac almost exclusively but my wife uses the MBA. Sometimes the kids use it when they&#x27;re home. I&#x27;ll do that tomorrow. Thanks for your help.Geoff

John Galt · Answer

I have no way of knowing if "Intego" is responsible but I do know that it will cause your Mac to run poorly. For all I know it could be updating its list of Windows viruses that don&#x27;t affect Macs.I strongly recommend uninstalling any and all non-Apple "anti-virus" garbage in strict accordance with their respective instructions. For "Intego" you must use its dedicated uninstaller app, which is included with its installer package or .dmg file. Rule 1 of Macs is don&#x27;t install junk.

Geoff K · Answer

Thanks John. I thought I had trashed Intego 2+ years ago when I had another problem and someone here suggested it. Apparently I missed it on the MBA. However, I&#x27;ve not been paying for it. I&#x27;ll uninstall it. It was, I think, highly rated by MacWorld mag. I don&#x27;t get that mag anymore. Geoff

Geoff K · Answer

It apparently wasn&#x27;t the Intego programs causing the problems. I removed its yesterday and today another deluge of data use occurred. This time it started at 0915 and is still ongoing. It appears, on PeakHour, to be flaring up once an hour at 15 past the hour. There has been 500MB used in these 5 hours. We&#x27;ve not been using any devices that we know of. Any other thoughts about where or how to look for a source of this? I&#x27;ve had problems with unexplained high data use for 2+ years but only 2-3x/yr. For the past 2 months it&#x27;s been weekly or better and more extensive. I&#x27;ve not added any devices or new programs. Not changed our internet behavior. Very puzzling. Any thoughts appreciated. Geoff

Geoff K · Answer

One more thing; The PeakHour use recording (monitoring my modem/router pathway) closely agrees with Excede&#x27;s data  use. Thus I doubt Excede is mis-recording. i.e. it must be something in my devices? Geoff

John Galt · Answer

Finding the data hog is not going to be simple and will require a process of elimination. You will need to remove each possible contributor one at a time, and test. I understand data limits but 12 GB a month is a paltry amount. I typically use about thirty times that much, and that doesn&#x27;t count iPhones and iPads.

Geoff K · Answer

Perhaps now that the data use is more frequent I&#x27;ll be able to do the elimination process. Whatever is using the data is increasing it&#x27;s appetite steadily.Re the 12GB cap, Both satellite services are similar. I pay $60/mo for the 12GB, can get 25GB for $80. I had tried the telephone DSL line rated at 1.5MB/sec. As if that wasn&#x27;t bad enough, it only delivered 300-500 kb/sec. Prior to that I had a POT line; essentially email and forums only. Now we have enough speed (though still slow) but with the data cap we do no videos or movies, try and turn facebook on only when away and on Verizon&#x27;s data, get up in the middle of night (free data time) to do updates, and try to avoid any data intensive stuff. We also take advantage of our kids who live in the "big city" and have unlimited data. Update everything when we visit them. This had worked well for several years, averaging about 6-7GB/mo. Then there were occasional unexplained data bursts. Now it&#x27;s frequent. Last month we ran out 10 days early and are on path for the same this month. Frustrating but worth it to live out of sight of any other dwellings and watch the deer walk through the yard. I&#x27;ll keep looking, do some elimination testing etc. Thanks much for your help. Geoff

Geoff K · Answer

Thanks again. Bandwidth plus looks like it might help. At least it can differentiate between the iMac and MBA. I have PeakHour 4 which monitors the traffic between router and modem. That should give me all the up and download data. PeakHour&#x27;s reports agrees closely with Excede&#x27;s report of how much data I&#x27;ve used so I think it is accurate regarding data going out and coming in. It has the advantage of showing me data use in 5 minute segments. I&#x27;m also going to change to a DSL ISP. (CenturyLink) It&#x27;s a bit slower at 6MB/sec max (Excede has 10MB/sec max) but based on past experience most of what I do is fine with 2MB/sec. The DSL has no data cap and it&#x27;s half the cost. It only became available in the past few months. This will solve my data use problem but won&#x27;t answer my question of what is using the data. Based on your comments as well as some other comments I&#x27;ve seen in the past that&#x27;s probably not a significant question unless it really gets extreme. Again, thanks for your time and help. Much appreciated. Geoff

John Galt · Answer

Generalization is generally a bad idea, but I think you won&#x27;t be able to discern much difference between 6 Mbps and 10. If the DSL option were 1 Mbps that would be bad, but 6 should be adequate for bandwidth-intensive activity such as streaming movies. I think it&#x27;s a good exchange for unlimited data.It wasn&#x27;t long ago I was consuming about 150 GB/month. Given the availability of 4K movies and everything else, it adds up quickly.I tried satellite at one time but it wasn&#x27;t much better than dialup (the only other option back then).